Chasing the Starlight
by batistaangel15
Summary: One year after the traumatic Year That Never Was, the Doctor and Rose head back out across the stars after their recovery period, returning to their old lives; meeting old friends and new enemies, and things that are…just a bit unlikely. What's in store for the dynamic duo? What do these prophecies mean? **S4 rewrite w/h Torchwood crossover, 4th in the Stars Aligned series.** DONE
1. Prologue: The Road So Far

**A/N: Here we are again ;) As usual, if you haven't already read any of the other stories in the _Stars Aligned_ series, then TURN BACK NOW. Read those first to know exactly what's going on. **

**Now, considering that the Year That Never Was left a mark on both the Doctor and Rose, they have a bunch of healing to go through. While I didn't feel the need to go in depth with it, I summarized it all in this prologue.**

 **This story will take place _a year_ after _Of Cruises and Christmas_. I thought that would be a fair amount of time for the both of them. 'Course you can never keep track of time in the TARDIS, but whatever. Sorry this is waaaaay shorter than my usual chapters, but prologues aren't usually that long. **

**Okay, enough of my trap. Here it is. :)**

* * *

 _ **Prologue: The Road So Far**_

It's been said that time heals all wounds. That's not always the case though. They still exist no matter how much time passes by, always remained in the mind, beneath the skin covered by scar tissue, lessening the pain. But they were still there.

Even then, it didn't matter. Part of the healing process was to go through it with someone that cared. Someone who would be there with you through the good, the bad, and all of the bits in between.

A little over a year had passed as the Doctor and Rose took a well deserved break from the hectic life they knew all too well, traveling lightly across the stars. Considering the universe was always in constant need of saving from the cynic wrongdoers residing from the vast galaxies and civilizations all over, there were times where it was in no need of saving, times where there was only peace and quiet without any kind of disturbances. So they chose to lay low and stay at the Christmas planet Noel for a week, cheerfully enjoying themselves without a worry in the world, enjoying the other's warmth and company just as they always would, where the only bad thing that could happen is not being able to require the rich hot maxa-chocolate that became their trademark.

Once the week had passed they were a little reluctant to say the least to leave, considering that the last time they visited the planet then left a storm was in their wake and nearly tore both of them worlds apart. As if they wanted to deal with that again. But that was the universe and what it did best; to slam everything at them in hopes of ripping them from each other's arms, but failing as they remained in their rightful place. So they decided to run back across the stars, to see what else lay before them at their fingertips. So many precious seconds and minutes and hours that could have been used for those moments of passion and tender care were wasted during their separate ordeals, and they were making up for loss time.

Of course nothing is ever simple with their lives as the nightmares lingered for quite some time. Something they couldn't run away from in their year of recuperation. At least in the beginning. Sleeping wasn't much of an issue for them at first. The dreams were still pleasant, images and scenes of calmness and buoyancy. However, every now and then something restless would permeate their minds, painfully reminding them of the unwanted memories that happened to each of then during their time in Hell.

Nightmarish scenes of their imprisonment during a time period they could only wish were obliterated from their minds haunted them—a year for him, and a year and a half for her—two separate periods of time filled with pain, bitterness, anguish, misery, and absolute mayhem of isolated and traumatic tribulations. The fresh new wounds of the Year That Never Was, though they tried to mask the bulk of the grief, scarred them. Yes, they were healing by each other's mutual methods of remedial love, but beneath the sutures the scars remained. Granted the pain was nowhere near as bad as the suffering they dealt with firsthand through their incarcerations, much to their relief. Only taking a couple steps back after taking one forward.

It had seemed that their last adventure on an ill-fated ship named after the infamous Earth vessel _Titanic_ had triggered their suppressed grief, threatening to break them down.

The Doctor was more prone to the nightmares, which wasn't much of a surprise as his lovely old friend that was the darkness always hung around, waiting to give him the unwelcomed company. Images of his wife being poked and prodded with instruments of torture, unceremoniously being used as a canvas for tasteless and nauseating works of art that only boiled his blood at the now fallen man who had done such sickening things. Then came the painful images of her slain body tarnished by gunfire, something he knew he would never forget for the rest of his long lives, that would be forever burned into his memory. Constant torture that haunted him during that whole reversed year, plaguing him with painful reminders. Subsequently he would shut himself off through their bond, not wanting to disturb Rose with those reels as she was dealing with her own trauma.

Old habits do die hard, and when they become part of another person close to you, they become harder to get rid of. And that was the main situation with Rose. She may have been showing her strength by disclosing her suffering, but in times it bled through. Much like her husband she kept everything bottled up inside, telling him she was fine whereas the effects were rippling inside of her. And that's what they were: ripple effects displaying scenes that she saw when she was alive, taken as a hostage and tormented with psychological lies and various tools used to mark her skin with tokens of her time in her cells. Then came the ones she herself may not have seen, but were witnessed by the Bad Wolf. The universal enslavement, the slaughtering of humans as creatures sliced through them as if their skin were made of paper, every horrid image seen by the entity that was a part of her during a year that was erased from existence.

Whenever one would whimper in their sleep, cry out the other's name almost in a desperate attempt to save them from the nightmare that came to them, the other was always quick to reassure their safety and confirm their presence, holding each other close for solace. Once their shuddering bodies calmed the one would apologize for disturbing the other, but neither one of them cared. Comforting each other in their times of need was the number one priority for both of them, chasing away the monsters and the demons that crept inside of them and tried to claw their way out to the surface.

Through the constant internal battles, though, were those warm and tender reassurances that were _always_ more than welcomed and gladly accepted on each receiving end. When it was just them in their own little world. Together. Where no outside source could break through and taint their walls. When they were just being their selves; joking, teasing, laughing, smiling, sharing those passionate moments filled with long and lingering kisses, savoring every inch of each other's bodies with the slightest touch whether it be physically or mentally, cradling each other in their protective arms, enveloping them in their warmth and love and everything that defined _them._

And in that time nothing fought their way through. The demons, while still lurking in the shadows, backed away. The echoes had silenced. The nightmares that once plagued their minds dispersed altogether. Sure, once in a while one could leak through the cracks of their conscience, but it didn't take long for it scurry back into some corner, out of sight. If one of them were lost at sea the other would call their name, reach their hand out and carry them away from the darkness, keeping their sanity intact when it seemed all was lost for even the briefest second. And soon enough the nightmares eased up completely, and they soothed each other and returned to their normal selves. Their normal carefree selves.

Yes, the pain was still there, and they knew it. Acknowledged it. It would always be there, and they knew that. Those scars, while healing, still remained and would probably ache again some time in the future. But as they've said to each other through the darkest of times, they were strong. As long as they had each other then they'd always believe to be alright, no matter what ordeals they trudge through. Through the shadows that cast over them they burned bright, lighting the way for the other and lead them away from the troubles that haunt them. That was all that mattered.

And they knew the moment they would step foot back on planet Earth something else would be coming in their life. Even if it were things that were just a bit unexpected.

* * *

 **Again, sorry for the length. I'll post the next chapter either tomorrow or the next day. I personally like to be ahead of myself in the story, and I'm working on chapter four at the moment. Just my system, and I'm adamant about sticking to it. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this opening for now. I promise there won't be a long wait for the next chapter. And I guarantee future chapters will _never_ be this short :) **


	2. Partners in Crime Part 1

**A/N: Now onto the actual story! Th** **is rewrite's gonna** **be even _more_ challenging than S3, so please be kind and patient with me. Right then, allons-y!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or its characters (sadly), the BBC does. All rights belong to the owners and writers. No copyright infringement intended. I do, however, own _this_ particular Whoniverse…I guess you could say it like that. Or maybe I own DW in an alternate universe? Well, if so, Moffat wouldn't have taken over and DT and BP would have more seasons. Just because.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: Partners in Crime Part 1**_

When it came to life in the TARDIS one could easily lose track of time; that is unless you're a Time Lord with supposed superior senses. Despite that fact there wasn't really any reason to keep track of time, given the fact that within the time vortex itself were infinite points in time and space at their fingertips, waiting to be explored and whatnot. Everything that ever was and sealed in place in the yesterdays of the past, and everything that ever will be in the days to come in the future. But advanced humans were also capable—somewhat—of such an ability to keep track of time, and knew how much had passed by.

About a week had passed since the Doctor and Rose stepped out of the TARDIS during their recovery period, which may have seemed a bit odd considering the amount of jittering between the both of them when it came to remaining in a certain spot for so long. But in all honesty there were times where they didn't mind at all. Just drifting across the stars in their little blue box was really either of them could want. It was a part of their life, but there came a time when a ground was needed beneath their feet.

In the console room Rose sat on the jump seat with a book in her hands while the Doctor tended to some necessary repairs beneath the gratings. This has been the occurrence as of lately. If it hadn't been for the Doctor tampering with a certain device on the TARDIS console, they probably would've ended up on another exquisite planet by now. He had finally lived up to his promise to take her to Barcelona and, sure enough, there _were_ dogs with no noses, ranging in different sizes, shapes, and breeds. Odd as it looked at first, they proved to be extremely friendly and acted like a normal Earth canine. With civil rights and the ability to communicate with humans and other species through a device on each of their collars, that is.

When they left that planet he set them to drift in the vortex to make repairs to the console he accidentally tinkered with the Absolute Tesseractulator, which is responsible for keeping track of the TARDIS's dimensional location. As a result they weren't able to land anywhere until it was fixed, since they wouldn't be able to look at the monitor to see what was going on outside. And precautions were to always be taken when it came to them. Trouble was always the bits in between.

So they were left to drift in the vortex for an entire week. Rose had made a slew of comments regarding the Doctor's stubborn decision to throw the instructions manual to the Old Girl long ago, to which he sniffed and made no response. The Doctor may be an alien, but he was still a bloke. And just like a man he refused to believe he was wrong and thought he was always right.

It was a good thing she convinced him thoroughly to teach her how to fly the TARDIS because there were times where she always wanted to learn more about the place that was her home. That and the fact that she wanted to see if she would be able to take them to different places with ease. She's run a few practice sessions in the last number of weeks when everything began to return to normal, and so far she did a decent job. Even though she landed them underwater on the first trial run. But the Doctor praised her for her efforts, and she was progressing.

Not only was she learning how to operate the TARDIS more but there were other things she's been absorbing. Every so often the Doctor would murmur something in Gallifreyan, and she would catch some of their meanings. Over the course of their year long recovery period she immersed herself in the dialect of the Doctor's home, learning a few terms of endearment along with other phrases that she would send through their bond. He stressed it wasn't necessary for her to learn the language, but she always said that she wanted to. Maybe not _all_ of it, but a good amount. He still loved the idea.

Still, in their time of light travels, Rose was itching for another adventure. Something a little more exciting. Not that what they've been doing lately wasn't anything beautiful, because it was. Just being within each other's company was always warm and greatly loved. But she knew that he was impatiently waiting to go back out across the stars and land somewhere.

"Ah, there we go!" the Doctor suddenly exclaimed from his hole.

"Finally figured it out?" Rose asked, briefly glancing over to see his tousled mop spiked up.

He hopped up, rolling his Oxford's sleeves up a little more. "Yep. Was only a small glitch in the isometry parallel-busses to transmit into the image translator. Bit rudimentary, to say the least, but it's connecting to the antenna and refreshing."

Rose arched an eyebrow at him. "Took you long enough."

"Oh, c'mon, that wasn't _that_ long," he defended.

"Doctor, you said it would only take a few hours."

"Weeeell…"

"It's been a little over a week."

He sniffed and cocked his head to the side. "More or less."

Rose snorted as she returned to her book. "Whatever you say, love. It was still an off estimate."

The Doctor huffed as he stepped over to the console, fiddling with other controls, grabbing a cloth and running it across the panel. It was nice getting back on track with their normal lives, not having to deal with any pains or ripple effects. It was just them. Just as it should be.

While he continued sprucing up the console Rose returned to her book, crossing her leg over the other and relaxed. Truthfully she could barely comprehend what she was reading as she was finding herself distracted by the pleasant view of her husband's bum in his pinstriped trousers swaying as he wiped. Yes, she's seen it many a times before, but the way he was stretching across the controls was making him that more tantalizing.

Her eyes snapped back down to her page, over the last sentence she remembered she left off on. Or not. She probably read the same line twenty-five times before she finally made it to the next one. Trying to focus was hard as she heard the Doctor grunting when he stretched as far as he could go, one of his knees propped up on the edge of the console as he reached up to wipe the time rotor. Dammit. She couldn't resist. Uncrossing her legs Rose leaned forward to give him a gentle pinch.

He squeaked—quite unmanly, she might add—hopping off of the ground and onto the console as his arms wrapped around the rotor to keep his balance. Rose snickered when he turned to her, his eyes widened and his face feigning shock.

"Rose Marion Tyler!" he said, unwrapping one of his arms from around the rotor to place a hand on his chest.

"What?" she said innocently, contrasting with the wicked grin spreading across her lips. "Like you weren't expecting _that._ And you say that _I'm_ distracting."

"I was only working on the console," he told her as he slid down to his feet.

"And I was only reading," she countered. "Well, at least I was _trying_ to, but my incredibly gorgeous husband was stickin' his bum out and giving me quite the view."

"I was not!" he protested before pointing an accusing finger at her. "Rose Tyler, for shame." He shifted a bit. "Wait, what're you saying? Are you implying that-that…I'm a bit…" He turned to look over his shoulder, his eyes south.

Rose leaned forward when she burst into laughter, causing her book to fall off her lap and onto the floor. "Vanity, Doctor?"

He sniffed and adjusted his tie. "Of course not. Now, I reckon the Old Girl's got Her bearings now." The ship mentioned hummed in affirmation, making them smile. "That about says it all. So, where to?"

"Wherever you want," Rose said with a smile.

"Kind of a vague answer, innit?" he replied, squinting an eye.

"What, like _you_ know where we're going," she snorted.

"Nope. Always a good feeling though, not knowing. Keeps us going. Out there across the skies, old and new worlds either being built from the ground up or being brought down for reconstruction, stars burning bright for the very first time, guiding the way to unknown—"

"Doctor," Rose cut in. "You're rambling again."

He chuckled once. "That's the curse of this gob."

She rolled her eyes playfully as she turned around and bent down to retrieve her fallen book…only to let out a squeak of her own when a familiar pair of pinchers made their way to her bum, followed by the familiar happy sound coming from the culprit behind her.

Straightening up Rose caught the Doctor eyeing her with that silly grin of his. She reenacted his exaggerated actions from earlier. "Oh, you lecherous old man!"

The grin never left his face. "Insatiable little minx," he responded, booping her nose. "Sorry, but you were also giving _me_ quite the view. With _shorts_ on, mind you. How can I operate the TARDIS with you doing things like that? Can make a bloke lose his train of thought."

"You could always let me drive instead," she said, trailing a single finger up his forearm. "'M already a better driver than you."

"Now, Rose," the Doctor interjected, reaching over to grab his suit jacket and slipping it on. "While I know you're capable of controlling the TARDIS and understand how to work a great deal of the Her functions, you still have a lot to learn."

"So do you," she told him.

"I've had this ship for _centuries,_ Rose, that includes many years of experience. I think that qualifies me as a certified driver."

"Says the man who failed his test and threw out the instructions manual."

He sighed and shook his head, scratching his sideburn. "You'll never let that go, will you?"

She threw him a teasing smile. "You really to have to ask? Even the TARDIS thinks I'm better than you, and I've only been taking lessons for a few weeks."

The Old Girl hummed Her agreement, causing Rose to giggle and the Doctor to groan. Girls always stick together. "Remind me—'cause I can't even begin to fathom—how was it possible for me to allow myself to be outnumbered in my own ship?"

"Because you're a sucker when it comes to us girls working together. You're more like the Oncoming _Drizzle_ than the Storm, I'd say," she added with a nose scrunch.

The Doctor growled when she pulled him down for a brief kiss before Rose's stomach came into the picture and broke the moment. "Honestly, I think we need to chain that creature up," he said when she pulled away with a giggle. "It's always coming out of its cage."

She lightly swatted his chest. "Y'know, it's been awhile since we got chips."

His brows furrowed. "No, it isn't. We picked up some of them a couple weeks ago."

"Those weren't chips, Doctor, they were green and tasted like plums. And they came from…Taha…sim…urg…whatever that place was called."

"Tahasimurggliron," he supplied. "Nice work attempting the pronunciation. And, well, yes, they may have had a different flavor but they still qualify, don't they?" Rose arched an eyebrow at him and he shrugged. "Alright, fine. Can't have you without your greasy potatoes, can we?"

She leaned up and kissed his cheek as he plugged in the coordinates to London then pulled the lever. A slight jerk rocked the ship as they were brought to the ground, laughing like loons until they landed. Rose made another comment about the Doctor's driving skills, to which he replied with an eye roll. Helping each other to their feet he ran over to the coral strut to retrieve his coat, shrugging it on before walking to the door. Taking Rose's hand in his he opened the door for her as they stepped through.

Everything seemed normal enough since the last time they landed on Earth, much to their relief. It was springtime. They've been a bit reluctant to come back here so soon mainly because they know what always happens on Earth. Especially in London. Why always London? There wasn't much of a reason to arrive back. Had this been a couple years ago Rose would pay her mother a visit, but she was still trapped in that parallel world. At least she was safe over there. By now she's had the baby, another child to raise and make her feel like a true mother again since her only daughter was far away from her reach.

Rose felt the Doctor squeeze her hand, bringing her back. She glanced over and saw him giving her a sympathetic look. "You alright?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. C'mon, let's head over to a chippy before I start chewing on your arm."

"Blimey, never thought I'd be married to a cannibal," the Doctor muttered as Rose tugged him along, hearing his words and nudging his mind.

It didn't take them long until they came across a chippy. Rather than eat them inside they decided to wander around and observe the typical lives of the residents. Walking hand in hand, the Doctor reached over and stole one of Rose's chips, plopping it into his mouth just as they passed an open shop displaying televisions in the front window. Something caught Rose's attention as she came to a sudden stop, the Doctor following suit.

"Rose, what's wrong?" he asked, plopping two more chips into his mouth. "Your spidey senses tingling?"

"No," she said, shaking her head before furrowing her brows at him. "Spidey senses?"

He shrugged. "Better than saying twitchy feelings, isn't it?"

"I guess. I was waiting for a different name for them."

"Well, it's a complicated term."

"It got away from you again, huh?" He remained silent and she giggled. "But, no, I didn't feel anything."

The Doctor studied her before perking his ears up. Turning his head back towards the shop he gently tugged Rose along with him. They stood in front of the window, watching the televisions as each of them broadcasted an infomercial for some dieting company called Adipose.

"The fat just walks away…" the Doctor repeated the product's slogan. "Pretty catchy."

"These things are usually rubbish," Rose commented as the advertisement continued. "Lot of scams they are. Mum once gave in and bought this pressure cooker said to simmer meat in under fifteen minutes. Didn't even work. We ended up with food poisoning."

"False advertising, not much of a rarity in the universe," the Doctor said. "But if your mother was cooking, then that's the standard."

Rose elbowed his ribs. "Oi! She's my mother."

"Sorry, it just slipped out," he told her before tearing his eyes away from the televisions. "I didn't mean to…" he trailed off.

Rose patted his arm. "'S okay."

They continued watching the infomercial with bemused expressions. "Well, that's different," the Doctor commented once it ended.

"What d'you think?" Rose asked.

The Doctor flitted his eyes between his wife and the televisions. It's been a little over a year since they've done any snooping on Earth but now that they were back on their feet, their detective days were coming back into their usual routine. There wasn't any harm in that.

"Fancy a little investigating?"

She bit her lip, barely containing the wide smile from spreading across her face. "Do you really have to ask?"

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The Doctor stood in the console room fiddling with random controls on the console as he waited patiently for Rose to get ready. He had told her that since they would be checking out this supposed diet pill called Adipose, they were to go through the company posing as Health and Safety. It was a simple occupation, and for that they needed to dress formally. While Rose was never keen about dressing in such attire and would rather prefer her casual look of jeans and a top, she was surprisingly looking forward to dressing for the part. Good thing he didn't bet on that. He was already on her tab multiple times.

Twenty-five minutes passed by and he restrained himself from calling her through their bond. Usually he was always antsy when it came to waiting for his wife to get ready before they headed out to whatever it was they were entering, and would tease her for it. But for once he was fine with it. If any and everything that occurred over the past year didn't confirm that then he was seriously out of his element. Rose was his comfort zone, and just being within her company was all that mattered for him.

The approaching sound of heels against the floor got his attention. "All set," Rose said from behind as she came out of the corridor.

"I was beginning to think you got lost in the wardrobe," the Doctor joked, still facing the console for the moment.

"Flattering," she commented.

"Funny thing about this company is that over the last few weeks, they've been…" Turning around he took in her outfit…his jaw dropping in the process and the rest of his sentence was of no importance and slipped from his mind.

Rose was wearing a brown pinstriped ensemble, very much matching _his_ own attire; a jacket, a light blue dress shirt, a skirt that ended above her knees, revealing her toned legs as he raked his eyes down their length that ended with cream colored low heeled shoes. Her hair was poker straight as it fell past her shoulders, the strong aroma of her strawberry banana shampoo heightened as she retouched herself. As much as he admired her hair longer, he couldn't deny that she was utterly gorgeous regardless of her length. She touched up her makeup, which wasn't too much but enough to bring out her hazel eyes impossibly more.

All in all she displayed an exquisite chic of both classy, professional, and _dead_ sexy. Leave it to his wife to take the breath away from him with such ease. How she did it was always a mystery to him, but even the smallest things she did were viable in making him nearly fall head over heels.

"Oh…" he finally breathed out.

"I take it you approve," Rose said with a grin, gesturing at her outfit.

"You're…you're wearing a _suit_ …" he replied gawking at her appearance, even as she came up to him at the console.

She chuckled. "You catch on quick."

He blinked, admiring the way the outfit worked for her. "How did…where did you even _find_ that?"

"The TARDIS picked it out for me a few weeks ago," she said with a shrug. "I've been meaning to wear it should we do another investigation, so I figured I break it in now."

He raised his brows. "Well, I must say you look stunning," he said warmly.

Rose smiled. "But that's not all I've got that I think you'll like."

She reached into her jacket pocket, into the expansion of the interior as she fished around for a specific item. In a flash she whipped out a pair of glasses identical to the Doctor's and slipped them on. The look on her husband's face made her insides warm up as he stepped closer to her.

Moving his eyes over the full picture was more than enticing. And he thought she was already gorgeous, but then she added a pair of brainy specs to the mix…

" _Rassilon_ ," he murmured before pulling her in for a deep kiss, grinning against her lips when she giggled.

"That was…some reaction," Rose commented when they broke apart. "I was expecting a little _more,_ though."

His grin made her melt. "Just you wait 'til later," he husked, sending an extra wave of admiration through their bond, making her shiver.

"I can only imagine how you'd react if I were to get my own sonic screwdriver or psychic paper," she told him with a wide smile.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow at her. "Pushing it a little, are we?"

"Well, you gave in to teaching me how to drive the TARDIS, 'm bettin' you'll come around with some of your other toys."

He smirked. She _was_ very convincing, and he had been meaning to equip her with other items for a short while now. "I'll see what I can do later," he told her. "Now, we'll be going undercover as members of Health and Safety and, since we're a partnership, we'll need another piece added to our little facade."

"Which is?"

Reaching into his trouser pocket the Doctor held out two familiar items in his palm—gold wedding bands. They were slightly larger than the last pair he had made last year during one of their other investigations, the Gallifreyan scripture engraved on both more distinguished and blown up to be easily read; if one knew the language that was. While Rose wasn't fluent, she was able to make out most of the words and phrases written on them in tight burgundy circles and lines.

"When do you even make these?" Rose asked curiously. "Every time I see you you're never makin' anything."

"That's because the rest of the time you're sleeping in your burrow," he answered. "Honestly, Rose, your sleep cycle can easily be pushed back like mine. There's no reason to sleep a ridiculous amount of hours."

She poked him in the chest. "'Scuse me, but I'm still human…mostly. And I don't sleep as much as I _used_ to, you know."

"No, that's true. You've never been a morning person back then. Weeeell…given time you'll be dangerously close to returning to your old habits."

Rose scoffed as a response and he winked at her.

Still possessing the rings the Doctor kept one of them in his palm and held the other out, bringing her left hand up to slip the ring on her finger. Her bracelet glimmered and he smiled. The only facade in this investigation was the business role. _Never_ the marriage. His thumb brushed over the band before he lifted it up to press a soft kiss to it. Lowering it he allowed Rose to take the other as she repeated the same motions.

"So," Rose said. "Allons-y?"

His eyes lit up. "Allons-y!"

Heading down to the ramp the Doctor stopped to shrug on his coat while Rose stood by the door. Taking the opportunity before him he was able to appreciate the way the suit hugged her curves just right.

"Priorities, you old lecher," she teased as she placed a hand on the doors.

He snickered as he joined her by the doors. "Sorry, not sorry."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Walking along the crowded pavements and swerving their way through the passing pedestrians the Doctor and Rose came to a stop in an open spot, craning their necks to take in the scaling building that was Adipose Industries.

A small twitch came to Rose's stomach. Yeah, definitely something wonky about this place. The Doctor nudged her shoulder and nodded in the direction to the side of the building where the fire exit was located. Taking out the sonic he glanced around before aiming the sonic at the lock, disabling the alarm as it popped and sparked.

"Very discreet," Rose commented as he held the door out for her to enter.

"Well, I _am_ good with doors," he preened as they walked down the corridor. A security guard was coming their way as they remained impassive. "John and Rose Tyler, Health and Safety," he said, flashing the psycho paper at the man, who barely paid any attention to them and gave an imperceptible nod.

"'John and Rose Tyler'," Rose repeated curiously when the guard was a safe distance away. "That's a change."

The Doctor shrugged a shoulder. "Well, I figured that 'John Smith' has run its course. I've been using that moniker for a long time. Some change was in order, wouldn't you say?"

She nodded. "S'pose so."

"And it works in your favor as well. There's no need to worry about any records of 'Rose Tyler' post Canary Wharf. You could've inherited my name through marriage for all that lot could know. Good thinking, eh?" he added with a wink.

Rose grinned and kissed him on the cheek as the continued walking down the corridor. They came up to another door leading into a projection room. The Doctor slowly opened the door, finding that it was currently unoccupied. In the box was a projector conveying a presentation in a lecture hall being held for the press.

"Front row seats," he said as they moved to crouch by the opening. Almost in synchronicity the duo slipped on their specs, giving each other amused looks before bring their attention to a woman with short hair and glasses speaking before the lecture hall.

"Adipose Industries," she was saying. "The 21st century way to lose weight. No exercise, no diet, no pain—just lifelong freedom from fat. The Holy Grail of the modern age." She held up a small capsule. "And here it is. You just take one capsule; one capsule, once a day, for three weeks. And the fat, as they say…"

 ** _"The fat just walks away,"_ ** a computerized voice finished as the words appeared on the screen behind her along with the company's logo. The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look.

"Excuse me, Miss Foster, if I could?" said a woman from the seats, raising her hand. "I'm Penny Carter, science correspondent for _The Observer_. There are a thousand diet pills on the market, a thousand con men stealing people's money. How do we know the fat isn't going straight into your bank account?"

"Oh, Penny, if cynicism burnt up calories, we'd all be as thin as rakes," Miss Foster said with a plastering sweet voice. "But if you want the science…" she held up a remote and removed her glasses. "I'll oblige."

The projector beside the Doctor and Rose whirred, its light flicking as a reel began to play.

 ** _"Adipose Industries,"_** the computer voice said. ** _"The Adipose capsule is composed of a synthesized mobilizing lipase, bound to a large protein molecule. The mobilizing lipase breaks up the triglycerides stored in the adipose cells, which then enter—"_**

The sound of a man clearing his throat behind them car to their attention as he chose the perfect time to check the projector. The Doctor glanced over to see the man giving them a curious look.

"Health and Safety," he said, holding up the psychic paper.

"Film department," Rose added.

The Doctor inwardly snorted. _"Nice one,"_ he thought to her.

 _"It's a merging company,"_ she said, earning tight smirk from him. The man shrugged as he checked the equipment just as both of them turned back to watch the rest of the video.

"One hundred percent legal," Miss Foster said as it ended. "One hundred percent effective."

"But, can I just ask," Penny interjected again. From where they were Rose could easily see the CEO attempting to mask her irritation. "How many people have taken the pills to date?"

"We've already got one million customers within the Greater London area alone," Miss Foster told her. "But from next week, we start rolling out nationwide. The future starts here. And Britain will be thin."

Rose rolled her eyes while the Doctor sighed, removing his specs. He lightly tapped her arm as they stood up. They nodded at the man, leaving him to do his job before exiting the box.

"That wasn't really helpful," the Doctor said flatly as they took another route in the corridors.

"I told you these things are rubbish," Rose said, slipping off her glasses and pocketing them. "Any thoughts?"

"None. But…mobilizing lipase…" he mused, his tongue pressed to the back of his top row of teeth. "Those are highly sensitive. An enzymatic action like that is a major source of energy…"

Rose studied him, almost expecting smoke to pour out of his ears. She nudged his shoulder. "Still worth investigating, then?"

"Of course," he proclaimed. "That was merely just the basis. Maybe if we dig a little deeper into this company, right down to the central core that's building this place up then we might be able to end up with a little more primaries."

"So, basically we just…learn more about the customers?" Rose drew out.

"Spot on, Lewis!" he said proudly, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as they made their way down to the office workers in their cubicles.

Eyeing them the Doctor sprinted up to one of them, his hand going in his jacket for the psychic paper. The woman occupying the station had a headset on, communicating on the phone. "We deliver within three working days," she was saying.

He took one of the seats and flashed it to her. "John and Rose Tyler, Health and Safety," he whispered.

The woman nodded, eyeing him up and down as she continued her conversation. Rose grabbed a hold of another chair and sat directly beside her husband. She heard him chortling in her mind, and she rolled her eyes before reaching forward to study a gold necklace with a pill-shaped pendant laying on the desk.

"The box comes with twenty-one days' worth of pills," the woman said through the phone. "A full information pack, and our special free gift, an Adipose Industries pendant. It's made of 18 carat gold, and it's yours for free. No, we don't give away pens, sorry. No, I can't make an exception, no."

Rose handed the object over to the Doctor to let him inspect it for a bit. He leaned back in his chair, entwining the necklace through his fingers as he studied it.

 _"Important key, right?"_ Rose thought to him. _"Maybe more than just an accessory."_

 _"Could be,"_ he agreed. _"If I could just analyze this back on the TARDIS, I'd be able to see its properties."_ The woman pressed a button on her phone's machine as her conversation ended. "Right, well, we're going to need to keep this," he said out loud, dangling the necklace before placing it in his pocket. "Uh, classified tests are to be taken. Nothing too serious."

The woman hesitantly nodded. "Sure thing."

"Oh, and can we have a list of some of your clients?" Rose added.

"Sure, I'll just print that out for you."

"Thanks," the Doctor said, nodding at Rose before standing up from his chair and looking around the room. "That the printer there?"

"By the plant, yeah," the woman told him as she turned to her computer.

"Brilliant," he said, sitting himself down only to pop up again. "Has it got paper?"

"Yeah, Jimbo keeps it stocked," the woman said.

"Good," he said, sitting down again. Rose arched an eyebrow at him. _"What?"_ he asked through their link.

 _"What are you, a prairie dog?"_

 _"What?"_

 _"No, better yet, are you Tigger?"_

His brows furrowed. ** _"Tigger?"_ ** he repeated indignantly.

She shrugged. _"Yeah, 'cause you're all bouncy."_

He arched an eyebrow at her. _"Does that make you Winnie the Pooh, then?"_

She smiled and shook her head while he nudged her foot with his.

"Excuse me, everyone," Miss Foster suddenly called out from the room. "If I could have your attention." Everyone stood up, save for the Doctor and Rose. He kept a hand on her arm, patting it before slowly standing up to furtively peek over the cubicle. "On average, you're each selling forty Adipose packs per day. It's not enough. I want _one hundred_ sales per person per day. And if not, you'll be replaced. 'Cause if anyone is good in trimming the fat, it's me. Now. Back to it."

The workers sat back down, returning to their jobs as the woman walked away. The Doctor took his seat again. "Anyway, if you could print that off. Thanks," he said to the woman in the cubicle.

"Just sending it to the printer now," she said.

"Ta," Rose said politely as she stood, heading to the printer.

The Doctor smiled at the woman and made a move to follow his wife when the woman handed him a small piece of paper. "Oh, what's that?"

"My telephone number," she told him.

He looked at her, confused. "What for?"

"Health and Safety; you be health, I'll be safety."

His eyes widened. "Oh, no, t-that's…you see, I'm—"

"Sorry, sweetheart, that position's already _filled,"_ Rose said, grabbing his hand and exposing her ring as well as her bracelet before tugging him out of the cubicle and over to the printer.

"Someone's possessive," the Doctor said with a smirk.

She snorted, and threw him a tongue-in-teeth smile. "Damn straight. No other woman's gonna come onto my husband as long as I'm around."

"Not my problem this body's pretty," he said, nudging her shoulder.

"I've got no complaints," she told. "But seeing another woman make a move on you when you're obviously taken is _way_ out of line."

"Always," he snickered.

Reaching the printer they were about to take the necessary papers…only to find it completely empty. The Doctor lifted up the pan to check to see that it was filled with paper. It was. Checking the rest of the copier he saw it was perfectly fine. Maybe there was a glitch in the system during the printing. He reluctantly looked back at the woman's cubicle, biting his lip. Looking back at Rose she rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand.

Coming up to the cubicle he tried not to blush and laughed nervously. "Us again," he said with a smile. "Uh, sorry about…err…that…" he cleared his throat awkwardly, reaching a hand to tug his earlobe.

"Sorry," Rose said, smiling innocently as the woman stared at them, silent. "But could you print that out for us again? Thanks." She looked back at her husband, whose ears were a violent pink. _"Coward."_


	3. Partners in Crime Part 2

**A/N:** **As always, many thanks and love to you lovely viewers! ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2: Partners in Crime Part 2**_

Having the printouts needed for their investigation now in their possession the Doctor and Rose headed back to the TARDIS to work out the next part of their plan to crack down this Adipose dieting business to see if there really was at least one infomercial that proved to be genuine and true. If it were possible.

The Doctor wasted no time in tinkering around the console, picking up random pieces and scraping them together into some kind of device. With his glasses perched on his nose he worked hard in creating his contraption, seating himself on the jump seat beside Rose, who watched him in complete fascination. It never ceased to amaze her how incredibly skilled her husband was with his hands, able to whip up impressive gadgets out of bits of wire and pipe and whatever else he could get a hold of. Try and top _that,_ MacGyver.

"Coil," he said, holding out his hand.

Rose reached around her to pick up a piece of metal, placing it in his palm. He said his thanks as he resumed working on his thingamabob, twisting small wires around the gizmo, his face full of concentration. Always marveled by his expertise, she studied him for a few minutes, recalling all of his other inventions created in the past.

"So," she spoke up, pointing at the object. "What's this one gonna be called?"

"Dunno yet," he replied. "As of right now it's…still a work in progress, but if I get it to work the right way it'll be able to detect the mobilizing lipase inside of the people. All of that tissue bounded together. Judging by the stats that were shown on that video, these results are substantial, to say the least. But the science is off."

Rose nodded slowly. "Right. You still think it's all a fraud?"

"That's what I hope to find out with this," he said, shaking the Y-shaped contraption in his hand. "You heard some of the stories of the users, and the results seem bona fide and authentic. They're losing weight. But the key point in all of this relies on where the fat's going."

"So…you're gonna track the fat?"

He tilted his head an squinted an eye. "Kinda. If I get this to work right, that is. It should be able to detect traces of parthenogenesis used within the area as its grown and taken another form."

Rose arched an eyebrow. "'The fat just walks away,'" she quoted the company's slogan.

"Yep," he agreed, popping the 'p'.

She shuddered. "If that's the case, that's a whole new approach to dieting."

The Doctor nodded. "Undoubtedly." Stopping his tinkering he studied the final product thoroughly. "Think we're all set," he proclaimed as he stood from the jump seat and headed for the coral strut to retrieve his coat. "Now then, who's on the list?"

Rose stood to pick up the paper containing the list of Adipose customers. "Roger Davey," she read.

"Right," he said, stuffing the device in his coat pocket. "Let's pay this Roger Davey a visit."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Night fell as they wandered the streets, coming up to a specific house on a block that they double checked was the right address. A man answered the door, his build looking skinny enough that a diet plan wasn't necessary. The Doctor and Rose made themselves comfortable and sat on the man's couch as he joined them.

"How long have you been on the pills, Mr. Davey?" she asked.

"I've been on the pills two weeks now," the man answered. "I've lost fourteen kilos."

A curious look crossed the Doctor's face. "That's the same amount every day?"

Roger nodded. "One kilo exactly. You wake up, and it's disappeared overnight. Well, technically speaking, it's gone by ten past one in the morning."

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look. "Kinda specific," she commented.

"What makes you say that?" the Doctor asked curiously.

"That's when I get woken up," he explained. "Might as well weigh myself at the same time."

"What's been waking you up?" Rose asked.

"The burglar alarm," Roger told them. "It's been driving me mad. Ten minutes past one, every night, bang on the dot, without fail, the burglar alarm goes off."

They stared at him blankly. Surely it couldn't have been a sensor issue. "Can we have a look?" the Doctor asked.

Roger nodded as he led them back outside to indicate the alarm located above the front door. "I've had experts in, I've had it replaced, I've even phoned Watchdog. But no, ten past one in the morning, off it goes."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow as he studied it. "But with no burglars?"

"Nothing," Roger said with a shrug. "I've given up looking."

"That's weird," Rose said.

"Tell me about it," the man snorted. "I'm at a loss."

"Tell me Roger, have you got a cat flap?" the Doctor asked.

Roger gave him a puzzled look by the sudden question while Rose gave him one of curiosity. The homeowner nodded as both he and the Doctor knelt down, the latter running the sonic over the opening with an inquisitive expression on his face.

"Uh, what is that?" Roger asked warily.

"Oh, just a…scanner," he responded flatly, turning the sonic off and using it to lift the flap. He sniffed. "Specialized tools supplied by the company to check for…pesticides. So, back to the cat flap."

"It was there when I bought the house," Roger said. "Never bothered with it. I'm not a cat person."

"No, we've met cat people," the Doctor murmured. "You're nothing like them."

"Definitely not," Rose snorted from behind, then added through their bond. _"But there's also the **other** types of cat people…that you claim not to be one of them."_

 _"Oi,"_ he replied.

"It's that what it is then?" Roger asked. "Cats getting inside the house?"

The Doctor took a deep breath. "Well, thing about cat flaps is that they don't just let things in, they let things out as well."

"Like what?"

"The fat just walks away…" he muttered.

From where Rose stood she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. It was a shot in the dark, but the Doctor believed that the weight was mobile. Peculiar though it was, this was basically an average day in their lives. Nice to be back on track after three months.

"Well, thanks for your help," the Doctor said, rising to his feet. "Think we've got enough for our report. Tell you what, maybe you could lay off the pills for a week or so _—_ "

He was cut off when his newly created gadget began to beep in his pocket, pulling it out to reveal blinking red lights.

"Ooh, gotta go, sorry!"

Without another word he hurried off into the streets, leaving the homeowner a bit puzzled. Rose turned to him and smiled. "Thanks for your time, night."

She ran off and caught up with the Doctor as he held out his contraption, following its signal as it continued to beep as they turned around a corner. He skidded to stop dead in his tracks, and she nearly collided into him.

"What's wrong with it? Where'd it go?" she asked him as he stared the device.

"Fading out," he answered, banging his hand and blowing on it and until the beeping resumed. "I was right, it's the parthenogenesis!"

"It's taken a form?" she asked as they took off down the street again.

"That's what we're gonna find out."

Running in the darkness the duo rushed down the street, narrowly missing being clipped by a speeding white van. But as the vehicle passed by the Doctor's device dinged. He and Rose exchanged a look before chasing the van down the street. Whoever was occupying the van was vital to this mystery, and wherever they were going was just as imperative. Fighting past the burning in their legs they continued down the street in pursuit of the van, but it was too fast as they lost it, only seeing a passing taxi. Regaining their breaths they stopped completely, much like the beeping on the Doctor's gadget.

"Bugger," he muttered. "So close."

"'S okay," Rose said, patting his arm. "At least we've got a little more info this time around."

"Yeah, but not enough to know how or why this is even happening at all."

She looped her arm through his. "We'll figure it out, Shake."

"Suppose we could head back to the TARDIS now and check this out," he said, reaching into his pocket to dangle the Adipose pendant.

"Could go for a cuppa, too," Rose said.

The Doctor smiled. "I like the way you think, Lewis."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Minutes passed as the Doctor studied the Adipose pendant through a magnifying glass on the console with caution, using various tools to pick and prod at the object to find out its actual purpose. At this point he felt somewhat accomplished since he had been right about the parthenogenesis, but the main thing that was nagging him was the whole point of it all.

This company made a lot of money selling a believable product that could let people lose weight, and going by the customer and their stories, it was working. But the science of it seemed a bit…wrong. He thought back to that Roger Davey bloke. The man lost exactly one kilo for the past two weeks, and if there was something worth remembering from that, it was the fact that the weight that man lost took in another form like he originally thought.

The fat just walks away…

That slogan wasn't leaving his ears as he continued examining the pendant thoroughly, pulling it apart with care. A significant amount of energy was needed for any of those results to happen, and could even lead to drastic ones. He shook his head. One factor at a time.

"Ohhh, fascinating," he breathed out as he picked at the pendant.

"Find anything good?" Rose asked as she came into the console room with their two mugs of tea.

"Definitely," he said before taking his mug and smiling. "Thanks, love. Found something _very_ good. Or, in some cases, could be very _bad_ depending on how much it could be used, but it's riveting for sure."

She smirked and took a sip from her mug. "One step closer to cracking the case, then."

"Yep. Just like you said earlier, it's far more than just an accessory, and moreover, its properties correspond to what I had said earlier in regards to the whole weight-taking-form estimate."

Rose blinked. "So you're saying that the fat actually _does_ walk away, and the pendant has something to do with it?"

"Exactly, it's all connected. Seems to be a bio-flip digital stitch, specifically for triggering the parthenogenesis in one's DNA, but only activated once the subject touches it, bio-tuning into them after they take those pills."

Rose placed her mug on the grating, holding her hands out as she tried to paraphrase his explanation. "So it links onto someone once they touch it, and the fat can just jump off of them and walk away."

He blinked once. "I just told you that."

"Science geek," she muttered.

He winked at her and took a deep breath, removing his specs. "Well, that leaves us heading back over to Adipose Industries."

"What, right now?" Rose asked.

"Why not?" the Doctor countered, setting in the coordinates. "Won't be long. I'll be able to take us to tomorrow morning for further investigating."

"But we've got time to kill," she pointed out softly, placing a hand on his forearm and swirling a single finger over his sleeve. "The morning'll be there in a few hours or so, and…you have a promise to keep," she added with a tongue-touched grin.

He turned to her, his brows furrowed before hitting his hairline in realization. "Ohhhh…" The smile that spread across his face was prurient as his hands found their resting place in her hips, his voice low. "Rose Tyler, you realize that Health and Safety workers do _not_ engage in such activities, now, don't you?"

Sliding her hands up to slowly tug at his tie Rose gave him a thoughtful look. "I believe I do," she purred, freeing it from beneath his lapels and sending him a _highly_ suggestive image of what she had in mind.

The Doctor sucked in a breath, his voice gravelly. "Ooh, now that's just…I believe that's a strict violation to company policy."

"Good thing we're freelancers, then. Our own company; the old team, Shiver and Shake. We make our own rules."

He growled, neither one of them not knowing who made the first move, but like two magnets they locked on. Only when Rose began to hum and pat on his chest did they break apart.

"Wait a sec," she said, reaching into her pocket to pull out her specs and slipped them on. She pursed her lips out, looping her arms around his neck. "Care to share your full reaction now?"

His response was clear when he pulled her flush against him, and she giggled. Truthfully, Rose didn't need those glasses, as she was stunning regardless of what she wore—and what she didn't. But they had plenty of time until the morning.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"I see we're still going to be matching during this investigation," the Doctor said, studying Rose's apparel as he soniced it clean in the console room. Not that it was dirty, but it did become a bit…disheveled, and was in need for a good smoothing down.

She shrugged. "Why not? Very professional, innit?"

"Of course it is. And I noticed that you traded the skirt for trousers and heels for trainers. Bit quirky, but that comes along with the chic," he said with a smile as he wiggled one of his feet.

"I figured that since we're headed back to that place that there's a chance we could be runnin' for our lives, and I dunno about you, but heels aren't the best choice. Even though they're low."

His brows furrowed as he pocketed the sonic and lead them out of the TARDIS and into the alley where they were parked. "I didn't plan on us running today," he told her.

Rose snorted. "Do we _ever_ plan on that?"

"Well…"

"Just thinking ahead, that's all." They came up to the company building, and once again, the Doctor led them to the fire exit and popped the lock open with the sonic. "So, what's the plan for today?" she asked as they walked down the corridor. "'Cause we've been here two days in a row, you think anyone would recognize us?"

"Oh, of course they would," he said with a scoff. "A handsome bloke in pinstripes walking around with his beautiful wife who also happens to be wearing pinstripes. Pretty detectable."

"Thought you said you were brilliant at blending in," she teased.

He shook his head and chose not to answer. When they came to a sudden stop in the middle of the corridor, he proclaimed, "Here we are."

Reaching a hand out he opened the door in front of him, revealing a maintenance closet. Rose arched an eyebrow at him. "We're gonna hide in here?"

"Yep," he said, stepping inside and observing the closed in space before rearranging some of the custodial supplies to give them more room to stand.

She crossed her arms over her chest as she came to the opening, looking around skeptically. "You can't be serious? For how long?"

"'Til everyone leaves," he answered in a patent voice. "Like you said, everyone would recognize us if we were to do our investigating now in the daylight. So, we wait until everyone's off the clock."

Rose bit the inside of her cheek and surveyed the cupboard before shaking her head and entering. Once inside the Doctor shut the door and soniced it shut. Well, this was very intimate. She kicked a bucket with her foot. "Charming," she commented.

"Oh, it's not _that_ bad," the Doctor told her, leaning with his hand on the door and his foot crossed over his ankle.

"Guess it could be worse," Rose said with a shrug. She recalled various situations they've gotten themselves into in the past where they would be thrown in all types of prisons. Yeah, she would take a small cupboard over nearly all of those. "So, we're gonna be here for a while, yeah?"

"Yep."

"For roughly nine hours, right?"

"Yep."

"Oh, whatever will we do to pass the time," she said with a dramatic sigh as she placed her hands in her pockets, barely containing the sly grin from spreading across her face.

Not to her surprise she already saw the same look crossing his own as he pushed himself off the door and stepped closer to her. "Have you been reading my mind?" he said, sounding a bit gravelly.

Rose tapped her chin and hummed. "I didn't really have to, did I?"

"Nope," he chuckled.

Without much of a conscious thought on either parts they resorted to their accustomed proceedings; the Doctor wrapping an arm around Rose's waist, and the other to the back of her head as he dipped down claim her lips with his while she raked the nails of one hand down his scalp. The moment he lowered his hands to peek his fingers beneath her jacket and top to press against her back, she shivered and he snickered. Rose undid the buttons of his suit jacket and tried to slide it off his shoulders, but failed as he deftly guided them towards one of the walls without breaking the kiss. Instead her hands made their way to her destination at the clasp of his trousers as he raised a hand up to the wall to balance himself, pressing her against the surface—

Then the sound of hissing brought them out of their daze as the section of the wall gave in, opening up. The Doctor gently moved Rose aside as they watched the surface split in two, sliding like a door to reveal some kind of electronic equipment wired into the building.

"Ooh, that's one hell of a system," he commented huskily as he moved closer to examine the machine, slipping on his specs. "A tower block."

Rose rolled her eyes. In a way she should've expected something like this happening. "Boys and their toys," she sighed.

The Doctor turned to her with a sheepish smile, nearly ready to jump on each other and return to their activities. But Rose knew that this equipment could prove to be an important key in their investigation.

"Ehm, Rose," he began, clearing his throat. "Sorry, I just…I really should…" The words seemed to slip from his mind as he gestured at the wall.

"'S okay, Doctor," she said, patting his arm. "I know you'll wanna tinker with it. It's what you do."

He nodded. "If I could try to hack into this wiring system, we could get another lead on this whole…diet plan." He scratched the back of his neck. "Is it okay if we…take a rain check?"

Rose stepped up and placed a kiss to his cheek. "I hold you to that."

He offered her an apologetic smile as she moved to the other side of the cupboard. Turning one of the buckets upside down to use as a seat she reached into her jacket's transdimensional pockets and pulled out the book she had been reading earlier. Before she sat down she caught him staring at her with a frown.

"What?" she asked.

"How'd that fit in there?"

"Bigger on the inside," she told him with a smile. "You're not the only one with pockets so big someone could practically swim in them."

The Doctor snorted. "While I highly doubt someone would actually _swim_ in pockets since that idea's a bit futile, I just wasn't expecting…that." He eyed the book, intrigued by her choice. "You took a…physics book?"

She shrugged. "Yeah. I figured that since we're gonna be here for a while that I catch up with my stuff. And no, I don't find it boring. I don't wanna seem useless when you try to figure things out."

"Oh, Rose," he said. "How many times do I have to tell you that you're anything but useless. You're _brilliant._ You don't have to read any of those fallacious misconceptions."

"I want to," Rose told him, pointing at the wall. "You'll be so immersed in that stuff anyways that you won't even know I'm here. Don't worry about me, just…do your jiggery pokery."

As much as the Doctor never wanted to delay any bouts of passion with his wife, whatever purpose for the blockage wired into the building could play an important role for figuring out exactly why shed weight is taking another form.

"I promise we'll continue this later."

"Oh, I know you'll live up to that," she replied.

He smirked before giving her a brief kiss then turned back to machine for examination. Rose moved to sit on the bucket and began to read where she left off. But she barely registered any of the words as she was sidetracked by something incredibly…conspicuous that caught her eye.

"Uh, Doctor," she said.

"Hm?" His eyes remained fixed on the wall, his sonic moving over the technology.

"If you're planning on being immersed in that machine, you may wanna button that back up."

He seemed confused by her words as he turned to her with a frown. Then she nodded at what she had been referring to _—_ his trousers. "Oh! Right. Sorry." Straightening himself he fixed the little mishap, his ears turning a light shade of pink but the grin on his face was wicked. "Rose Tyler, you were ogling."

"Not sorry."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The hours flew by fairly quickly as the duo remained in seclusion in their little cupboard but not without some frustration _—_ mainly on the Doctor's part.

As it turned out the system was much harder to hack than he originally thought. Within the first few minutes he was already got to be tied with the technology's stubbornness and being triple deadlocked, and it never changed during the following hours. Not even the sonic was able to trip the electronics. The entire time Rose had remained seated on her bucket and read her book while he was frustrating himself. Although in between his fits of dissatisfaction from being unable to get anything accomplished he took much needed breaks with Rose—which were basically the two of them snogging each other senseless, but didn't lead into any amatory acts. Somewhat.

Maybe that rain check was unnecessary after all. Having his wife have her way with him seemed to be the more reasonable way to kill the time while hiding in a maintenance closet.

Taking a deep breath the Doctor rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. "Well, this turned out to be a waste of time," he said out loud.

"The breaks weren't so bad," Rose said lightly, stretching her limbs as she stood from her seat.

He nodded. "Definitely not. But they could've been even better had we…continued on."

She threw him a cheeky grin. "Rain check, remember?"

He responded with a wink before straightening up and heading for the door, opening it with the sonic. "Alright, this place should be empty, save for this Miss Foster. I reckon that since she's the head of this company she wouldn't go home."

"Could be hiding things all over," Rose said. "So, what's the plan? Check out the offices and labs for files?"

"Always a step ahead," the Doctor praised with a smile.

"Been doing this for three years, I think I would know the routine by now. You think-"

A beeping sound caught their attention as she reached in her pocket to pull out the Doctor's contraption.

"How'd you get a hold of that?" he asked, eyeing the object. He didn't remember giving it to her, not that it was an issue.

"Last night," Rose told him casually. He stared blankly at her and she shrugged. "It was laying about on the floor in the console room when we were, you know…" He arched an eyebrow. "You said it was able to track the fat as it took a form, so I decided to take it with us just in case we came across somethin'. How 'bout we split up? I can follow this signal while you search the offices."

The Doctor bit the inside of his cheek, trying to find a response. While he knew Rose could handle herself, he was still ambivalent about the whole 'splitting up' idea. He didn't want to risk either of them to get into more trouble, but in retrospect they always had a reputation to get into trouble to a certain degree. It was because of that he was heedful. But Rose was strong, he always stressed that. The quicker they find out what's been going on around this place then the quicker they could return to the TARDIS and back across the stars.

"Alright," he said with a nod. "But if you see anything at all, let me know and come looking for me. Or vice versa, whichever. Don't wander about too much. We don't know who else is in here."

"I know the deal, love," Rose said with an eye roll.

"Sorry." He stepped forward and dropped a soft kiss to her lips. "Be careful."

"You too," she said, then poked him in the chest. "Don't do anything daft."

"I'll try," he said with a chuckle.

With that they each went their separate ways. Rose jogged down the corridor, coming down a flight of stairs as she followed the signal. She was a little surprised that the Doctor didn't protest as much as he usually would when she made a suggestion or addition to his plans. If either of them learned anything about themselves during their recovery period it was that being within each other's proximity was always the highest priority. Of course now they were healed. Yes, the pain from that non-existent year still lingered somewhere inside of them, but they could manage.

Still holding out the fat detector Rose carefully peeked through the windows of each door surreptitiously so not to be seen in case anyone occupied the rooms. The beeping was fading out, but she continued on until she came across a lab. Large tubes and beakers crowded the space along with tables. There wasn't much room to walk, but she could've sworn she heard something shuffling around. Trying to keep track of the signal as it moved, she decided to make her way out of the lab and head back down the corridor.

 _"Anything?"_ She heard the Doctor ask her.

 _"Not yet,"_ she answered _. "Where are you?"_

 _"Headed for the roof. You?"_

 _"On one of the floors. I checked a few labs so far; nothing but tubes and beakers. The signal seems a bit faint, but I'm still looking."_

 _"Okay. Just be careful."_

 _"Roger that."_

There was a pause on his end. _"Really, Rose?"_

 _"Really, Doctor._ "

He snorted as they both returned to their current jobs. She was about to question why he chose to climb up to the roof, but she figured it was just a part of his plan. Coming up another stairwell she turned a corner and came into a room with nothing. How helpful. She looked down at the gadget as the red lights stopped blinking for some odd reason. But no sooner they stopped they started up again, followed by a ding. Sprinting down the corridor she came to a stop when she saw something small running around. And it wasn't a rat.

 _"Doctor, I think I saw something."_

 _"What? What is it?"_

 _"I dunno, but…I thought I saw something."_

 _"Can you describe it?"_

 _"No, it's too dark and it went down a hall. It's small, that much I know. Hold on."_

 _"Careful, love. We don't know what we're dealing with here."_

Following the signal she turned a corner to find…a locked door. Wonderful. _"I lost it,"_ she told him. _"It went in a room and it's locked. Y'know, if I had my own sonic, I'd be able to go through."_ She heard him sigh and she smiled to herself. _"'M gonna keep looking. The detector stopped for now, but I'll check to see if I find anything."_

 _"Okay. Remember to watch out for—"_

 _"Doctor."_

 _"Sorry."_

Sighing she pocketed the gadget and continued searching for whatever else was inside this building. Hopefully her husband would have more luck.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Much like the Doctor had thought there was a window cleaning crane on the roof of the building, which would be a quicker way for him to get down to Miss Foster's office rather than leaping up the staircases and checking every single room, or actually risk being caught if he were to run into anyone through the corridors. Which was all the more reason why he was somewhat disinclined to let Rose snoop around the building. Still, she was alright. She had told him that she thought she saw something small. Size didn't matter though. Anything could be ruthless. With that thought he sent her another warning through their bond.

Using the sonic he operated the crane and zipped down several floors below, coming to a likely office that seemed befitting for a CEO, and stopped. Just as he was about to open the window and slide in, the woman herself entered with two guards carrying guns who escorted the skeptical female reporter from the day before inside. Quickly ducking in the cradle he reached in his jacket to pull out his stethoscope, and put it on. Though his hearing was exceptionally sensitive, the voices of the people were muffled. He pressed the diaphragm of the instrument against the cradle, listening intently for details.

"You can't tie me up," the reporter was saying. What was her name? Penny, he thought. "What sort of a country do you think this is?"

"Oh, it's a beautifully _fat_ country," Miss Foster replied. "And believe me, I've travelled a long way to find obesity on _this_ scale."

"So, come on then, Miss Foster—those pills. What are they?"

"Well, you might just as well have a scoop, since you'll never see it printed." She paused, and he took the opportunity to carefully lift the diaphragm up to the window to hear a little clearer. "This…is the spark of life."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Penny asked.

"Officially, the capsule attracts all the fat cells and flushes them away. Well, it certainly attracts them, that part's true. But it binds the fat together and galvanizes it to form a body."

"W-what d'you mean…'a body'?"

"I'm surprised you never asked about my name, I chose it well. Foster; as in foster mother. And these…are my children."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed when he fairly heard a sound that actually resembled a child's.

"You're kidding me," Penny said, shocked. "What the hell is that?"

"Adipose," Miss Foster said. "It's called an Adipose. Made out of living fat."

Hoping they were gradually distracted by whatever the creature was, he removed his stethoscope and chanced a look by slowly rising. Peering through the window he saw Penny tied to a chair, Miss Foster pacing around her desk, then noticed the very creature itself. It was anything but scary, it was…cute. It was a tiny blob that resembled a marshmallow, smiling and wiggling its hands. It appeared to be innocent. Well, it _was_ only a child.

 _"I've found our little creature,"_ he told Rose. _"And it appears…harmless."_

 _"Yeah? Wait, where're you now?"_

 _"Wandering about. I'll be joining you shortly, just eavesdropping."_

 _"'Kay. I'm wandering around the labs still. I'll look for you."_

The Doctor watched as the others in the room were distracted enough, Miss Foster continuing her explanation of the Adipose, but he really didn't need to hear it. Instead he gave the room a quick scan with his eyes and was ready to duck back into the cradle before he would get caught…but his eyes froze when they landed on a figure standing behind the door, a familiar looking ginger woman who noticed his presence. They both looked at each other in complete surprise.

"Donna?" he mouthed through the window.

"DOCTOR!" she mouthed back with joy.

He tried to process the fact that Donna Noble, the woman he and Rose had run into one Christmas after Canary Wharf, was there. It was…impossible. He shook his head, still staring at her. "But…what? Wha-what?!"

Her face broke into a wide grin. "OH. MY. GOD!"

"But…how?"

Donna, still smiling, pointed at herself. "It's me!"

"Yes," he mouthed, gesturing at his eyes. "I can see that!"

"Oh, this is brilliant!"

"But…what the hell are you doing there?"

"I was looking for you!"

"What for?"

The answer that she gave was a bit hard to decipher, but from the way she was miming, he paraphrased it into a few things. "I came here…trouble…read about it…on the internet, I thought, trouble = you! And this place is weird! Pills! So, I hid. Back there. Crept along. Heard this lot. Looked. You! 'Cause they-"

He stared at her oddly when she suddenly froze as she gestured at Miss Foster. Following her gaze he realized that the occupants in the room—including Miss Foster—were staring between the two of them in their silent communicating. Busted.

"We interrupting you?" the CEO asked.

The Doctor turned back to Donna, reaching into his jacket and nodding to his right. "Run!"

"Get her," Miss Foster ordered her guards as Donna ran. The Doctor pointed the sonic at the office door, locking it. "And him."

Pointing the sonic upward at the cradle's control box the Doctor made his leave as he elevated back to the roof. The moment it came to a stop he leapt out and entered the building, dashing down the flights of stairs. Never did he think he would run into that woman again. He sent Rose another mental note to be careful, and just before he was about to mention Donna, the woman herself came up the very flight of stairs he was about to climb down.

"Oh, my God!" she gasped, wrapping her arms around him in a big hug. "I don't believe it, it's you!" She pulled back. "Where's Rose? Isn't she still with you?"

"Yeah, she's around here somewhere," he answered quickly. "Listen, Donna, we—"

"You've even got the same suit!" she exclaimed, gripping his forearms. "Don't you ever change?"

"Yeah, thanks, Donna, not right now." The sound of doors being thrust open caused both of them to look down the flights of stairs, seeing the guards on their way up. He turned to Donna and smiled. "Just like old times!"

They ran up to go back on the roof, as it was the only way they could escape with the lackies on their tails. And Rose was still somewhere inside. He knew she _really_ wouldn't believe this once she found out.

"'Cause I thought, 'how do I find the Doctor and Rose?'" Donna was saying to the Doctor once they hurried up to the roof, the latter working on the control box for the crane with the sonic. "And then I just thought, 'look for trouble and then they'll turn up!' So, I looked everywhere, you name it _—_ UFOs, sightings, crop circles, sea monsters. I looked, found them all. Like that stuff about the bees disappearing. I thought, 'I bet they're connected. 'Cause the thing is, Doctor, I believe it all now. You and Rose opened my eyes. All those amazing things out there, I believe them all. Well, apart from that replica of the _Titanic_ flying over Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day, I mean that's gotta be a hoax!"

"Yeah…we were there," he said distractedly as he worked on the controls.

"Oh, I should've known!"

"What d'you mean 'the bees are disappearing'?" he asked, pocketing the sonic before climbing up the ladder leading to the cradle.

"I don't know, that's what it says on the internet," Donna said. "Well, on the same site, there was all the conspiracy theories about Adipose Industries. I thought 'let's take a look.'"

In the midst of all the madness that was happening around them they needed to get off of the roof. _Now._ Making it to the cradle, the Doctor gestured at the ginger woman. "In you get!"

"What, in that thing?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, in that thing!"

"But if we go down in that, they'll just call us back up again."

"No no, 'cause I've locked the controls with a sonic cage. I'm the only one who can control it." At his words, Donna reluctantly began to climb into the cradle with him. "Not unless she's got a sonic device of her own, which is _very_ unlikely."

"Whatever you say, spaceman," she said as they began to slowly descend down the side of the building. They had past a couple floors until she asked curiously. "So, what have you two kids been up to? Apart from doing your usual bit of gettin' into trouble, 'cause that's expected with you both."

"Oh, just been…wandering around," he replied, looking down to see how many floors they had passed.

"Around in your blue box?"

"Yep."

The crane's speed wasn't up to par with his impatience as they crawled. He needed to find Rose and stop Miss Foster from…whatever she was planning next. Those Adipose may seem harmless and innocent, but they had to come to fruition at a price. Probably. Suddenly his complaints about the sluggish pace of the cradle were lifted, but not in the way he hoped. It accelerated at a dangerous speed, falling fast. Both he and Donna gripped the railing tight as they tried to keep themselves upright. Looking up he saw Miss Foster standing beside the crane…with a sonic device. Brilliant. He should've known. Raising the sonic screwdriver he was able to stop the cradle as it jolted, sending them both to the floor with a grunt as it stilled.

 _"What the hell are you doing?"_ Rose asked in his mind.

 _"Sorry, I…fell,"_ he replied lamely as he and Donna stood. _"Nothing major, love, I'll join you soon."_ Craning his neck up to see Miss Foster still there he turned his attention to the nearest window and ran the sonic over the panel. "Hold on. Hold on, we can get in through the window." He growled when he found it was deadlocked. "Can't get it open!"

"Smash it then!" Donna suggested, grabbing a huge spanner from inside the cradle and began banging it against the safety glass. As she and the Doctor began to beat their hands on the surface, something sparked from above. "Cutting the cable!"

The moment the Doctor lifted his head the cable smoked before snapping, sending them sprawling. He managed to keep himself steady in the cradle, but Donna screamed as she fell out.

"DONNA!" he yelled, reaching a hand out to try and pull her back in. The last thing he needed was for another person to die in his name.

"Doctor!" she called as she clung onto the end of the broken cable, hanging in the air with the ground many feet below.

"Hold on!"

"I am!" she snapped.

Cautiously trying to inch himself closer to the Donna, the Doctor held onto the railing to try hauling up the cable, but to no avail. He inwardly cursed.

 _"Doctor, what's wrong?"_ Rose asked, concerned. _"Are you okay?"_

 _"Fine!"_ he said quickly. _"Just…a minor issue, nothing serious. Just stay where you are, I'll be there soon enough."_

 _"You've been saying that for the last ten minutes. Did you run into Miss Foster?"_

At her question he looked up to see the woman being mentioned lifting her sonic pen, aiming for the second cable. Straightening himself up he held onto the cable and brought his feet up on the railing, his screwdriver raised. Squinting his eye he had her device in his sights as it sparkled before falling from her hand altogether. With some slight strain he leaned back and stretched an arm then caught the pen. Placing it in his mouth he moved himself up the cable until he came to another window. He used her sonic and, this time, was able to open the window.

 _"Mind catching me up with what's going on **now**?"_ Rose asked again.

"I'm going to fall!" Donna cried from below. "This is all your fault. I should've stayed at home!"

 _"I'm a bit busy at the moment,"_ he ground out to his wife before saying to the ginger out loud. "I won't be a minute!"

 _"Where are you?"_

 _"I came down from the roof, and working my way down."_

 _"'M coming up."_

 _"Be careful!"_


	4. Partners in Crime Part 3

**A/N:** **Thank you awesome viewers for reading! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3: Partners in Crime Part 3**_

Rose wasted no time in hurrying through the corridors and up the flights of stairs to get to the roof. Good thing she changed out of her heels and switched to her trainers. She had been wandering the maze that was the building for how ever long it's been since she and the Doctor had gone in their own directions. She would've been able to get into the classified offices had she the Doctor share some of his toys and made her one to use. He was originally on the roof for whatever reason, and then chose to move to another spot apparently. Well, whatever it was that he was doing, she was rushing up to him as quick as she could. God only knows who this Miss Foster is. Obviously she has alien connections, so that could be made as an assumption that she could be one herself.

Arriving on one of the top floors she came to a sudden stop when she heard a loud thud in the room she was coming up to. Standing in the doorway she watched as her husband ever so gracefully had climbed through the window from the outside.

"Were you channeling your inner Spider-Man, climbin' buildings?" she said as he scrambled to his feet. She dropped the joking when she noticed his seriousness. "Problem?"

"Small one," he answered as he ran towards the exit and grabbed her hand, tugging her along. "Minor. You know what, maybe it's a _tad_ bit major."

"Ran into Miss Foster?" she asked as they hurtled down the stairs.

"Yeah, ran into her and her two heavies. And those creatures made of fat? They're Adipose. An appropriate name, should've figured that out sooner. That was what you saw. Adorable little things, they are. Completely harmless. Oh, and I bumped into Donna on the way."

"Woah, wait, _what_?" Rose squeaked in surprise. " _Donna_?"

"Yeah, Donna; the ginger, the runaway bride who appeared in the TARDIS a couple years ago at Christmas time—"

"I remember her, Doctor. But how'd she end up in _this_ place? What is she doing here?"

"Well…she's just…hanging around," he answered as they turned a corner to find Miss Foster's office with the door knocked down and destroyed.

"Is anyone gonna tell me what's going on?"

The two were barely aware of the reporter from the day before tied up to a chair as they barged into the room, the Doctor going right to the window which had a pair of legs dangling in the air.

"It's an alien invasion," Rose said.

"What?" Penny said with a laugh. "No, it's not. That only exists in comic books and fictional stories."

"Well, you're a journalist, yeah?"

"Yes."

"Then make it up!" she and the Doctor said in unison.

"Get off!" Donna yelled from outside as the the Doctor tried to grab her legs to help her inside.

"I've got you!" he told her as she was making a fuss. "I've got you. Stop kicking!"

After a few moments he managed to get the woman inside the room. She brushed herself off as Rose stepped forward. "Oh, my God, you two even match!" Donna said, taking in her pinstriped outfit. "That's a bit of a change."

"Donna Noble, you remember my wife, Rose?" the Doctor said with a bright smile.

"Wait, wife?" she repeated, her brows raised. "You two got _married_?"

"Hello, again," Rose said, grinning as she wiggled her fingers at her, exposing her bracelet and the ring.

"I knew it!" Donna cried happily, then turned to the Doctor. "Told you so. I was right. It's always like this with you two, innit?"

"Yep!" Rose chirped as a wide grin spread across the Doctor's face.

"And off we go," he said.

The three of them dashed out the door, when they heard Penny calling out to them. "Oi!"

"Doctor, the reporter," Rose said.

"Oh." Turning back around he popped back into the room. "Sorry!" He used the sonic to release her from the ropes bonding her. "Now, do yourself a favor—get out."

Joining the women waiting for him outside they dashed down the corridor and the stairwells back down to the call center. They weaved through the cubicles only to stop dead in their tracks as they met Miss Foster standing before them with the two armed guards on either side of her.

"Well, then," she said with a smile, removing her glasses. "At last."

 _"'S like one of those standoffs in the old westerns,"_ Rose thought to the Doctor.

 _"Ooh, nice one,"_ he said, before bending forward with a grin and his hands behind his back. "Nice to meet you, I'm the Doctor."

"Rose Tyler," Rose said, wiggling her fingers. "Hello."

"And I'm Donna," Donna put in.

"Partners in crime," Miss Foster said, eyeing them. "Two of which seem to be a personal partnership with matching outfits." The Doctor and Rose exchanged amused looks as she continued. "And evidently off-worlders, judging by your sonic technology."

"Oh, yes," the Doctor said, patting his suit jacket and reaching a hand inside his pockets. "I've still got your sonic pen. Nice, I like it," he commented as he took it out and examined it. "Sleek, it's kinda sleek, wouldn't you say?"

He shows it to the women. "Oh, it's definitely sleek," Donna said.

"Ehh, I've seen better," Rose said with a head tilt.

"Well, it's still a fascinating mark," the Doctor said, twisting the pen in his fingers, before turning back to the CEO. "And if you were to sign your real name that would be…?"

"Matron Cofelia of the Five-Straighten Classabindi Nursery Fleet," Miss Foster told. "Intergalactic Class."

"So, what, like a wet nurse?" Rose commented, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Using humans as surrogates," the Doctor said, his voice taking on a darkened tone.

"I've been employed by the Adiposian First Family to foster a new generation after their breeding planet was lost," Miss Foster explained.

Rose arched an eyebrow. "Hold on, how do you _lose_ a planet? 'S not like something that could easily slip out of sight."

"Oh, the politics are none of my concern," Miss Foster said dismissively. "I'm just here to take care of the children on behalf of the parents."

"What, like an outer space super-nanny?" Donna asked.

"Yes, if you like."

"So…so those little _things_ they're made out of fat yeah, but that woman, Stacy Campbell, there was nothing left of her."

"Oh, in a crisis the Adipose can convert bone and hair and internal organs," Miss Foster said. "Makes them a little bit sick, poor things."

"And what about all those people that _died_?" Rose spat. "What d'you think _they_ felt like before they turned into nothing, huh?"

" _Those_ people are none of my concern," Miss Foster countered evenly, still smiling.

Rose snorted in disgust. "What about _their_ families, then? How do you think they feel?"

"The only family that is my concern is the one that employed me. Everyone else are just liabilities."

Before Rose could make a move at the woman for her arrogance and carelessness for the poor people that have died, the Doctor held his arm out. _"Leave her,"_ he told her through their bond before saying out loud darkly, "Seeding a level five planet is against galactic law."

Miss Foster gave him a challenging look. "Are you threatening me?"

"I'm trying to help you, Matron," he said. "This is your one chance; 'cause if you don't call this off, then I'll have to stop you."

The woman chuckled. "I hardly think you can stop bullets." At her words the guards on either side of her took their stances and aimed their rifles at them, causing the Doctor to tense up.

"No, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on," he said, holding his arms out and reaching a hand into his jacket. "One more thing, before…dying. Do you know what happens if you hold two identical sonic devices against each other?" he asked, pulling out his sonic screwdriver.

Miss Foster paused, regarding his question but not showing any worry. "No."

A manic grin spread across the Doctor's face. "Nor me, let's find out!"

He aimed both sonic devices together, creating a disharmonious and agonizing sound that resonated throughout the room, shattering the glass panes of the windows. Everyone—save the Doctor, who was fighting the noise with his teeth grinding—clapped their hands over their ears. Such noises were never something Rose took well as her head would throb, and this was no exception. Just as she smacked his arm to stop him, Donna pushed him, causing him to break the reverberation.

"Come on!" They shouted in unison before swerving through the cubicles to dash through the corridors again.

"I thought I told you not to make that noise again," Rose yelled as she tried to blink away the spots before her eyes.

"It was just part of my plan," the Doctor defended as they fore down the stairs.

"Brilliant plan."

"It worked though, didn't it?" He turned to look over to her, an apologetic smile on his face. _"At least it wasn't that high pitched screech,"_ he thought to her.

 _"Maybe,"_ she replied. _"Still doesn't stop the ringing in my ears."_

He offered her another contrite look as they ran down the corridors. Following a familiar route they came up to the maintenance closet the Doctor and Rose had chose to hide in earlier. Pulling the door open he began to quickly move all of the supplies out of the way and into the corridor for easier access.

"Well, that's one solution," Donna said. "Hide in a cupboard. I like it."

"Better than hiding in a loo," Rose commented lightly

Dusting his hands off the Doctor pushed the rest of the supplies aside then moved the piece of the wall that gave way to reveal the green system wired into the building.

"I've been hacking into this thing all day," he said, slipping his specs on. "'Cause the matron's got a computer core running through the center of the building."

"Hold on," Rose interjected. "You said that it was triple deadlocked and couldn't be broken into."

He nodded and held up the sonic pen, a grin on his face. "But now I've got this. I can get into it."

"Go on then, spaceman," Donna said brusquely. "Hurry it up!"

"Okay, okay," he said quickly before fiddling with the machine, opening it and messing around with the wires. "She's wired up the whole building. We need a bit of privacy."

Pulling out two sparking plugs he brought them together and created an even brighter fuse. The lights around them soon blinked for a moment before dimming. Rose and Donna exchanged a look before the former turned to her husband.

"Did you just zap the guards?"

"Just enough to stop them," the Doctor told her defensively. "There were only stunned, Rose. That's all."

"Alright, it was just…shocking, that's all."

He stopped working on the machine to turn to her, his eyebrow arched. "Really?"

"Hey, you're always one for bad puns, too. Didn't you make one earlier after you made your grand entrance through the window?"

"That…was in the middle of an adrenaline rush," he said, turning back to the machine while Rose snorted. He continued fiddling with the wires. "Why's she wired up the tower block?" he murmured. "What's it all for?"

 ** _"Inducer_ _online,"_** the computer voice intoned as he worked.

Rose leaned against the door frame and watched him. Donna was by her side, and she could feel her studying her. "You look older," Donna said softly. "Both of you do."

Rose bit her lip before pressing them together. "It's…been a while," she responded slowly. "A couple years, y'know."

"Couple?" Donna said with a faint smile. "It's only been a little over one for me."

"Yeah, well…a lot's happened since we last saw each other."

"Still just the two of you, then?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah. Well, we had this friend…Martha. She travelled with us for a while, and she was brilliant." She bit her lip again, keeping her eyes fixed on her husband while he worked.

"Where is she?" Donna asked curiously.

Before Rose could make a response the Doctor spoke up. "She's gone. Home, I mean. Back with her family. She left after I…destroyed half her life," he finished in a low voice.

"Don't say that," Rose said, coming over to gently rub his back. "It wasn't your fault," she told him softly.

He briefly glanced over at her, his eyes taking on that usual downcast look. He noticeably swallowed hard before returning his attention to the tower block. During their recovery period there were a few instances where he would retreat to his wonted sequestering, keeping every bit of guilt locked tight inside of him instead of letting her in. Much as that pained her she persistently assured him that all of those events that happened in that hellish year were erased, and that only one person was to be held accountable for every vile act done was gone forever.

"He didn't destroy Martha's or her family's life," Rose told Donna. "Someone…else did things to them, but they're okay, she's fine. When we first met her she was training to be a doctor herself. By now she's probably already a certified one." She paused for a moment, then turned to the other woman. "What about you, Donna? I thought you were gonna go travelling on your own."

"Easier said than done," she said with a shrug. "It's like I had that one day with you both and I was gonna change. I was gonna do so much. Then I woke up next morning, same old life. It's like you two were never there. And I tried. I did try, I went to Egypt. I was gonna go barefoot and everything. And then it's all bus trips and guidebooks and don't drink the water and two weeks later you're back home. Expect it was a bit different for you. I must have been mad turning down that offer."

"What offer?" the Doctor cut in distractedly, sounding a bit nonplussed by the woman's words, but Rose was aware of what she was referring to.

"To come with you," Donna said, stating the obvious.

He looked up at her, an incredulous look on his face. "Come with us?"

"Oh, yes, please!" she said, gleefully.

The Doctor stared at her then glanced over at Rose. "Right…"

Before anyone else could add onto the conversation the computer voice spoke up again. _**"Inducer activated."**_

"What's it doing now?" Rose asked.

"She's started the program," he answered, alarmed as the computer intoned that the inducer was transmitting. "So far they're just losing weight, but the Matron has gone up to emergency pathogenesis."

"That's when they convert—" Donna began before he cut in sharply.

"Skeletons, organs, everything. A million people are gonna die!" He said, tugging at his hair. "Gotta cancel the signal!" He patted his pockets before turning to his wife. "Rose, have you got that capsule?"

"Yeah," she said, pulling it out of her jacket and handing it over to him. "What're you gonna do with it?"

"This contains the primary signal," he explained, pulling the golden capsule apart on one end to reveal a chip. "If I can switch it off the fat goes back to being just fat."

Turning back to the machine he inserted the chip into a port, only to step back when the computer voice returned. **_"Inducer_ _increasing."_**

"No, no, no," he said, the tension in his voice thick.

"What happened now?" Rose demanded.

"She's doubled it," he growled, leaping for the machine desperately. "I need—haven't got time! It's too far, I can't override it! They're all gonna die!"

"Is there anything I can do?" Donna asked.

"Sorry, Donna, this is way beyond you," he said, unable to mask the panic lacing his voice. "Gotta double the base pulse, I can't…"

Rose came up to him. "Doctor, what d'you need?"

"I need a second capsule to boost the override, but I've only got the one," he spat out quickly. "I can't save them!"

His breathing became heavy as he fiddled with the switches, overwrought with the fraught of danger that was happening. Then a glimmering golden object came into his vision in the corner of his eye. Turning to it he stared in shock to see Donna holding another one of the capsules. The three of them burst into laughter before he took the chip and plugged it into the machine, disabling the system. He slung his arm around Rose's shoulders as she leaned up to give him a quick chaste peck on the lips.

"Donna Noble, you're brilliant!" she told the other woman with a grin.

"All work, no play," she said with a chuckle.

"Well, you're a star," the Doctor told her.

Their celebration was disrupted when a loud horn of some kind sounded, its power so strong that it rocked the building. "What the hell was that?" Donna asked.

The Doctor took a deep breath. "Well…if I had to take a wild guess…I'd say that was the nursery."

"When you say nursery you don't mean a crèche in Notting Hill," Donna said.

"Nursery _ship,_ then," Rose replied.

 ** _"Incoming signal,"_** the computer informed as the system began to light up again. An alien language began to transmit through the unit.

"Hold on," Rose said. "Are they gonna try to make more of the kids?"

"They can't," the Doctor said, eyes fixed on the block. "I prevented it from inducing."

"Then what's all that…gibberish, then?" Donna asked, gesturing at the system.

"Instructions from the Adiposian First Family," he said, listening intently to the message. "She's wired up the tower block to convert it into a levitation post. Oh. _Ooh._ We're not the ones in trouble now. _She_ is!"

And they were off again as they ran into the corridors, heading up to the roof. Once they reached it they slowed to a stop as they watched the Adipose babies levitating in the air by blue beams towards the massive circular nursery ship. The Doctor relaxed and slipped his arm around Rose's waist.

"What you gonna do then?" Donna asked. "Blow them up?"

"They're just children," he said. "They can't help where they come from."

"Oh, that makes a change from last time. Marriage has really done you good."

"Yeah, it has," he said warmly, looking down at his wife as a mirroring smile appeared on her face and pressed a kiss to her hair. "It really has."

"Could've been a little bit of Martha, too," she said.

"Yeah, I suppose so," he said with a nod.

They returned their vision to the Adipose as they were joining their parents on the hovering ship. One of them waved at them and they did the same back. "I'm waving at _fat_ ," Donna said in disbelief.

"Yup," Rose said with a grin. "Just an average day for us."

"Actually, as a diet plan, it sort of works," the Doctor mused. It was actually a decent way to lose weight…as long as the inducing wasn't tampered with and forced on, that is. Moving his eyes downward he caught sight of Miss Foster ascending into the air. "There she is!"

The three of them ran over to the edge of the roof as the woman hovered in the air, coming to their level at them with a competing smile on her face.

"Matron Cofelia, listen to me!" he called to her urgently.

"Oh, I don't think so, Doctor," she said. "And if I never see you again, it will be too soon."

"Oh, for God's sake," Rose said with an eye roll. "Won't you _listen_ to him!"

"I'm trying to help!" he yelled at the woman, observing the beam and reaching an arm out. "Just get across to the roof. Can you shift the levitation beam?"

Miss Foster arched an eyebrow. "What, so that you can arrest me?"

"Just listen," he stressed. "I saw the Adiposian instructions - they know it's a crime, breeding on Earth. So what's the one thing they want to get rid of? Their accomplice!"

"Oh, but I'm far more than that. I'm nanny…" she held her arms out wide, looking up at the ship as all the Adipose were inside. "To all these children."

"That's the point!" Rose told her. "You're just a _nanny._ Mum and Dad have all the kids now, so they wouldn't need you anymore."

As if on cue the blue light encasing Miss Foster vanished. Horrified realization dawned on her as she looked down to see the great height between her and the pavement—and then she plummeted with a scream. The Doctor wrapped his arms around Rose and Donna, their faces buried into his shoulders as he held them close. He watched the scene sadly and pressed a kiss to Rose's hair until the screams were silenced with a hard thud. That was never something to witness. A whirring sound from above prompting them to look back up at the ship to see the little Adipose waving goodbye to them through the windows before soaring out of the sky and back home.

And that's where they needed to go—home.

The trio made their way back onto the streets, taking in the chaotic scene from lower levels. Sirens were blaring and officers were putting up yellow police tape. The Doctor moved his eyes over it all. Both his and Rose's first landing back on Earth had been eventful, for sure. And all they were doing was making a quick stop for chips. Guess that put them back into place. Back to their old lives. Reaching into his jacket he pulled out the sonic pen, studying it for a moment before tossing it in a nearby bin.

"Oi!" Rose said, swatting his arm. "I could've used that."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "Thought you said you've seen better?"

"I have, but considering how you've yet to _make_ me one, I could've used _that_ one temporarily." She crossed her arms over her chest and grinned. "Afraid that I've dented your ego?"

"Hardly," he chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "But if my wife is gonna have a sonic device, it'll be one built with the most state-of-the-art and cutting-edge technology."

"Guess I was wrong," Rose said. "I didn't put a dent in your ego, I've inflated it. Impossibly _more_ than it already is."

He made a happy sound and she patted his chest.

"Oi, you three!" a voice shouted from behind. They each turned to find the journalist Penny hobbling over to them, tied to a chair once again. "You're just mad. D'you hear me? Mad! And I'm gonna report you for…madness!" And with that she hobbled away, the three of them staring at her.

"You see, some people just can't take it," Donna said.

"No," the Doctor said, shaking his head and rubbing Rose's shoulder.

"And some people can," she added, causing him to look down a her curiously. A smile spread on her face. "So, then—TARDIS! Come on!"

Donna grabbed the hand of his free arm and tugged him away from Rose, who barely contained her laughter when her husband helplessly looked back at her with widened eyes. Following them down the street they were headed for the alley where the TARDIS was parked but stopped when a phone started to ring. What was more surprising to Rose was that it was hers.

"A call?" the Doctor asked, a crease forming on his brows.

Rose shrugged. "I dunno. No one's called me for ages."

She reached into her trousers to pull out her mobile, observing the number before answering. Before the only person who'd phone her was her mother, but ever since Canary Wharf, it hasn't received any attention. She doubted that her mum would be able to call her from a parallel universe.

Flipping it open she slowly brought it to her ear. "Hello?" Any and all reluctance was chucked away when a familiar voice came through the line. "Jack! Hi! I know, 's been a while. No, it's okay, we stopped it. It's taken care of. Although…there's a body outside of the building that should be taken away." She held up a hand and moved to the side to speak privately.

The Doctor watched as his wife conversed with a familiar friend on the other end. "Who's Jack?" Donna asked.

"Friend of ours," he replied. "Works for…an organization. Torchwood."

"Weren't they the ones behind the battle of Canary Wharf?"

"Yeah, but he's brought together a team and said he changed it." He turned to her with an arched eyebrow. "Donna, you never heard of that place when last we met," he pointed out, recalling her oblivious reactions to various things that Christmas day.

She shrugged. "I did a little research. I told you I was looking on the internet reading all kinds of conspiracy theories. And one of them was that Torchwood lot."

"Well, they've changed since then. He gave his word, and I trust him. Both of us do."

"Seems to be a chatterbox," Donna said with a chuckle.

The Doctor sighed. "Yeah. He and Rose were close back then."

"And you're not jealous?"

He scoffed. "Of course not. Why would I be? He's only an old friend of ours, that's all."

"Oh, you daft alien. Admit it, you're a little green-eyed."

The Doctor didn't dignify that with a response as Rose came back over to them when the call was finished. "Everything alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered before abruptly grabbing his lapels and pulling him down for a sweet kiss. He responded immediately, but the moment was short-lived.

"W-what was that for?" he asked, blinking rapidly. "Not that it's unusual, I'm not complaining."

"Jack says hello," Rose answered with a smile. "Figured that since he never gets any of that action from you in person that I would deliver the message."

He nodded once. "Ah."

Donna snorted. "Charming."

"You'd love Jack," Rose told her with a smile. "He's gorgeous."

"Oi!" the Doctor cried.

"Oh, I'd love to meet him!" Donna said happily.

Rose turned to her husband, who was scowling. "What?"

"I'm making an effort to not be offended by that remark," he replied.

"You know you're gorgeous, too," she told him genuinely before pecking his cheek, his bravado returning.

They continued down the street until they came to the alley, the TARDIS in their sights. The Doctor and Rose immediately headed straight for it, but they came to a stop when the other woman exclaimed.

"That's my car!" Donna said, pointing at the blue car. "That is like destiny!"

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a surprised look. _"Impossible,"_ he thought to her.

 _"Apparently not,"_ she said back.

"And I've been ready for this," Donna continued, running around the vehicle to pop the open the boot to reveal it was full of suitcases of various shapes and sizes. "I packed ages ago, just in case." As she talked she handed the stunned her luggage; a wheeling suitcase to Rose and a growing stack into the Doctor's arms. "'Cause I thought, hot weather, cold weather, no weather…they go anywhere, I've gotta be prepared."

The Doctor glanced over at Rose over the stack in his arms before Donna topped off the pile with a striped box. "You've got a…a…hatbox," he said slowly.

"Planet of the Hats, I'm ready!" the ginger woman said happily before skipping over to the TARDIS.

Rose stood beside the Doctor, biting her lip as she studied him carefully as he placed the stack of boxes on the ground, keeping a few bags in his hand. He…wasn't really thrilled by Donna's eagerness to joining them onboard the TARDIS. Usually he was all for having some company along with them, and rarely rejected someone's offer to come with them. She remembered on Christmas after the _Titanic_ incident when he turned down Astrid; he preferred to have it just be the two of them, the number one priority being to help each other heal from the newfound pain that came over them.

But they were past all of that. They were getting better, day after day. For over a year they needed each other. Having an old friend around might just be what they needed right now. Still she tried nudging his mind, but he seemed to be shutting her out for the moment. She understood his reaction, she really did. Having another person around seemed to only cause more grief for him considering he blamed himself for ruining people's lives. But…that wasn't always the case.

"I don't need injections, though, do I?" Donna was saying, continuing on her joyous babbling. "Like when you go to Cambodia, is there any of that? 'Cause my friend Veena went to Bahrain, and…" She trailed off, realizing their taciturnity. "You two aren't saying much."

"No, it's just…" the Doctor began slowly. "It's a funny old life, in the TARDIS."

"You don't want me," Donna said, dejected.

"No, that's not it," Rose said quickly, letting go of the handle to the rolling suitcase. "That's not what he's saying."

"But you asked me," she pointed out, flitting her eyes between them.

Rose nodded, picking at her nails. "It's just…it's not always safe. It's like I said earlier, a lot's happened since the last time we saw you. It's been a while, and…" she trailed off, not knowing how to finish her sentence right.

"Would you rather be on your own?" Donna asked softly, trying to mask her disappointment, but was easily transparent.

The Doctor stared at the woman, trying to think of a way of explaining himself. Truthfully, Rose's response narrowed it down, and if he were to add to it, it would only add more to the dampened mood on Donna's part. During those long months there were a few times where he never saw himself bringing another person onboard knowing it would cause him more grief with the life he and Rose lived. His wife was the only one he wanted to be around. He let his walls lower for a moment, and he felt Rose's presence slip right through the cracks, as she always would. It was warm, unsurprisingly, but he could feel her ambivalence fading away.

Taking a deep breath he dropped the bag still in his arms on the ground with the rest. "Donna," he began. "It's just…complicated. The last time, with Martha, like I said…she suffered a lot…her and her family did. And that was my fault." He felt Rose in his mind say otherwise, and she reached for his hand and squeezed it. "You remember the reasons why you said no that day? They're always there. They always would be."

"That doesn't matter to me now," Donna said. "I may have said no before, but now I'm saying yes. All this time I've been looking for you both, trying to find something out there worth looking for, I kept thinking about my life back home. And it wasn't right at all. I know the world's a terrible place, but compared to down here, nowhere's that safe. But I know I'd be okay with you both."

Rose inhaled a breath, glancing over at her husband and squeezed his hand again. _"She's right,"_ she thought to him. _"I think…it's been a while since we've shown someone the stars, the brand new skies, all of the wonders of every world out there, to see what the universe has to offer…there's nothing wrong with letting people in."_

The Doctor looked down at his wife, knowing now that he had no way of disagreeing with her. But…maybe it was time to bring someone along. Now that he thought about it, having another person onboard would be fine. He never really wanted to say no in the beginning, he was just a bit hesitant. It would be nice to have another soul onboard gracing them with their company.

He nodded once, relaxing from the tension that tightened him. "There we are, then," he said softly.

Donna stared him. "You looked as if you both were talkin' to each other with your minds."

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look. "Yeah…" he said.

"So…I can come?" Donna said, her hope flourishing once again.

"Yeah. 'Course you can, yeah." He glanced down at Rose for a moment, offered her a tight smile before grinning back at Donna.

"We'd love it," Rose said warmly.

The happiness returned to Donna. "Oh, this is just…" She ran towards them, prepared to give them both hugs, but then she froze. "Car keys!"

The Doctor was thrown off by her random proclamation. "What?"

She reached into her pocket to pull out said keys. "I've still got my mum's car keys! I won't be a minute!"

Donna ran past them down the alley and into the street, leaving them alone.

"You're right," the Doctor said softly, causing Rose to turn to face him. "I think it's time we showed someone else the universe in all its wonder."

She smiled at him and leaned up to give him a quick kiss to his lips. "Of course I'm right."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "Rose Tyler, are you gaining an ego?"

"If I do, I know for sure it'd be nowhere near as big as yours," she said with a teasing grin.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and nudged her shoulder before they began to haul up all of their newest companion's luggage to take into the TARDIS.

"Blimey," he commented as he hauled up a stack of the boxes. "You didn't bring half this load when you decided to come with me."

"That's 'cause I left with just the clothes on my back at first," she said with a laugh as she wheeled in a few suitcases. "And I really didn't have time to pack a lot since you came back seconds later."

"Well, I offered you twice to come, and that never happens."

"Just couldn't stay away," she said with a wide grin.

He looked over his shoulder and threw her a wink, and she giggled.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Donna strode down the street, her insides blooming with excitement that she was finally about to travel the universe with two of the most amazing people she's ever met. But first she had to take care of something. With her mother's car keys in her hand and her mobile in the other she phoned her.

"I saw it Mum, I know, tiny fat people," she said as she glanced around and caught sight of a rubbish bin attached to a streetlight. She walked towards it. "Look, I've gotta go. I'm staying with Veena for a bit."

 ** _"But it was in the sky!"_** her mother was saying.

"Yeah, I know, spaceship. But I've still got the car keys. There's this bin, on Brook street, about thirty feet from the corner. I'm gonna leave them in there."

 _ **"What? A bin?"**_ her mother said as Donna threw the keys in the bin.

"Yes, Mum, a bin."

 _ **"But you can't do that!"**_

"Oh, stop complaining," she said with an eye roll. "The car's just a bit down the road. Gotta go. I've really gotta go. Love you, bye."

 ** _"But Donna, you ca_** ** _—"_**

She was cut off when Donna closed her phone, eager to get back to the Doctor and Rose. She looked up at Adipose Industries for a moment and scanned the area. A young man with dark skin was standing by the police blockade, and she approached him quickly.

"Look, there's this woman gonna come along, blonde, older, named Sylvia," she told the man. "You just tell her that bin there." She pointed to said bin. "Thanks!"

And with that she turned and happily made her way back down the alley where new adventures awaited in that blue box. Opening the doors to the ship she saw her luggage piling the room along with the Doctor and Rose leaning casually against the console with their arms crossed over their chests and smiles on their faces.

"Off we go, then!" she said happily.

"Here it is, the TARDIS," the Doctor said. "It's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside—"

"Oh, I know that bit," Donna replied. "Although frankly, you could turn the heat up."

Rose laughed when the Doctor pouted for a moment. She pushed herself off the console and ran a hand over the controls. "So, Donna Noble, the whole wide universe…where d'you wanna go?"

"Oh, I know exactly the place," she said.

The Doctor moved to stand beside his wife. "Which is?"

Donna nodded to the side. "Two and a half miles, that way."

Rose was about to take them to their destination, but the Doctor interjected. "Hold on. Rose, you sure you've got this?"

"Doubting me again, Doctor?" she said with an arched eyebrow.

"No no no, it's just…you're still a beginner at this, and I don't want you to accidentally land us underwater again."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, God, that only happened _once._ And since then I've taken us to places with ease, haven't I?"

"Well, yeah—"

"I think I can handle this."

The Doctor innocently held up his hands. "Sorry. Go 'head."

Rose smiled and kissed his cheek before working the controls. Donna watched amusingly and nudged the Doctor in the side, a smile on her face. "Afraid of being upstaged by your wife, I see."

"What? No, I'm not."

"Whatever you say, alien boy."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Somewhere down below Wilfred Mott was set up on his usual spot on the hill, sitting on his camp chair behind his telescope. The night was still young, and the stars were coming out, shining bright in the inky black canopy that was the sky. Making himself comfortable he heard some kind of wheezing sound coming from above, far away from where he was. The old man froze when he caught sight of a little blue box flying in the distance. A blue box. It was real!

"There! Donna!" he called out. "It's…it's the flying blue box!"

Waiting for her to come join him as he discovered something she's been looking for, he looked into his telescope to see the mysterious object…only to gasp when he saw his granddaughter standing in the doors, smiling and waving at him.

"What?!" Wilf exclaimed, stunned. "That's Donna! Yeah, that's Donna!"

Behind her was a man with dark spiky hair and a woman with blonde hair wearing matching pinstriped outfits, smiling and waving, too. His eyes widened when he realized who they were.

"And that's them!" he shouted with glee. "That's them! Hey! That's them! Ha ha ha!" He stood from his chair and removed his hat, pointing up at the sky. "Go on, girl! Get up there!"

Wilf did a merry little jig watched as the blue box zoomed across the stars with his granddaughter inside of it. It turned out that she found what she's been looking for all along.


	5. Settling In

**A/N:** **As always, many thanks to you lovely viewers! :)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4: Settling In**_

The smile never left Donna's face after the Doctor and Rose drove the TARDIS across the sky and away from Earth. Seeing how gleeful her gramps was when he caught sight of them in the sky was all she could ever want. His entire life was just made for him for what probably lasted for barely a minute. That would be something she would treasure for the rest of her life.

"Told ya I could handle it," Rose said with a smile as the Doctor moved to stand beside her.

"I never said you couldn't," he said, fiddling with a random switch on the console.

"Not in those exact words, you didn't."

He frowned. "What? Why would I ever say such a thing to you?"

"'Cause your ego can't handle it," Rose answered with a teasing grin.

"I hardly think so," the Doctor said with a snort.

"Men," Donna scoffed from where she stood, causing both of them to turn to her. "Alien or not, you lot are the same."

"Yeah, he's _always_ like this," Rose commented, patting his arm and giving him a pointed look. "Why else haven't you made a sonic screwdriver for me?"

"What's the matter, Doctor, afraid your wife has more skilled hands than you?"

"Annnnyways," he drawled, trying to divert from the topic since he was put on the spot. "Welcome aboard, Donna Noble. You know the protocols of traveling with us, I'm sure; the risks, some of the rules—okay, maybe not those, but we can get into them soon enough. So, whole wide universe is here at our fingertips. Where do you wanna go?"

"How 'bout a bed?" she suggested.

He frowned at her response. "What?"

Donna blinked at him. "A bed," she repeated slowly. "Haven't you got any other rooms on this ship?"

"Of course there's other rooms!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Why wouldn't there be? It's bigger on the inside."

"I know that bit," she said with an eye roll. "For all I know you both could sleep on top of those bunks up there." She pointed up at the gantries connected to the coral struts. "With you two bein' aliens, anything's possible, I guess."

The Doctor stared blankly at her for a moment as if she dribbled on her shirt. "We don't sleep in here," he told her evenly. "We have our own room. Why wouldn't we have _other_ rooms? Where do you think we eat, or sleep, or bathe, or get dressed, or—"

"Doctor, I think she gets the point," Rose spoke up with an eye roll. "We can give you a tour around so you can find a room for yourself. She'll give you one as you want it, just tell Her." She raided her eyes to the ceiling. "Or I guess you could think of it. Either way, She'll give it to you."

Donna nodded, taking in the information. It wasn't every day that she would search for a ship that was bigger on the inside. "Right then. Is there by any chance we could find something to eat around here? I've been hiding out in a loo all day, and never really had the chance to grab a bite."

"Neither have we," Rose said.

"Never would've known that without the creature in your stomach constantly grumbling," the Doctor muttered, but she heard him and swatted his arm.

Donna snorted. "Can't imagine there being a refrigerator around here with you being a long, skinny streak of…nothing. You know, _alien_ nothing. Although I'm guessing that Rose would say otherwise."

The woman being mentioned blushed and hid the bottom half of her face behind her hand while the Doctor cleared his throat, but that didn't help him any as his voice came out squeaky.

"Well…" he said, tugging his earlobe. "I assure you there's a kitchen—well, a _galley,_ really, considering this is a ship, and a kitchen on a _ship_ is actually referred to that. Although, if you look at it in another way, I suppose it wouldn't matter—"

"Blimey, I guess that's how you fill yourself up," Donna cut in. "With your words."

Rose laughed. "That's his gob, he was born with it. Come on, we'll show you around."

Each of them fetched bundles of suitcase and boxes in their arms. Since it was a plentiful amount of luggage, they would have to make another trip to haul up the rest, but the majority of the necessities were hauled up. Donna told them she packed ages ago, and she wasn't exaggerating. Knowing that there were many planets out there ready to be explored she needed to be fully equipped with everything. The couple led Donna down the stretched corridor while carrying a bulk of her luggage, passing by various doors with different symbols carved into them. As they walked the Doctor went on his usual babbling about many of the rooms on the ship, from a special garden to a library containing a pool, a tennis court, and many others that were making her head spin. It only made the TARDIS sound that much more of an amazing place to be.

Turning a corner she caught sight of a certain room that appeared to be a balcony of some sorts, displaying what looked like…the Powell Estate. If that wasn't enough to leave her flummoxed, then the realistic breeze that blew past the open balcony doors sealed it in.

"How's that possible?" she questioned, nodding at it as they stopped.

"It's a simulation room," Rose answered. "The TARDIS can create any kind of scenery that you'd wanna see."

Donna stared at the view and swore she was able to smell the scent of newly cut grass in the distance. Well, that was wizard. "It seems…so real," she breathed out in wonder.

"They're beautiful," Rose said with a smile. "And relaxing. I'd come in here every once and a while just to look out at my home."

"So not only is this ship alive, but it can be an architect," Donna said. "And an interior decorator for that matter. If they had these back home my mum would run through a mob just to get her hands on one."

Rose chuckled. "Wouldn't blame her."

"There's plenty of these around the TARDIS, not just this one," the Doctor said as they gazed around the landscape. "This one's specifically Rose's, if you weren't aware of that."

"You make it sound like I took it upon myself," Rose commented.

"No, no, I meant nothing wrong. Just that you use _this_ particular room a lot. Well, not a _whole_ lot, but like I said, Donna, there's other simulation rooms. Should you stumble across another you can make it your own. Whether it be your home, or some other place you find comfort in, the Old Girl is more than happy to comply and put your thoughts into perspective."

"Well, I'll look for one of those after I find a room to sleep in," Donna said with a smile. "And I'll look for that before we find the kitchen."

" _Galley_ ," the Doctor corrected.

"Whatever, spaceman, just lead the way."

Continuing on through the labyrinth of corridors in the massive expansion of the ship they finally came up to a room for Donna. The three of them placed the luggage off to the side as she opened the door, entering a large space complete with a bed, dresser, wardrobe and all of the essentials. It was definitely better than her room back home. As they each hauled in her luggage—and making the second trip to fetch the rest—Donna settled all of her belongings by her bed then followed the other two out of her new room.

"Right," the Doctor said, slinging his arm around Rose's shoulders. "Some nibbles are in order now."

"A little something more filling than _nibbles,_ Doctor," she told him. "None of us have eaten anything all day."

"Twas only a figure of speech," he said.

Walking once again down the twisting corridors they came up to the galley. It was fairly large—no surprise there—complete with various cabinets, a refrigerator, a table with stools surrounding it, and everything else that was necessary. The Doctor released Rose and sauntered over to the cabinets, sticking his head into them as he searched.

"What d'you fancy on having?" he asked, his voice sounding a bit muffled. "Chicken? Casserole? Maybe something like—ooh! How about some bananas?"

"Doctor," Rose groaned. "That's not really dinner, you know."

"Well, no, but—ooh! How about this?" He pulled back and reached into the cabinet, taking out some kind of container. "Delectable on all sorts of levels."

"That isn't what I think it is, is it?" Rose asked as she and Donna took their seats.

He came over and placed the container on the table and opened it up, revealing what looked to be a gelatinous substance of a green color.

Donna eyed the stuff with a grimace. "What the hell kind of food is _that_?"

"Special preservatives from Emersosen," he explained, reaching behind him to fetch some spoons. "Interesting, really. One of the few groups that allows the consumer to choose whatever nutrients and properties they wish to work into their systems."

Donna shook her head, still looking at the goop in the box. "It's jello," she replied.

"Not really," he said, before tilting his head to the side. "Well, unless you want it to be. But then there's no point in that. One should have a little whimsy."

He grabbed a few plates and placed them on the table in front of the girls, setting out the spoons as well. Both Rose and Donna exchanged a look as he continued his babbling about the 'food'. It only confused Donna more as she stared at the stuff.

"You know, sometimes it's hard to believe you're an alien, but after seeing what you keep stocked up for food, then it's not hard to miss," she said.

Rose snorted. "You have no idea."

"Is this seriously what you two eat?"

"No, we eat regular stuff. Preferably I'd rather have a nice fish and chips or something like that, not any of this. This is some kind of psychic preservatives. Just like the simulation room, whatever you want it to be, it'll become it."

She stared at the container and gestured at it. "So…you're saying that if I thought about chicken, this…stuff…would turn into a drumstick?"

"Not really. It would only taste like chicken, not turn into the actual food."

"Then why doesn't he just make _actual_ chicken?"

"I've got no clue."

"What's wrong with it?" the Doctor suddenly asked with a frown as he came back over to their table.

"Doctor, I think Donna deserves to eat something a little more…appealing than this," Rose spoke up. "You're not becoming lazy enough to cook, are you?"

"Of course not. You know I'm always cooking."

Donna's eyes widened. " _You_ always cook?"

He straightened his tie, almost in a boastful manner. "On occasion. But when it comes to preparing meals, you should never let Rose take over. A fire's expected to blaze."

"Oi!" she cried.

"Sorry, love," he said with a grin, which led to the other woman to get up from the table to try smacking him. "Alright, I'll make us something more appealing, then."

Rose smiled and kissed his cheek. "Then let me help you."

Donna watched the two of them fooling around with each other as they worked on the stove, preparing their meals consisting of chicken and vegetables. Much better than some colored goop that looks like it would be fed to a hospital patient. She couldn't help but smile at them. They were sickeningly gushy with each other, teasing and touching lightly. When she first met them they were the same, but only now it increased to the points where one could throw up. Not that much had changed since she last saw them. Other than the fact that they were now married, which still seemed a bit unbelievable. Once dinner was ready, the end result turned out to be very appetizing as they each dug in.

Donna let her curiosity get the best of her as she began the dinner conversation. "So, how long have you two been married?"

Both of them hesitated, almost as if they had to actually think about how long they've wed. "Ehm…" the Doctor started. "Well, it's…a bit…complicated."

That was an odd answer. She raised her eyes from her plate to see Rose biting her nail and the Doctor scratching his neck. "How so?" Donna asked. "You don't know how long you've been married?"

"It depends on who you ask," Rose murmured.

Her brows creased together. "What?"

The Doctor sucked in a breath, his fork playing with his food. "We've…we've settled on…what is it, Rose, over two years?" he asked, turning to his wife.

"Yeah, that's about right," Rose responded, taking another bite out of her chicken.

Donna flitted her eyes between them. Something felt wrong. It was almost as if they were becoming uneasy about the question, but when they were together they were their usual giddy selves. He had said that it was complicated. What did that mean? As much as she didn't want to make them uncomfortable, she couldn't help but know exactly what they were talking about.

"Complicated how?" she asked. "I mean…forgetting anniversaries is one thing, my granddad does it all the time. And I could understand that with your blue box, but…what d'you mean it depends on who I ask?"

"The thing is…" the Doctor began, shifting a little in his seat and inhaling another sharp breath. "We were…separated for some time. Not by our own doing. Rose had lived eighteen months later into our marriage in her point in time, and…then we both went through an additional twelve, until…"

His uneasiness was becoming too noticeable as he made some kind of strangled noise, his eyes fixing on his food as Rose reached over and placed a hand on his forearm.

"Um…" she began. "It's just really complicated since we were stuck in two different points in time, so to speak. But…we've decided that two years should settle it."

Donna had said that both of them looked older, and it wasn't hard to see. It was written as clear as day in their eyes. As much as the slight explanation was still confusing her. But she didn't want to push it too far. "Oh. Okay. So, married for two years."

"Yep," the Doctor said, this time with a more chipper tone as he reached his hand over and grabbed one of Rose's hands, revealing his golden wedding band and a silver bracelet that were identical matches to those his wife wore. "Since 1969."

"Woah, what?" Donna spoke up, dropping her fork in her plate. "1969?"

"Yep," both the Doctor and Rose said in unison.

Then it clicked. "Oh, of course. Time machine. Kind of a specific year, though. Enjoy the whole vintage style of things?"

"You bet," Rose said with a wide grin.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing. My granddad is always one for forgetting important dates, so there's no shame in that. He's lucky if he remembers his own birthday."

They both chuckled at that as the three of them resumed eating their meal, the dinner conversation moving along swimmingly and lightly. Donna told them all about her trip to Egypt and how much exciting it was. Of course it didn't compare to what she saw on that first day she ran into these two, but at the time it was seeing something out in the world. Waiting all that time for something to happen to her was what kept her going. The rest of the conversation continued in that smooth groove, straying away from any topics that would be uncomfortable. Once each of them finished eating they all stood up and began to clean up after themselves. Then Donna yawned.

"Time to punch out for the day, huh?" Rose said, picking up the plates.

"Thing is I don't even feel that tired," she told her, stifling another yawn. "I'm so jittery to get out there across the stars."

She chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, no matter how excited you are, being a time traveler doesn't mean you'll be up all night every night. It does tire you out."

"Take her word for it," the Doctor cut in. "Rose is no stranger to dancing with the Sandman as often as possible. Far _too_ often, in fact."

Rose elbowed him in the side and he snickered. "Just 'cause you're a bloody night owl."

"And you're on the verge of returning to your hibernating tendencies."

She swatted his chest and Donna stared at them. "I can only imagine what you two have been doin' around here." She waggled a finger at them. "You better not go anywhere without telling me."

They both smiled at her. "Wouldn't do it even if we tried," the Doctor told her as he wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders.

"Okay, thanks." Donna started to walk but stopped just before entering the corridor. "I won't get lost, will I? 'Cause this ship is huge, and I don't wanna end up in some machinery or anything."

The Doctor chuckled. "I assure you, you won't get lost. Well, unless you want to, though I don't think you'd want that. Unless you actually _do_ want to, then in that case by all means—"

"Doctor," Rose cut him off, shaking her head. "Just walk around, Donna. She'll get you there."

"Gotcha," she told them. "Night, you two."

"Goodnight, Donna," they said in unison before she stared down the corridor.

She honestly wanted to go somewhere new, but she was feeling a bit bushed from being cramped in a two by four loo for nine hours while investigating, so she supposed sleep was requisite. Still, if this was going to be her new lifestyle she needed to be up to par. Especially considering that there was an awful amount of running to be involved. Turning a corner Donna came up to the door of her room, shocked to see it so soon. This wasn't the spot where it was in earlier. She looked down the hall. This was the same path. Then she realized what the Doctor and Rose had told her—psychic ship. Probably knew how tired she was and moved her room closer to her. That was handy. Entering she walked over to her wardrobe where she hung up all of her clothes. Changing into her pajamas she tucked herself into her bed.

At least she could be rested enough to enjoy the mad life she just signed up for.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Back in the galley Rose was helping the Doctor clean up whatever else needed to be put away. She had to admit it's been a long time since they've made a meal like that. Of course it's only been the two of them for the last twelve months and they had no other guests around. She could easily feel his slight ambivalence to the whole situation, and she understood why. Maybe he thought it was too soon? No, if he _really_ thought that then he wouldn't have agreed to let Donna come with them. Being on their own, while it was always sublime and rapturous when it was just the two of them in their home, having another person around as company was also a pleasure.

Gently nudging his mind, she was able to feel it fading on his end again. That was a good sign. He was regaining his composure as well, and that was also good. Especially after that slightly uncomfortable conversation they had with Donna when she asked about how long they've been married. Not that it was her fault, she had no idea of what the misery they both went through that disrupted the most carefree and jubilant period of their lives at that time. Luckily Donna hadn't mentioned anything about more in depth in regards to…Saxon. Rose brushed that aside. Now wasn't the time to reopen those abysmal recollections. They've done enough of that in the last year. Now they were moving forward and away from them. Even if they still lingered deep down.

"I've been meaning to ask," the Doctor suddenly spoke up as he finished up with the silverware. "What'd Jack want?"

Rose moved over to the sink and disposed of their dishes. "Just wanted to say hello and asked about the whole Adipose situation, to see if it was taken care of. And he said there's an open invitation for us to visit him anytime at Torchwood."

"That so? Well…I suppose we could do that one day."

She arched an eyebrow. "Yeah? You turning a new leaf?"

The Doctor smirked as a response.

"That wasn't all," Rose added. "He and his team were on their way to, you know…deal with the Matron."

He nodded slowly. "Right."

"I know you couldn't save her," she said softly. "But she wouldn't listen. And think of it this way, at least all of those people who took the pills won't have to deal with convulsions anymore."

"No," he replied as he let out a deep breath.

Rose studied him, knowing the small pang of guilt was washing over him again. Coming to his side she placed a hand on his back and rubbed the tense spot until he relaxed.

"I still can't believe you called Jack 'gorgeous'," he grumbled.

"Oh, God, you're still dwelling on that?" Rose said with snort. "You know there's no reason to be jealous—"

"I'm not!" he squeaked in protest. "It's just…" he trailed off with a head tilt.

She shook her head. And he said he was never vain. "Jack is a fact in time, so that description expected."

The Doctor scoffed. "Really?"

"And you're my husband, so you already _know_ how beautiful and enticing you are," she said warmly.

A smile crept on his face as his bravado came back to him, his chin tipped up. "Well…"

Rose grinned lasciviously, swirling a finger over his shoulder. "So…about that rain check…"

He suddenly swooped her up in his arms bridal style and carried her down the corridor to their room, both of them grinning and giggling like loons. Like he would forget _that._

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Feeling a gentle nudge coming to her mind Rose took a deep breath and turned under the covers. Usually by now she would be met with the living radiator that was her husband in the mornings, but that wasn't the case at the moment. Peeking one eye open, she was met with the opposite side of the bed unoccupied. Ever since they wed they've rarely woken up at different times. Of course there were a few instances during their recovery period where they would wake up in the middle of the night and dash into another room to cool off. That wasn't a trip down memory lane to take again.

 _"And the hibernating bear awakens,"_ came the dramatic voice of the Doctor in her mind, making her smile.

 _"And a good morning to you too,"_ she replied. _"'M gonna take a wild guess and say that you've been awake for a while already."_

 _"That was a bit rhetorical, wasn't it?"_

 _"Yeah, but I was waiting for a smart remark referring to my sleeping habits."_

He chuckled. _"Give it time, you've yet to get out of bed."_

Rose rolled her eyes. Usually whenever the Doctor would try to wake her up, his methods ranged from extreme measures such as bouncing on her bed with his manic enthusiasm like an over-excited puppy and attacking her with tickling to more gentle approaches like kissing or sending waves through their bond. At least he was choosing the latter and not tossing her out of bed.

Reaching over to the side she fetched her jeans and went to their wardrobe to change out of her pajamas before heading out of their room. _"Alright, 'm out of bed,"_ she told him. _"Though I was expecting you to rush in here like you always do."_

He chuckled again. _"I restrained myself. Hurry up in the galley, I've got a surprise for you."_

Rose could literally hear him smiling. She could only imagine what the 'surprise' was. Anything was possible with him and his tendency to be unpredictable. Sauntering down the corridor she was instantly met with the accustomed aroma of bananas which only intensified when she made it to the galley. That wasn't anything new. At this point she was surprised that she hadn't turned into one of those fruits by now since they—especially banana pancakes—were a speciality of his.

Rose stood at the entrance, watching with amusement as her husband was standing by the stove with an apron on, flipping the pancakes in the pan. Slowly walking in she knew he was aware of her presence, but he kept his focus forward and on his task at preparing breakfast. She wanted to tease him again and bring up the one occasion where he was put to work and had to serve her, but she bit back on that.

Instead she came up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting the tip of her chin on his shoulder to barely gaze over at his work. "Something smells good," she commented.

"Thanks," he said happily. "I've been experimenting with this product I've picked up from Spiraflunblis a while back said to touch up the scalp. I think it's working wonders."

Rose chuckled once, placing a kiss to his back, amused that her husband was proud of his hair care products. "And you say you're not vain."

The Doctor glanced over his shoulder with an arched eyebrow. "Have to look my best for my incredibly stunning wife," he said, sending her a wave of love along with a reel of mental images, some of which were a bit…licentious, to say the least.

She raised a hand up and patted his cheek. "Lecher," she muttered as he turned back to his work, making that happy sound she adored so much. "So, what's the surprise then? It's not the banana pancakes, that much I know."

"Oh?" he said, flipping them in the air.

"Nope. The real surprise would be if you actually made different kind of pancakes."

"Oi! There's nothing wrong with these."

"I'm not saying that there was, they're delicious. But you _should_ work on your variety."

He huffed, resuming his cooking. Rose untangled her arms from around his waist, patting him on the back as she stood beside him, leaning on the counter as she watched him.

"So," she said. "What's the big surprise, then?"

"Well, I can't really _tell_ you the surprise," the Doctor answered, throwing her a wink. "That would spoil it."

Rose grinned. "Making it sound more exciting."

"I should hope so. I know for a fact you'll enjoy it, so…" he trailed off and gave her what looked to be a mischievous look.

She groaned, having a good idea of what he was doing. "Lemme guess, you want me to close my eyes, is that right?"

His eyes twinkled. "If you want to, it's not a requirement. Although it _does_ add more to the anticipation."

"Alright, fine," Rose said with a playful eye roll before shutting them.

She was waiting for something to jump into her arms or anything to happen. She heard the Doctor shifting a bit, the cotton material of his suit expanding as he seemed to be moving his arms. Maybe he was pulling something out of his jacket? That or he could be throwing her off since he was always like that and playing games with her. Alien git. He couldn't be hiding something huge in his pockets, could he? Then again he was unpredictable, so the possibilities were endless. With her senses she heard him moving around behind her, one of his hands resting on her hip. She felt him slip something in her back pocket as he bent down to nuzzle her neck. She giggled.

"Seriously," she said. "This isn't much of a surprise either. Although…it _is_ in the galley…"

He hummed. "Oh, trust me, it's not that."

Rose leaned into him, and felt evidence that said otherwise. "Really? That doesn't feel like nothing. 'M pretty sure that's not your sonic screwdriver."

"Now Rose, you know very well I don't keep my sonic in my trousers," he spoke with a low voice that made her shiver. "And you call _me_ a lecher." Something was poking her in her back and, while she had an idea of what it was, thought it was the sonic.

"How can I not?"

Shaking her head Rose reached a hand around to pull the object out of her back pocket, feeling something awfully familiar. Then something cold slipped into her palm.

"Open your eyes."

Complying, Rose did just that and was expecting something remarkable to be laid out before her, and it was…the psychic paper and the sonic. Dazzling for sure. "I closed my eyes for this," she said flatly. "'S not like I haven't seen it before."

"Maybe," he said. "But I guarantee that you never had your own."

Her eyes lit up as she turned around to face him. "Wait, you mean…this is _mine_? My very own psychic paper?"

The Doctor smiled wide and nodded. "I was doing a bit of searching through the attic and found my spare. Well, my _second_ spare, I should say. Can never be too careful. Now you can be whatever you want to be should you disagree with my choice of occupations."

Not even hesitating Rose opened the sleek, black leather wallet to peek inside for the hell of it. Having her husband sharing his toys with her was a pleasant feeling. "Knew you'd come around," she said with a grin.

"You really never thought I'd give in?" he said with a chuckle before frowning. "And you have yet to make a comment on your other surprise."

Her brows furrowed. "What?"

"Rose Tyler, in all this excitement, I was expecting you to notice right away," he said, arching an eyebrow. "I'd've thought you would recognize your very own sonic as you've been holding it for the last five minutes."

Blinking a few times it hadn't occurred to Rose to actually pay any mind to the familiar device in her palm. Raising it up her mouth was hung agape when as her eyes moved over the sonic screwdriver.

"It's got the same properties like mine, and probably a few others," the Doctor told her with a smile. "I couldn't help myself. Now I fully expect you to use that when _absolutely_ necessary. No more jeopardy friendly acts."

She laughed breathlessly as she examined the device as it was identical to her husband's—save for the tip which was pink instead of blue. And it was _hers._ Letting out a happy squeal Rose threw her arms around the Doctor's neck, giggling. "Thank you," she told him, barely able to cease the smile splitting her face. "I love it."

The Doctor patted her back once she pulled away, her smile mirroring on his face and his eyes. "Well, I promised only the best and cutting-edge technology for my wife, and I delivered. " One of his hands came up to her chin, tilting her up a little more. "Only the best for _you,_ Rose."

Rose offered him a tongue-touched grin just before he dipped down to kiss her sweetly. "'Bout time you came around in sharing your toys," she teased.

"Yeah," he replied. "I was starting to believe that you were still a bit disoriented from being risen out of your burrow."

She swatted his chest. "Shut up."

He snickered before pulling out of her arms. "Now then, what say we wake up our guest? Surely she wouldn't wanna miss out on the best pancakes made in the galaxy."

"Someone's laying it on pretty thick," Rose said with a snort.

The Doctor, having returned to the stove, threw her a wink and a click of his tongue. "Plus I've got the perfect place in mind for when we're all finished up."

She shook her head when he deftly flipped the pan up, letting the pancakes land flat on a nearby plate. Show off.


	6. Fires of Pompeii Part 1

**A/N: " _Eh eheu eheu…eh eheu, eheu…_** ** _eh eheu, eheu…_** ** _eh eheu, eheu."_**

 **That song has been stuck in my head since I started writing this episode. Much love to you lovely viewers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5: Fires of Pompeii Part 1**_

For a few moments Donna lay in her bed, unaware of her surroundings. And then it dawned on her that she wasn't home on Earth. She was in the TARDIS, with the Doctor and Rose, ready to travel across the stars and see everything the universe has to offer. At first it seemed like a dream come true since she's waited a little over a year for something exciting to happen to her. Well, even if this _were_ a dream she wasn't waking up anytime soon. She probably wouldn't understand the complications of their relationship and marriage, but it was all their personal business, and whatever alien things happened with them wasn't any concern for her.

Slinging her legs off to the side of her bed Donna eyed the clock hanging on the wall. Nine o'clock in the morning, it said. Assuming that it _was_ morning, though there technically was no mornings on the TARDIS since time was timeless. But from the lovely couple's explanations it was the standard relative Earth time—despite Rose informing her that it doesn't really work, but that wasn't a reason to be unsettled. She had no plans of returning home just yet, not when she had so much to see. After seeing her granddad doing his merry little jig on his hill was all the warmth she could ever want.

Rose came and told her breakfast was ready, and Donna eagerly to get ready. A nice shower would do wonders for her before she did anything else. When she finished up about fifteen minutes later she headed over to the wardrobe and chose her outfit for the day then headed out of her room and made her way down the corridor. No sooner she was greeted with the delicious smell of bananas as she searched for the galley. Turning a corner she found the doorway as well as the giddy couple. Rose was sitting down at the table, chowing down on what looked to be pancakes while the Doctor stood by the stove with the pan in his hand.

"Ah, Donna, you're up!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Just in time for the greatest pancakes known to man. Well, and alien. And every other species in existence."

"And the only type that he makes," Rose remarked as she took another bite out of her food.

"Oi," he said from the stove. "Even you can't deny that they're brilliant, Rose Tyler."

"Never did. Anything to have that extra banana fix."

"Oh, yes!"

Donna shook her head at them before taking a seat. "Is this what every morning is like with you two? Having sitcom moments?"

"Sitcom?" the Doctor repeated incredulously while Rose laughed.

"Probably too domestic for him," she said as she took a sip from her tea.

He shook his head, waving that off as he twisted his wrist upwards to send one of the pancakes flying through the air. Rose reached over to lift up the empty plate before her and caught it with ease. Donna looked at her in surprise and laughed herself, taking it as the three of them ate. Once they finished up they made their way into the console room, the Doctor plugging in coordinates while the women stood around the panel.

"So, where we off to?" Donna asked curiously.

"If I told you that then it would ruin the surprise," he responded with a grin as he pulled the lever and sending them off and onto the ground.

"Blimey, rough landing," Donna commented as she pushed herself up when they landed. "I think you should let your wife take the wheel from now on."

"Oi!" he cried as he went over towards the coral strut to retrieve his coat. "My driving skills aren't that bad."

"Skills?" Donna scoffed. "What skills?"

Rose didn't bother to stop herself from laughing at both the other woman's comments and her husband's pout. Moving over to him she patted his arm. "Sometimes the truth hurts, love," she teased.

Giving her a false stern look he nudged her shoulder before opening the door, stepping back to let the girls exit first. A rough curtain lay in front of them as they appeared to be in an outside cupboard or something. The Doctor pushed it aside as the girls stood next to him, beaming.

"Ancient Rome," he proclaimed, walking out onto the street and glancing at their surroundings, mainly at the stalls crowding the paths. "Well, not to them, obviously. For all intents and purposes right now…this is brand _new_ Rome."

"Oh, my God, it's…it's so Roman!" Donna said enthusiastically. "This is fantastic!" She threw her arms around the Doctor's neck, making him laugh as they hugged, then did the same to Rose. "I'm here…in Rome. Donna Noble in Rome."

"Beautiful city," Rose said with a smile, only to frown when she realized something. She turned to her husband. "Doctor, you sure we won't run into ourselves?"

"'Course not," he told her. "That was 120 AD, forty years into the future. Well, forty-one into _this_ future, to be exact. It's only 79 AD right now, so we won't be running into ourselves around here."

"Wait, you've been here before?" Donna asked.

"Yeah, a while back," Rose said, looking around. "A few times, actually."

"Ages ago," the Doctor added. "Before you ask, that fire had nothing to do with me."

"Sure it didn't…" Rose drawled, arching an eyebrow.

He cocked his head to the side. "Well…a little bit. But we hadn't gotten the chance to look around properly."

"Neither times have we. Came here out of curiosity and for the sights and sounds…then I wound up being turned to stone," she told Donna.

Her eyes widened. " _What_? You were turned into _stone_?"

"I turned her back, though," the Doctor said quickly, gesturing at her. "Point in case, as she's standing her with us."

"And then _you_ ended up turning to stone, too," Rose added, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, I remember," he said sheepishly.

"How'd that happen?" Donna asked.

Rose took a deep breath. "Thing is, it was all by accident, but it turned out there was this…thing people created in the future called a GENIE that was able to grant wishes. But this one bloke who wanted to sculpt wanted to carve things out of stone, and the GENIE made it to where if he were to touch someone, they would turn to stone."

"And he touched you," Donna concluded.

"That was my fault," the Doctor said with a sigh. "His studio seemed so fascinating, and I wanted to see it. And he wanted to sculpt Rose's likeness and allow her to be his model, I just…wasn't expecting everything that came because of it."

Rose took his hand and squeezed it. "And you fixed it like you always do." She threw him a tongue-touched grin. "And you made me a statue. Not many girls can say that."

He made a happy sound. "That I did. Good old Michelangelo and his sculpting courses. And I believe I've captured its beauty exquisitely," he added, bringing his opposite hand up to her chin and she giggled.

"Oh, you two with your googly eyes," Donna spoke up as she walked along the street. "This is just weird. I mean, everyone here is _dead_."

"Probably best _not_ to tell them that," Rose said, still holding the Doctor's hand when he grinned.

Donna looked around and stopped when a sign caught her eye. "Hold on a minute. That sign over there is in English," she pointed out. "Are you having me on? Are we in Epcot?"

"No, no, no, no," the Doctor told her. "That's the TARDIS translation circuits. Just makes it look like English…speech as well. You're talking Latin right now."

"Seriously?

"Yep," Rose said affirmatively.

Donna looked between them, stunned. "I just said 'seriously' in Latin."

The Doctor grinned. "Oh, yeah."

They began to walk down the crowded street again, passing by the stallholders. "What if I said something in actual Latin?" Donna asked. "Like 'veni, vidi, vici'? My dad said that when he came back from football. If I said 'veni, vidi, vici' to that lot, what would it sound like?"

Rose turned to the Doctor. "Never thought about that, what happens then?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Over nine hundred years old and you never thought to try it once?"

"I've got a lot of things going on inside my head. More important things than…that."

"You're _nine hundred_ years old?" Donna said in surprise.

"Nine hundred and _three_ ," he clarified.

"But he can act like a five year old boy," Rose added.

"Oi!"

Donna laughed. "I can see that. You really _are_ an old man."

"Yeah, thanks for that," he said with a nod.

She looked around them. "So, back to 'veni, vidi, veci'."

Rose shrugged. "Try it out."

"I think I will." She walked up to one of the stallholders.

"Hello, sweetheart," the man said politely. "What can I get for you, my love?"

Donna looked back at the Doctor and Rose, a smile on her face before turning back to say to the man. "Veni, vidi, vici."

"Huh? Sorry?" the stallholder said, confused as he drew his words out slowly. "Me no speak Celtic. No can do, missy."

"Yeah," she drew out. The Doctor and Rose exchanged an amused look as Donna came back over to them. "What does he mean 'Celtic'?"

"Welsh," the Doctor told her, conclusive as he and Rose began to wander again. "You sound Welsh. There we are. That's something."

"Learn something new every day," Rose commented as he flashed her a smile.

"Won't our clothes look a bit odd?" Donna asked as they continued through the streets.

"Nah," the Doctor said decisively. "Ancient Rome, anything goes. It's like Soho…but bigger."

"But we changed the last time we were here," Rose pointed out before grinning lasciviously. "And you wore a toga."

"So did you," he replied. "And if I remember correctly, you liked it."

She hummed in affirmation. "You were dashing in it, too. It's not every day you see your future husband wearing nothing but a long, white cloth."

He chuckled when she sent him the mental image of their last visit to the city. Had he known that they would reach such a level in their relationship two years later he would've complimented her elegance while wearing a similar garment. In fact…he did just that. Sending her his accolades and adoration when recalling her appearance, he practically heard the smile spreading on her face.

"So, we're alright then," Donna said from beside them, bringing them out of their mind meld.

"Yeah, we're good," Rose answered.

"'Course we are!" the Doctor exclaimed. "This is Rome; the city of yearning, history, trophies gathered from all over, illusions and dreams. And all of the sights. Coliseum…Pantheon…Circus Maximus…" he trailed off, observing the residents passing by them as they came to a stop. Something felt…off.

Rose inwardly twitched and he felt it. Turning to her he saw her looking behind them. Following her gaze he found nothing.

 _"What'd you feel?"_ he asked through their bond.

 _"Dunno,"_ she replied. _"Y'know that feeling you get when you feel like you're bein' followed?"_ She shook her head and faced forward. _"Nah, never mind."_

He regarded her for a moment, peering in the distance. A simple surmising was all that was, but they would still be cautious. Time to admire the landmarks…only they weren't around.

"Uh, Doctor," Rose spoke out loud. "About the Coliseum and all the other landmarks…"

He frowned. "You'd expect them to be looming by now," he said, looking around.

"Then where is everything?"

"Try this way."

Wrapping an arm around Rose's midsection—and catching her a bit off guard as she squeaked—he lightly grabbed Donna's arm to lead them down another street. With his wife's hand in his they darted through the crowd until coming to a complete stop when they saw a large mountain towering over the square in the distance.

"I'm not an expert," Donna remarked. "But there are Seven Hills of Rome, aren't there?"

"The last time I checked, yeah," Rose commented.

"Then how come they've only got one?"

Before either the Doctor or Rose could form a response the ground beneath them began to shake. As they held onto each other, everyone—save for the stallholders who protected their various items and merchandise—seemed insouciant to the rumbling of thunder under their feet and carried on with whatever they were doing. Small clouds of smoke undulated from the top of the mountain just as the disturbance came to a stop.

"Wait a minute!" Donna cried. "One mountain…with smoke…which makes this…"

"Pompeii," Rose breathed out, feeling a knot twist in her stomach. "We're in Pompeii."

The Doctor's eyes were wide as he squeezed his wife's hand, his gaze locked on the mountain - Mount Vesuvius. "And it's Volcano Day."

Feeling the color in his face drain he also felt time around them tightening, buzzing like electric currents. He glanced around at all of the other faces passing by them—faces of people that would soon be dead. Burned alive. Worst of all this event was a fixed point of time, and its destined demise was burning deep in the pit of his stomach, making him sick. He felt a similar feeling once before, so long ago, when another planet had to burn…

"C'mon," he said in a hoarse voice as he tugged Rose's hand to guide the three of them away from this city soon to be bathed in calamity.

Dashing through the streets he didn't look behind, but even now he could hear the echoes wavering through him. Those belonging to the fallen of this city, and mixing with those of his own people having suffering a similar fate. He pushed those unwanted images out of his head as they began to haunt his mind, but a macabre series of reels flashed in his vision, making him shake himself rigorously. Rose sensed his discomfort and gently nudged him, trying to calm him down. Why in the hell did the TARDIS bring them _here?_ Maybe he _was_ rusty with his driving skills after all. Whatever the reason was he was currently unsure of, but one thing he was absolutely certain about was that they had to leave.

Reaching the spot where they had first arrived the Doctor let go of Rose's hand to draw back the curtain to reveal the TARDIS—only to freeze in place to find his ship was gone.

"Oh, you're kidding me!" Donna exclaimed in shock. "Don't tell me the TARDIS has disappeared!"

"Okay," he said, staring at the empty spot as his mind tried to process everything.

"Doctor," Rose said evenly, placing a hand on his arm. "She's okay. I can feel Her, She's alright."

"What d'you mean you can 'feel Her'?" Donna asked.

"Psychic ship," she reminded. "Me and the Doctor are able to sense Her and know if She's been tampered with and all."

"Right, sometimes I forget you two are aliens," Donna said acceptingly.

"I'm still human," Rose told her. "Well, mostly, at least."

"Same difference," the other woman replied, nodding quickly before turning to the Doctor. "Well then where is it?" she demanded.

"You told me not to tell you," he said.

"Don't get clever in Latin," she shot at him.

Rose shook her head and rolled her eyes before running up to the stallholder from earlier. "Hi, 'scuse me," she said politely, pointing back where the TARDIS was. "There was a big, blue, wooden box right over there. You know where it's gone?"

"Sold it, didn't I?" the man said smugly.

Rose stared at him blankly just as the Doctor and Donna came beside her. "But…what'd you do that for? It wasn't yours to _sell_!"

"It was on my patch, wasn't it?" he said defensively. "I got fifteen sesterce for it. Lovely jubbly," he added, rubbing his hands together.

"Who did you sell it to?" the Doctor asked hurriedly.

"Old Caecilius," the staffholder replied. "Look…if you want to argue, why don't you take it up with him? He's on Foss Street. Big villa can't miss it."

"Thanks. C'mon."

He quickly grabbed Rose's hand as they began to run off. "Wait," she spoke up.

"Rose, relax, we'll get the Old Girl back," the Doctor said.

"That's the thing, _why_ was She taken in the first place?"

The Doctor skidded to a stop. How could that have flown by him? He really wasn't in his right mind, but he could thank the buzzing threads of time around him for that. Rushing back over to the stallholder, still a little bemused, he asked. "What did he buy a big, blue wooden box for?

"Don't know, really," the man said with a shrug. "Just said something about 'modern art' whatever that means. It wasn't much of my concern since he was paying for it."

He nodded then turned back to the girls. "Right, now here's what we do. It'll be faster if we each split up to find that street. The faster we get out of here the better."

Not even giving another word he darted across the streets in search for the particular street to find this Caecilius. Moments passed until the Doctor found the street and sent a mental note to Rose. Running back down the way he came The three of them regrouped.

"I've got it," he told them, grabbing Rose's hand. "Foss Street, this way!"

"No," Donna said, staying right where she was, sounding excited. "I've found this big sort of amphitheatre I think…we can start there. We can get everyone together. Then maybe they've got a great, big bell or something we could ring. Have they invented bells yet?"

The Doctor turned to her, puzzled. "What do you want a bell for?"

"To warn everyone!" she said. "To start the evacuation! What time does Vesuvius erupt? When's it due?"

Walking up to the woman he spoke to her with seriousness. "It's 79 AD, 23rd of August," he said urgently. "Which makes Volcano Day tomorrow."

"Plenty of time," Donna told him. "We can get everyone out easy."

"Except we can't, can we Doctor?" Rose asked quietly, her voice laced with sadness, but she understood the reason why judging by how tense her husband was.

"But that's what you do," Donna said, trying to reason. "You're the Doctor. You _save_ people."

"But not this time. Pompeii is a fixed point in history," the Doctor explained. "What happens _happens._ There is no stopping it."

"Says who?"

"Says me."

Donna glared at him. "What, and you're in charge?" she challenged.

He returned the look. "TARDIS, Time Lord…yeah!"

"Donna, human…no!" she retorted. "I don't need your permission. I'll tell them myself."

"Donna, you can't," Rose spoke up, grabbing her by the arm.

"Why not?" she demanded.

"You stand in the marketplace and announce the end of the world, they'll just think you're a mad old soothsayer," the Doctor told her, gesturing wildly with his hands in a mocking manner, the glare never leaving his eyes.

Donna arched an eyebrow at him. "That so?" And what d'you think, Rose?" she asked, turning to Rose all of a sudden, catching her slightly off guard.

"I, uh…" she began, feeling her ears burn as she picked a her nails after being put on the spot. "Donna, we…we just can't-"

"Don't put Rose in the middle of this," the Doctor said irritably, saving her.

"Oh, so what, your wife doesn't have a say in your decisions?" Donna spat hotly.

"God, will you two please just stop!" Rose suddenly shouted, making both of them flinch at her tone. Taking a deep breath she tried to calm herself down as went over to Donna. "Look, Donna, I know what you're thinking, but…this stuff is complicating. I've had experiences with fixed points, and they're never pleasant. I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do."

"There's got to be something!" Donna protested, her voice still serious, but a little more softer.

"There's not," Rose said gently.

"She's right," the Doctor spoke up, a little harshly. "Now, come on. TARDIS, we are getting out of here." He lightly touched Rose's arm and was about to head down Foss street when Donna stormed off.

"Well, I just might have something to say about that, spaceman!" she called to him.

"Oh, I bet you will!" he called back.

The tension radiating off of him was thick as Rose was able to feel it through their bond in currents. Fixed points were never anything to mess around that, and she knew that better than anyone. Well, maybe not as much as her husband did, but she knew the consequences and the delicacy they were to have when dealing with them. As depressing as it was, it was to be. The knot in her stomach was proof of that.

As their friend stormed away down one end of the street, Rose looked back at the Doctor and shook her head. "You _could_ be a little nicer about this, you know," she said pointedly.

"Rose, you of all people should understand the severity of fixed points," he said to her. "You know we can't stay here."

"Yeah, I do, but Donna doesn't. Our main focus is to get the TARDIS back, alright? Just…be more kind to her with this, eh?"

The Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a deep breath. "It's not intentional, you know. These things are highly sensitive to Time Lords, and with me being the only one left…" he trailed off and cleared his throat.

Rose rubbed his arm. She felt discomfort of her own in this place, and knew how fast he wanted to run back out and away from here. "We'll get out of here, love. Just lemme get Donna back over here before she actually starts tellin' people they're gonna die tomorrow."

He snorted, and she took off down the street back to the ginger woman, swerving through the residents until finally reaching her.

"Donna, c'mon," she said gently. "We gotta go this way."

"How could you let him allow this?" she questioned. "How could you be okay and let all of these people burn?"

"Sometimes there's nothing we can do," Rose said after a beat. "He knows lots of things, sees lots of things, and knows what has to happen. Just…trust us, please."

Donna studied her. "You let him make choices like that on his own? He's always like that with you?"

Rose closed her eyes and sighed. "Donna, I'll explain everything to you once we get the TARDIS back, okay?"

The other woman looked like she wanted to add more to the drama and fuss, but looped her arm through hers as they sprinted back over to where the Doctor was standing, but they noticed him already rushing down the street, undoubtedly on tenterhooks as he wanted to run away from this place as soon as possible. Picking up their pace Rose and Donna caught up with him as they reached the house, which was a villa, but they didn't have as much time to observe the structure as another rumbling quakes beneath them. Off to the side a bust was toppling over, but the Doctor was swift as he saved it just before another man had.

"Whoa!" he said, setting in back in place and patting its cheeks. "There you go."

"Thank you, kind sir," the other man said as Rose and Donna reached them. "I'm afraid business is closed for the day. I'm expecting a visitor."

"Oh, that's me," the Doctor answered with a smile, leaning forward to shake the man's hand. "I'm a visitor. Well, I should say _we_ are visitors," he added, nodding to the women. "Hello."

The man flitted his eyes between the three of them before leading them into the main area of the villa, which was much larger with a pool and other pieces of artwork displayed around the room. A woman stood to the side while a young man that looked to be in his teens sat on the pool's side.

"Who are you?" the man asked as they came to a stop.

"I am…Spartacus," the Doctor answered proudly, making Rose restrain herself from snorting at his choice of a moniker.

"And so am I," Donna said evenly.

"I might as well be, too," Rose replied with a shrug.

The man eyed them oddly. "Mr. Spartacus and…his two wives?" he surmised.

"Oh, no no no, not wives, just _wife_ ," the Doctor clarified quickly, reaching for Rose's hand to reveal their identical bands and bracelets. "See? Fully committed to one woman and one woman _only._ Polygamy would never work out, not my thing. One marriage is enough to tackle with, right?" He chuckled as he was making a joke, but his faint smile faltered when he saw Rose giving him a pointed look. He tugged his earlobe with his free hand and ducked his head. _"Sorry,"_ he thought to her.

 _"'S okay,"_ she replied casually. _"I know you're a one-woman guy…and it will **always** be that way."_

 _"Too right."_

"Ah, that clears that up," the man said before looking between the Doctor and Donna. "Then that must make you two brother and sister? I should believe so since you look very much alike."

"Really?" They said in unison, exchanging a glance.

 _"Yeah, I can see it,"_ Rose said in his mind with a laugh, not even hiding her smile. _"Had you been ginger, the resemblance would be uncanny."_

The Doctor inwardly scoffed at that.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not open for trade," the man told them.

"And that trade would be…?" the Doctor asked.

"Marble," he said, placing a hand on his chest as he introduced himself. "Lucius Caecilius. Mining, polishing and design thereof. If you want marble, I'm your man."

"That's good," the Doctor said, nodding and glancing around the villa while sending a mental note to Rose as they both pulled out their psychic papers and flashed them in synchronicity. "That's good, 'cause we're the marble inspectors."

They began to move further into the room, eyes looking to spot a certain striking blue box.

"By the gods of commerce, an inspection," the woman in the corner said as she came forward to the boy, taking his wine glass. "I'm sorry, sir. I do apologize for my son."

"Oi!" the boy protested as his mother dumped his wine into the pool.

"This is my good wife, Metella," Caecilius told them, gesturing at the woman. "I-I must confess, we're not prepared for a—"

"Nothing to worry about, I'm sure you've got nothing to hide," the Doctor said before he spotted the TARDIS on the other side of the room, and pointed at it. "Although, frankly, that object...rather looks like wood to me."

"I told you to get rid of it!" Metella hissed quietly at her husband as they walked up to the TARDIS, Donna coming with them.

"I only bought it today," Caecilius protested.

The Doctor shrugged. "Ah, well. Caveat emptor."

A small plastered smile appeared on the man's face. "Oh, you're Celtic. That's lovely."

Rose lightly elbowed the Doctor in the side. He winked. "I'm sure it's fine, but I might have to take it off your hands for a proper inspection."

"Although," Donna spoke up. "While we're here, wouldn't you recommend a holiday, Spartacus?"

The Doctor gave her a pointed look. "I don't know what you mean, Spartacus," he said in a warning tone.

"Oh, this lovely family—mother and father and son…" she continued slowly. "Don't you think they should get out of town?"

"Why should we do that?" Caecilius asked, perplexed.

Rose bit her lip while the Doctor rubbed his eye with his finger, irritated. Apparently she was going for the mad soothsayer bit.

"Well, the volcano for starters," Donna explained.

"What?" Caecilius asked.

"Volcano."

He stared at her, still confused by the word. "What-ano?"

With her eyes moving around the room Rose looked for something as a diversion from the topic. She spotted a small altar on the one side of the room, nudging the Doctor to get his attention. _"Not a bad time to start praying,"_ she thought to him.

"That great big volcano right on your doorstep," Donna told Caecilius urgently.

That was when the Doctor stepped up. "Oh, Spartacus, for shame. We haven't even greeted the household gods yet." He lightly pulled her over to the shrine, muttering as they moved away from the others. "They don't know what it is. Vesuvius is just a mountain to them. The top hasn't blown off yet." Following his lead they each knelt by the shrine, lightly dipping their fingers in the water and sprinkling the frieze. "The Romans haven't even got a word for volcano. Not until tomorrow," he continued."

"Oh, great," Donna said sarcastically. "They can learn a new word…when they _die_."

"Donna, stop it."

"Listen, I don't know what sort of kids you've been flyin' around with in outer space, and you two may be experienced time travellers, but you're not telling me to shut up."

"Just because you're angry doesn't mean you have to have it out on us," Rose hissed.

"Of _course_ I'm angry," Donna spat back, pointing at the young man by the pool. "That boy…how old is he, sixteen? And tomorrow he _burns_ to death."

"And that's our fault?" the Doctor asked, arching a brow.

"Right now it is, yes!"

"Donna," Rose began again, ready to explain fixed points in time to her when a servant entered the room to make an announcement.

"Announcing Lucius Petrus Dextrus," he called. "Chief Augur of the city government."

At the sound of the servant making his announcement of the arrival of a certain someone, the three of them turned to see an older man stride in, who obviously knew his position with his cloak draped a certain way and how he kept himself upright. The trio moved closer—Donna making her frustration known from the volcano situation bubbling up.

"Lucius, my pleasure as always," Caecilius said, stepping up to the man.

"Quintus, stand up," Metella scolded the young man, who stood with a stretched sigh.

"A rare and great honor, sir, for you to come to my house." Caecilius offered the man his hand, but he didn't comply.

Instead he spoke with pomposity. "The birds are flying north…and the wind is in the west."

Caecilius, still smiling, stared at him blankly. "Right. Absolutely. That's good, is it?"

"Only the grain of wheat knows where it will grow," Lucius added.

"There now, Metella, have you ever heard such wisdom?" Caecilius praised.

Rose rolled her eyes, as did Donna.

"Never," Metella said with a smile, stepping forward. "It's an honor."

"Pardon me, sir, I have guests," Caecilius said, gesturing to the trio as they waved. "This is…uh, the Spartacuses?"

Lucius wasn't interested. "A name is but a cloud upon a summer wind."

"But the wind is felt most keenly in the dark," the Doctor said.

"Ah!" Lucius said, seeing a battle of wits and stepping closer. "What is the dark other than an omen of the sun?"

The Doctor scratched his sideburn. "I concede that every sun must set…"

"Ha!" Lucius suddenly exclaimed.

"…and yet the son of the father must also rise," the Doctor finished evenly, gesturing at Quintus.

Rose and Donna exchanged an amused look, the former grinning at her husband as he bested the man at his own game of wisdom.

"Damn," Lucius said. "Very clever, sir. Evidently a man of learning."

"Oh, yes, but don't mind me," the Doctor said with a wide smile as he placed his hands in his pockets and rocked on his feet. "Don't want to disturb the status quo."

"Really? _You_?" Rose said quietly behind a snort.

"Well…" he drawled with a sniff.

"They're Celtic," they heard Caecilius tell Lucius.

Entertaining as this all has been, priorities came first, and that was to make their leave. The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and Donna's arm. "Anyways, we'll be off, then. Nice meeting you all."

Guiding the women over, Donna refused to budge as she resisted. "I'm not going," she told him.

"It's ready, sir," Rose heard Caecilius say to Lucius from behind as they returned to business.

"You've got to," the Doctor said told Donna, his voice low and serious.

"Well, I'm not," she argued.

"Donna, would you please just listen to me," he growled.

"The moment of revelation," Caecilius said. "And here it is…"

Rose turned around to see the marble merchant had taken the pompous man to a small table on the opposite side of the room, where a large square object was placed underneath a cloth. Caecilius removed it, unveiling a square slab of marble with circuitry carvings.

Her eyes widened. She nudged the Doctor in the side. "Doctor," she said quietly, breaking up the nasty glaring contest being held between him and Donna. "You'll wanna see this."

Turning to her he followed her gaze to find the marble. "Exactly as you specified," Caecilius went on. "It pleases you, sir?"

Lucius studied the carving, liking what he was shown. "As the rain pleases the soil," he replied.

"Oh, now that's…different," the Doctor said as they approached them, his eyes moving over the designs. "Who designed that then?"

"My lord Lucius was very specific," Caecilius told him, looking a little confused.

"Where'd you get the pattern?"

"On the rain and mist and wind," Lucius said in all his high and mightiness.

Rose rolled her eyes. Pompous gits. Every time. No matter what time period they were in they would always be irksome.

"Well, that looks like a circuit," Donna commented.

"Only it's made of stone," Rose said, looking over it. Her brows furrowed as she liked back over to the man with high authority. "So…what, are you saying that this design just… _came_ to you? In your dreams?"

"That is my job," Lucius responded pompously. "As City Augur. No other person assists me when it comes to the visions I see."

"What's that then, like the mayor?" Donna asked.

"Oh, ah, you must excuse my friend," the Doctor cut in quickly. "She's from…Barcelona." Rose inwardly snorted as he turned to them, his voice quiet. "This is an age of superstition…of _official_ superstition. The augur is paid by the city to tell the future 'cause they know how gullible the general public is. But it's the norm around here, and it's not that different from the present. 'The wind will blow from the west.' That's the equivalent of the ten o'clock news."

"So basically we're dealing with a faulty meteorologist," Rose commented.

"Not so much as a meteorologist, but more along the lines of…well, an entire newscast," he said plainly.

Rose nodded. "Okay. More Chief Dramatists, then," she said, chuckling a little.

"They're laughing at us," a girl spoke up from the villa's entrance, causing the trio to turn to the source. The young woman was horribly pale and appeared fragile, looking as if she were caught up in a haze and barely able to stay on her feet . She nodded towards them. "Those three. They use words like tricksters. They're mocking us."

"No, no, we meant no offense," Rose assured quickly, raising her hands up carefully. "It's just our friend isn't familiar with your customs, that's all."

"I'm sorry," Metella said as she moved over to the girl. "My daughter's been consuming the vapors."

"By the gods, Mother!" Quintus exclaimed in disgust. "What have you been doing to her?"

"Not now, Quintus," Caecilius scolded.

"But she's sick," the young man insisted. "Just _look_ at her."

"I gather I have a rival in this household," Lucius said, giving the girl a crafty look. "Another with the gift."

"Oh, she's been promised to the Sybiline Sisterhood," Metella said proudly as she held up her daughter's hand to show an eye painted on the back of it with black ink. "They say she has remarkable visions."

Lucius derided the remark. "The prophecies of women are limited and dull. Only the men folk have the capacity for true perception."

"I'll tell you where the wind's blowing right now, mate," Donna said snarkily. Rose smirked at that. Leave it to them to run into an ancient male chauvinist. As if snobs weren't irritating enough.

Another rumbling quakes beneath their feet as they prepared themselves for it, which lasted for about a moment as everyone released each other.

"The mountain god marks your words," Lucius said. "I'd be careful if I were you."

"Who's to say they don't oppose to what you have to say?" Rose retorted. "It could go either way, and they could easily be against you. For a man who claims to be wise I'd've thought you'd see other sides to things."

The man gave her a seething look full of distaste, but he remained silent.

"Consuming the vapors, you say?" the Doctor asked Metella and her daughter.

"They give me strength," the girl answered weakly, barely keeping herself upright.

The Doctor looked over her appearance. She was anything but strong. His voice was gentle. "It doesn't look like it to me."

"Is that your opinion…as a doctor?"


	7. Fires of Pompeii Part 2

_**A/**_ ** _N:_** **As always, much love to all of you awesome viewers! Do mind my anxiety from this point on. Also, on another note, today marks ten years of Ten. So celebrate by remembering the good ol' times of baby Ten :3**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6: Fires of Pompeii Part 2**_

At the sound of the young woman's words the Doctor was taken aback, his eyes widened and his entire body frozen. "I beg your pardon?"

"Doctor," Evelina repeated. "That's your name."

"How did you know that?" he asked, bewildered.

She didn't answer him. Instead she turned to Donna. "You…you call yourself noble." The ground shook again, throwing every one off balance for a split second as the room darkened, an eerie red glow bathing them. She turned to Rose. "And your name is that of a flower's, but your true identity is written across the stars…the howling wolf."

The Doctor glanced over at Rose, whose eyes were widened. What the hell was going on? He moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Now then, Evelina," Metella said to her daughter. "Don't be rude."

"No, let her talk," the Doctor urged, nodding at the girl.

Evelina's eyes were rapt as she continued, her voice sounding just as distant as her vision. "You come from so far away."

"A female soothsayer is inclined to invent all sorts of vagaries," Lucius sneered.

"Oh, not this time, Lucius," the Doctor said. "I reckon you've been out-soothsaid."

"Is that so…man from Gallifrey?"

Rose inwardly gasped while the Doctor's head whipped around to face the augur. "What?" he demanded.

"Strangest of images," Lucius said. "Your home is lost in fire, is it not?"

"Doctor, what are they doing?" Donna asked fearfully.

"And you two…Daughters of London," the augur said, flicking his eyes over to Donna and Rose, lingering on the latter. "Though _you_ are something different. Something more; birthed by man, but wields the sorcery of a goddess. A goddess of the Vortex. The Bad Wolf."

"Doctor, how does he know that?" Rose asked, her eyes flitting between the two prophets. "How're they doing that?"

The Doctor felt her concern through their bond and tightened his grip on her as his mind raced, the frown on his face and brows deepening. He didn't have an answer—only questions. This was impossible, this couldn't be happening. He knew the fate of this city. _This_ wasn't what was supposed to happen, not in _Pompeii._

"This is the gift of Pompeii," Lucius answered. "Every single oracle tells the truth."

"But that's impossible," Donna breathed out in confusion.

The augur turned to the Doctor, his face painted with seriousness. "Doctor…she will come back. And they are returning."

"Who is?" the Doctor asked quickly, his voice laced with the thickest of agitation. "Who's 'she'? Who's 'they'?"

"Daughter of London…" Lucius continued, ignoring his question as he turned to Donna. "A woman is coming; a woman in _black._ And a man…who may not be a figment of your imagination."

"What's that mean?" Donna said warily, her skin becoming paler.

Lucius' eyes travelled over to Rose, and the Doctor pulled her closer to him. "And you…Bad Wolf," the augur continued, a crooked smile on his face. "You will be at the door. And there is something on your back."

"What the hell does that _mean_?" Rose asked, shaking her head in an attempt to understand. "You can't just tell us things without _explaining_ yourselves."

"Even the word 'Doctor' is false," Evelina spoke up, causing them to spin around to face her, still stunned. "Your real name is hidden. It burns in the stars of the Cascade of Medusa herself. The turn of the universe thrives beneath you. You are a lord, sir—a Lord…of Time." Her state was becoming weaker, but still she carried on as she moved over to Rose. "And you, Bad Wolf…are not only a Child of Time, but are his mate. The power of the entire universe runs through your veins…within you…and will become that much more alive. You are the Oracle…" She straightened up, her body shuddering slightly. "Everything is entwined between you both. Your past has changed…and has determined your future. Songs will be sung, then silenced…and rise from the ashes when the wolf howls…"

Succumbing to her weakness, the girl's eyes rolled in the back of her head as she fainted, collapsing to the floor as the room returned to normal and the lights came back.

"Evelina!" Metella cried as she and the Doctor rushed over to the girl's prone figure.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Rose was standing in the corner, chewing on her thumbnail as she watched the Doctor pace back and forth with a hand running through his hair. They were alone, for the most part, as the others wandered about the villa. Her insides were still shaking after that obscure prognostication that had rocked through the villa. Something big was coming, Bad Wolf was said again, and it couldn't be anything heavenly giving the track record of hearing those two words.

"Who is 'she'? Or 'they'?" she asked out loud in a quiet voice. "Who's coming back?"

"I have no idea," the Doctor replied, still striding in the groove he was wearing into the ground. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

She snorted. "Yeah, it can easily be brushed aside as _nothing_ ," she said sarcastically. "I suppose we should forget the fact that Bad Wolf was mentioned again."

He sighed and came to a stop. "I'm guessing that we should always be ready to hear that. It's a part of you, Rose. The Carrionites were able to sense it. So did the Family. That name is spread across time and space, anyone could figure it out."

"That's reassuring," Rose said with an eye roll. "I'm a celebrity that people wanna destroy."

"I didn't mean it like that," the Doctor said softly as he stepped closer to her.

She rubbed her temple. "I know. 'S just…whenever Bad Wolf is mentioned, something bad always happens."

"Not every time," he tried. She gave him a pointed stare and he scratched his neck. "Look, we've just returned to normal after living in Hell for the last bunch year. _Not_ worrying about what happens in the future is what I'm going for right now." He placed his hands on her upper arms, his thumbs moving over the fabric of her top. "Everything's gonna be alright, Rose. I promise."

Rose inhaled a shaky breath and nodded. "But…what did they mean about a woman in black and an imaginary man for Donna?"

"I dunno," the Doctor answered. "And as far as what he said to you, I would know if something was on your back, Rose." His hands slid around as his fingers moved up her spine. "Nothing's there," he told her softly before pulling her closer in his arms. "Don't worry about it, okay? It's all just superstition."

She leaned into his embrace, nuzzling her face in his chest. "She said I was the Oracle," she whispered. "What does that mean?"

The Doctor inwardly shivered inside as he rubbed his wife's back gently, tracing circles and lines. There was nothing on her back at all. What _did_ that mean? He took a deep breath, his eyes moving over to see the TARDIS on the other side of the room. Escaping this city was possible right now. They could easily run into their and leave without another word. But they couldn't. Not yet.

"One work of a business at a time," he said quietly. "Don't think about that right now."

"This place…it feels wrong," Rose said. "Worse than before."

"I know. It's the only reason why we're staying. Pompeii is a fixed point, but…something's off. The superstition was one thing, but there's something else."

"We'll fix it, Doctor," she told him. "We always do."

He smiled faintly and placed a kiss to the crown of her head. The sound of feet shuffling across the marble floor got their attention as they saw Caecilius entering the room. Pulling out of each other's arms the Doctor nodded off to where the man was standing and they headed over to him.

"So," he began. "What exactly did your wife mean about 'consuming the vapors'?"

"She was referring to the vapors from our hypocaust," the merchant explained. "Evelina was told that if she were to inhale the vapors, it would help the visions and make them better."

"What a method," Rose murmured.

"Can you show it to us?" the Doctor asked. The merchant nodded as he led them further into the room where the hypocaust was. A red glow shone through the opening grille, much like the one that had bathed the entire room during the fortune telling. Kneeling over it the Doctor removed the cover. "Ah, different sort of hypocaust," he said as he leaned over to examine it.

"Oh, yes, we're very advanced in Pompeii," Caecilius said proudly. "In Rome, they're still using the old wood-burning furnaces, but we've got hot springs…leading from Vesuvius itself."

"Who thought of that?" Rose asked.

"The soothsayers after the great earthquake seventeen years ago," Caecilius said. "An awful lot of damage but we rebuilt."

"Didn't you think of moving away?" the Doctor asked. "Oh, no, then again, San Francisco."

Caecilius looked confused. "That's a new restaurant in Naples, isn't it?"

Rose exchanged a look with her husband as they both peered down into the Earth from the opening when another bout of rumbling occurred.

"What's that noise?" she asked.

"Don't know. Happens all the time," Caecilius said with a shrug. "They say the gods of the Underworld are stirring."

"But after the earthquake…" the Doctor said slowly. "Let me guess. Is that when the soothsayers started making sense?"

The merchant nodded. "Oh, yes, very much so. I mean, they'd always been…shall we say 'imprecise'? But then…the soothsayers, the augurs, the haruspex—all of them, they saw the truth again and again. It's quite amazing. They can predict crops and rainfall with absolute precision."

"Have they said anything about tomorrow?" Rose blurted out, feeling her husband give her a look.

Caecilius shook his head. "No. Why should they? Why do you ask?"

"No reason," she said casually. "Was just asking, that's all. _Don't give me that look,"_ she added in her mind when she felt the Doctor's stare.

 _"Sorry,"_ he replied. "But the soothsayers…" he said, going back to the original topic. "They all consume the vapors?

"That's how they see," Caecilius told him.

"Ipso facto…" the Doctor muttered as he slipped on his glasses and leaned into the hypocaust.

"Look, you," the man protested.

"Don't worry, he's an expert," Rose told him.

"They're all consuming this," the Doctor said as he straightened himself, pinching a small bit of rock particles between his fingers.

Caecilius eyed it, confused. "Dust?"

"Tiny particles of rock," the Doctor said, sprinkling them.

Rose had a feeling of what was coming judging by that familiar glint in his eye. "Please don't put—" Her sentence ended with a groan as he resorted to his usual methods and habits and tasted the rock dust. _"Can't you examine things without using your tongue?"_ she thought to him, sounding a bit annoyed.

 _"What?"_ he replied nonchalantly. _"It's the most efficient way."_

"Nihil novi," she said aloud with a sigh.

The Doctor turned to her with an amused look, his brows raised. _"Gold star for you,"_ he commented before smacking his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "They're breathing in Vesuvius," he muttered. Standing to his feet he dusted his hands off and placed a hand on Rose's arm. "Right, well, thanks for showing us that, Caecilius."

"It was no trouble," the merchant said, eyeing him a little oddly after that display of expertise.

Moving to the other side of the room by the shrine, the Doctor spoke quietly. "Stay here for a moment," he told Rose.

"What're you gonna do?" she asked.

"Something persuasive," he replied, before waving his hand. "Don't worry, nothing too serious."

"Heard that before," she said cheekily.

Throwing her a wink he strolled out of the main room and began to wander around the villa. After being shown the hypocaust system that was being powered by the geothermal hot springs from Vesuvius itself and learning that Lucius—and other soothsayers—installed those very systems for other people to inhale that rock dust, that would make others supposedly be able to tell uncannily accurate predictions. But if that was the case, why haven't they said anything about the forthcoming eruption of Vesuvius?

This was wrong, all of it. Fixed points were already set in stone for all of time, but something massive was tampering with that stone, and he needed to find out what. And the one person he needed to get the information from was out there somewhere, but he had a plan for finding his way there. Obviously Caecilius had such high approbation for the augur and had no regards to the bigger picture that this was becoming, he figured that another man could help him.

Perhaps one with a slightly rebellious mind.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"You bribed a teenage boy with a coin in exchange for showing you where that chauvinistic tosser lives?" Rose said, crossing her arms over her chest.

The Doctor shrugged a shoulder. "Well, I have many ways of persuasion, and that seemed to be the way to take it."

"And he fell for it."

"What can I say? I've got an honest face, not to mention that coin just struck him." She arched an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Sorry, I just can't fathom the idea of you carrying around _Earth_ money."

He smiled. "I'll have you know that I'm also one for surprising others, and I supplied myself with the necessary monies just in case."

"Look at you, preparing yourself," she said with a teasing smile. "So, we going now?"

The Doctor pressed his lips together. "Oh, uh…"

"You're not going there alone," she told him firmly.

"I'm not," he said. "Quintus will be accompanying me."

Rose gave him a pointed look. "Doctor."

He sighed. "I don't want this to turn into another argument, Rose. I won't be long…hopefully. If I'm gonna investigate that man's abode, I think it would be best if there were no women around. You saw how bitter he gets."

"Self-centered, pompous git," she said with a snort. "He's lucky I didn't knock his block off earlier."

"That's exactly my point," he said with a chuckle. "Ancient Rome wasn't exactly a gynarchy, so to see a woman appear fierce and determined as she took charge would only make him worse. Please just stay here for the time being, I'll be fine. You're not being left aside. You might have to keep an eye on Donna, though, to make sure she doesn't let anything slip out. We don't want everyone panicking."

Rose studied him for a moment before nodding. "Fine. She'd probably rather see me anyways since I'm always nicer."

"Well, you _are_ the more kind one."

"Yup. And we don't want her to slap you silly for sassing her back," she added with a teasing grin.

The Doctor's eyes widened. "Definitely not. Bad enough I can still feel your mother's handiwork," he said, rubbing his cheek. "And Donna's…a little frightening too."

Rose giggled. "Fiery ginger."

He nodded before placing his hands on either side of her face and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be right back."

"'Kay. Be careful. Just don't get trapped in a lion's den, or something."

"Really, Rose? A lion's den…at _this_ time of night?"

"Anything's possible with you," she said with a nose scrunch, and he chuckled.

"I'll be on the lookout," he said with a smile before kissing her again and heading out of the main room.

Quintus was waiting for him outside with a lit torch to light up their path as they walked the streets of Pompeii at nightfall. Letting the young man lead the way the Doctor noted how completely hushed the area was. Not even a mouse was scurrying around the small piles of trash in the street corners. But by the early hours of the morning these streets would be flooded with liquid hot lava. Haunting echoes came back to his mind, and once again he shook his head, ridding them.

Some time later Quintus came to a stop outside of a specific villa. "Don't tell my dad," the young man said.

The Doctor hopped up onto a barrel before climbing onto the windowsill, peeking inside the villa. "Only if you don't tell mine."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"You look beautiful," Evelina told Rose as she stepped out of the changing room.

"Yeah?" Rose said, looking down at herself and smoothing her gown out. "This is different than the outfit I wore the last time I came around here."

She was donning a sleeveless pale blue pleated stola that ended inches below her knee, clasps fastened at her shoulders. It was girt with faint white ribbons, a golden embroidery at her hem and neckline and two belts encircling her; one just below her breasts that created a dressy fold effect, and a wider one around her waist.

"But you weren't married then, were you?" Evelina asked, smiling as she gestured at her gown. "Such garments like the one you wear represent a woman's marital status."

Rose chuckled. "Good to know that every guy I pass will see I'm taken."

The both of them laughed, even continuing when Donna came out. "You're not supposed to laugh," she said as she tried on another shawl—a purple one this time. "Rose, you promised."

"Sorry," she said, folding the other dresses her friend had tried on and did away with and sat on the bed beside Evelina. "You look heavenly."

"Thanks for that. What d'you think?" She struck a pose, waving the shawl in front of her. "The goddess Venus."

"Oh, that's sacrilege," Evelina said, still laughing.

"I don't think so," Rose said. "I've seen lots of goddesses, and they've got nothing on you."

The young girl turned to her. "Have you?"

She nodded. "Oh, yeah. Gods and goddesses, kings and queens…"

Evelina laughed again. "You're so brave then."

"Nice to see you laugh, though," Donna said as Rose scooted over to let her friend sit in the middle. "What do you do in old Pompeii, then…girls your age? You got…mates? Do you go hangin' about 'round the shops? T.K. Maximus?"

The girl shook her head. "I'm promised to the sisterhood for the rest of my life."

"You get any choice in that?" Donna asked.

"It's not my decision. I have the gift of sight. The sisters chose for me."

"Then…what can you see happening tomorrow?"

Red flag.

Rose nudged Donna's shoulder. "Donna, don't," she whispered in a warning tone.

She turned to her. "I'm only asking."

"I really think you _shouldn't_."

"Is tomorrow special?" Evelina asked, confused.

"You tell me," Donna pressed. "What do you see?"

Evelina straightened her posture and closed her eyes. "The sun will rise. The sun will set. Nothing special at all."

Donna exchanged a look with Rose, who was staring at her pointedly. This is exactly what the Doctor didn't want. Good thing she didn't go with him after all.

"See? Just an average day," Rose said lightly, feeling the knot in her stomach twist the longer they stayed in this place.

"Oh, but I've got a prophecy too," Donna blurted out.

"Donna, _stop_ ," she told her again, placing a hand on her arm.

"She has a right to know," the other woman insisted.

"You _can't_ do this—"

"Evelina, I'm sorry, but you've got to hear me out," Donna said, ignoring Rose, who made an exasperated sound. They both turned to see the girl covering her eyes with her hands, revealing the painted ones on the backs of them. "Evelina, can you hear me? Listen."

"There is only _one_ prophecy," the girl cried.

"Donna, I told you to stop!" Rose snapped, standing from the bed and trying to tug her friend away, but she resisted.

"But it's all happening tomorrow!" she said desperately. "That mountain is going to explode. The air is going to fill with ash and rocks…tons and tons of it and…this whole town is gonna get buried."

"That's not true," Evelina whimpered. "Stop it."

"Okay, just calm down," Rose said soothingly before pulling Donna to the other side of the room. "Donna, you don't understand. This whole place feels wrong, but it's how it has to be."

"Of _course_ it's wrong!" the other woman exclaimed. "Everyone's gonna die!"

"I can't stop that! Neither one of us can. I'm sorry, but it has to be that way."

"How can you be okay with this?" Donna asked, her voice lower. "How could you stand there knowing that these people are gonna doe like that? There has to be _something_ you can do."

Rose shook her head, her lips pressed together.

Donna gestured at Evelina. "That girl…something's wrong with her. She's got this irritation, but it's…stone. Her arm's made of stone. Besides that, she's just a child probably no more than seventeen years old. And tomorrow she's gonna burn alive, her and her family. Tell me you can save them."

"I…" Rose felt pity for Donna, and for the entire city. She truly felt sorry for all of those innocent lives that would cease to exist, but Pompeii was a fixed point. But…maybe something could still be done. Maybe. "We'll see, I dunno."

"Even if we can't wait, they can just leave," Donna suggested. "She can take her family and get out of town…just for one day, just for tomorrow—"

"No, Donna, they can't—"

"But they've got to get out! They've got to leave Pompeii!"

"Stop!" Evelina cried out. "Stop with these lies!"

"Relax," Rose said gently. "We'll stop."

"Wait a minute," Donna spoke up, sounding a bit hopeful and still puzzled. "Rose, she said you were the Oracle."

"Donna, no," Rose told her, shaking her head. "Please, just _stop."_

"But you might be able to prevent this from happening! Both you and the Doctor can-"

"This is a false prophecy!" Evelina shouted, dropping her hands from her eyes, another quaking sound crackling through the room for a moment before dying down.

Rose and Donna exchanged a look before leaving the room. Apparently she needed a more in depth talk about the current situation. She was doing her best to stop Donna from blurring out anything, but hopefully it didn't cause any damage. She also hoped her husband was accomplishing something so they could figure something out.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

If there was something the Doctor was usually good at, it was sleuthing at the highest degree of discretion. But maybe not top-level material as he and Quintus were caught not too long after entering Lucius' villa. Nihil novi indeed.

Upon arrival they found, not only the stone circuit that Caecilius had created, but five others as well. Quintus had said that Lucius had lied and said there was only the one slab, but that's just it. Plenty of marble merchants were in this town and it was a common practice of criminals to tell each of them the same thing so they would be able to acquire the required components from different places to avoid suspicion. That wasn't something too out of the ordinary—especially with everything wrong twisting around with the fixed point.

Speaking of which the strands of time were tightening again, and the Doctor could easily feel its ill-at-ease actuality. Fixed points were uncomfortable enough, but when something unknown and unexpected comes into the mix, then it becomes the worse possible discomfort.

Rose had felt it, too. Hopefully she was keeping Donna at bay with her slippery tongue from telling the family about the fate that was to longer he stayed here the more it grew as the imminent volcanic eruptions was approaching nearer. But he needed to figure out what the augur was planning. Apparently he claimed he was building the future as dictating by the gods. Whatever that meant. Good things can come out of getting caught, though. One step closer to cracking this case and finding out the true meaning behind these unorthodox conditions.

With his glasses perched on his nose the Doctor stood in front of the circuit board and was assembling the marble plaques in a certain order to see what happens.

"Put this one…" he took another from Quintus, who was holding them and placed it in a spot. "There. This one…there. Uh, I'll keep that one upside down." The six slabs were arranged in two rows of three. He turned back to Lucius, who had been standing there like a stump completely quiet the entire time he was working. "What have you got?"

"Enlighten me," he replied pompously.

"What? The soothsayer doesn't know?"

"The seed may float on the breeze in any direction."

"Yeah, I knew you were gonna say that. But…it's an energy converter."

"An energy converter of what?" Lucius asked.

"I don't know. Isn't that brilliant?" the Doctor said with a wide grin, swaying on his feet. "I love not knowing, keeps me on my toes." He moved to stand beside the augur, who eyed him with disgust. "It must be awful, being a prophet. Waking up every morning, 'Is it raining? Yes, it is. I said so.' Takes all the fun out of life. But who designed this, Lucius? Hmm? Who gave you these instructions?"

"I think you've babbled long enough," the augur spat.

"Lucius, really, tell me honestly. I'm on your side. I can help."

The man didn't give him any regards. "You insult the gods!" he said angrily. "There can be only one sentence—at arms!"

At his command a bunch of guards stepped out from behind the large curtains. The Doctor backed away to stand by Quintus and removed his glasses.

"Oh, morituri te salutant," he muttered.

"Celtic prayers won't help you now," Lucius derided.

"But it was him, sir," Quintus said, cowering. "He made me do it. Sir Dextrus, please don't."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Come on now, Quintus…dignity in death. I respect your victory, Lucius. Shake on it?" He held out his hand to the augur, wiggling his fingers at him. "Come on. Dying man's wish?"

In a flash he lunged at Lucius' hand and yanked, causing the man's forearm to come off from under his cloak. But he held his arm back, hiding it.

"But he's…" Quintus breathed out in shock.

"Show me," the Doctor said.

Still with that sour look, the augur threw his cloak back to reveal his arm—the stump of a stone. "The work of the gods," he said proudly.

"He's stone!" Quintus cried.

"'Armless enough, though," the Doctor joked, tapping the arm against his palm before tossing it at the man. Taking the opportunity as the man was preoccupied, he headed for the windowsill. "Quintus!"

The young man, still frightened, threw the torch at one of the guards then clambered out of the window. Whipping out the sonic the Doctor aimed at the circuit board, causing it to wobble and the plaques to fall off.

"Out! Out! Hurry!" he yelled at the teenager as he hopped onto the windowsill, urging the boy to move. "Run!"

Dashing down the streets they could hear Lucius crying about his carvings echoing across the silence. Hopefully they were able to delay whatever was in store. If Fortuna was on their side, that was. Frankly it would be even more grateful if the entire plan was foiled, but that would be too easy. They had to be ready.

Minutes passed until they came to a stop. "No sign of 'em," the Doctor said, patting Quintus on the back. "Nice little bit of allons-y. I think we're all right."

"But his arm, Doctor," the young man said breathlessly, still trying to process what transpired. "Is that what's happening to Evelina?"

Before he could answer, a loud booming sound echoed across the city. They both turned around to look down an alley. "What's that?"

"The mountain?" the boy guessed.

The Doctor raised a finger as he listened. "No, it's closer." The budding continued, plodding in even sounds as stalls and baskets fell over. But nothing was there. The heavy thuds continued evenly, coming closer and closer. His eyes widened. "They're footsteps," he breathed out. "Footsteps underground!"

"It can't be," Quintus said, warily.

"Run!"

Not even giving another thought the Doctor grabbed the boy and pushed him forward as they bolted down the streets, passing by vents that blew steam like geysers. He sent a mental note to his wife as a warning while they hurried back to Caecilius' villa.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"But this isn't fair!" Donna cried in the hallway outside Evelina's room. "Evelina is just a girl, and she along with every other person in this town are gonna be buried under rocks and—"

"I know it's not," Rose said, her voice gentle as she tried to explain to her friend why they couldn't do anything. It was easier said than done. "I'm sorry, Donna, but there's no other options. We can't change this from happening."

"Who says so?"

"The universe does. The Doctor does, and it's gotta remain that way."

"No," Donna said in denial. "There has to be a way to save her. Can't the Doctor do something about her arm?"

Rose's curiosity came back. "Yeah, you mentioned that earlier. You said that her irritation was more than just that. That it was…stone?"

Donna nodded. "I touched it myself."

That was odd. She thought back to when she and the Doctor were looking down in the hypocaust and he examined the rock dust. He said that the soothsayers were inhaling Vesuvius itself, and Evelina was doing just that. It could all be connected.

Before she could question any further a thunderous pounding rumbled beneath their feet. "What the hell is that?" Donna asked as they balanced themselves from the strangely even and rhythmic thuds.

"Trouble," Rose said with seriousness as she lightly tapped her friend's arm to lead them out into the main room of the villa.

 _"Rose, get out of there!"_ the alerted sound of the Doctor's voice came in her mind, only driving her nerves more as the knot in her stomach continued to twist.

 _"Please tell me you didn't jump in a lion's den."_

 _"Even if I did that would be the least of our problems. Something bigger than lions are coming. We gotta get everyone out!"_

Metella and Caecilius were standing in the main room. "Doesn't sound like Vesuvius," he said as he glanced around.

"Listen, we gotta get out of here," Rose told them urgently.

"Caecilius!" came the booming voice of her husband as he rushed inside the villa with Quintus behind. "All of you, get out!"

"What happened?" Rose demanded.

He grabbed her around the waist and tried to pull her away. "I think we're being followed." Suddenly the grille covering the hypocaust blew up, flying into the air. "Just get out!"

Trying to herd everyone out the door everyone froze when the ground beneath the hypocaust cracked. A loud growling roared through the villa, shaking. A stream of gray smoke pored out from the opening as a massive creature emerged from the hole, consisted entirely out of stone and magma, the eerie red glow seeping through its cracks. The Doctor held his arms up to keep everyone back, letting out a curse.

"The gods are with us," Evelina breathed out.

"Water!" The Doctor hollered, looking over his shoulder. "We need water! Quintus, all of you, get water!"

Donna and Quintus immediately left to fetch pails while Rose noticed a piece of rock that was a concave shape with an open top like a bowl lying to the side. While they were waiting for the others, she took the opportunity before her. Grabbing it she ran over to the pool.

"Blessed are we to see the gods," one of the servants said as they stepped up to the creature.

"Get away!" Both she and the Doctor yelled, but they were too late as the man was engulfed in flames spewing from the creature's mouth, burning the man until his ashes were all this remained.

"Talk to me!" The Doctor called out, carefully approaching the magma monster as it bellowed. "That's all I want! Talk to me, tell me who you are. Don't hurt these people. I'm the Doctor! Just tell me who you are!"

 _"Be careful,"_ Rose warned him through their bond before hurrying over to the decorative pool, dipping the stone bowl into the water. Quintus had returned with a pail and began to do the same, but Donna was gone. "Where's Donna?"

"She was right behind me," he told her as he hurried over to where the creature was.

Looking into the other room Rose caught sight of women in red robes seizing Donna, placing a hand on her mouth and pulling her away. And Evelina was just sitting there, witnessing it all without doing anything. Flitting her eyes between the creature and her friend, Rose dropped her bowl on the ground to pursue the women. She kept herself closed off from getting the Doctor's attention so the magma monster doesn't attack. Following them Rose turned a corner…then felt herself being held back.

"Get off!" she hissed. "What're you doing with my friend? Who are you?"

"We are the Sibylline Sisterhood," the woman told her.

The name rang a bell. "Hold on, the Sisterhood…you lot are the ones that took Evelina. What d'you want?"

"You and the noble woman spoke of a new prophecy, declaring the fall of Pompeii," the woman said, tightening her grip. "The High Priestess decried it as false. False prophets must die."

"So what's with the walking volcano, then? You call _that_ a god?" Rose scoffed.

"You will be silent! And Pompeii will last forever!"

Rose wiggled in the woman's arms. She could easily escape, but she wanted to be brought to where Donna was. It could piece together all of these loose ends. But she had a feeling the Oncoming Storm was on his way.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"I'm the Doctor, tell me who you are!"

It was the umpteenth time he's asked the creature, but it wasn't cooperating with him one bit. All it was doing was growling and becoming the villa's personal thermostat. Where the hell was that water?

"Doctor!" Quintus yelled as he came forward with a large pot full of water and threw it at the creature.

It roared, shuddering as the red glow that was trickling through the cracked exterior that it consisted of had died down. Smoke wafted off, flickering around the room until the creature froze altogether, then with a groaning creak it shattered and crumbled to pieces. All that was left was lifeless rubble and dust.

"What was it?" Caecilius demanded once the dust cleared.

"Carapace of stone…" the Doctor replied, his eyes moving over the fallen creature's remains. "Held together by internal magma. Not too difficult to stop, but I reckon that's just a foot soldier."

"Doctor…or whatever your name is…you bring bad luck in this house," Metella said from behind, prompting him to turn around.

He arched an eyebrow. "I thought your son was brilliant. Aren't you going to thank him?"

Quintus had an amazed look crossing his face, but it was the truth. The young man, whose signs of apprehension were written as clear as day on his face, showed true courage as he acted right away. Metella immediately moved over to her son and hugged him, just as a mother should.

This place was unraveling more and more, and the superstitions were starting to get under his skin and adding more to the issue. As much as he wished they had left this place no sooner than after they stepped out of the TARDIS, but on one hand it was beneficial that they didn't. Moving over to the pool the Doctor reached into his jacket and pulled out his yellow water pistol. If these things were what they were dealing with, then water would be the only weapon as of right now. At least this was the only type of pistol he'd actually want to hold.

"Still…guess there are aliens at work in Pompeii and it's a good thing we stayed," he said out loud, but no one answered him.

He half expected Donna to respond with a sarcastic remark, but he heard nothing from Rose either, and that was even stranger. Neither one of them have ever been so quiet. He turned around with his eyes darting around the room to find neither woman nearby.

"Rose? Donna? ROSE! DONNA!" His blood began to boil, and his worry began to rise. _"Rose!"_ he shouted through their bond. She was closed off. Oh, no. Not this again. He inwardly cursed as his breathing increased.

"They took them."

Whipping around at the sound of a soft voice the Doctor noticed Evelina sitting off to the side, looking regretful. Those words weren't helping him any. He strode over to the girl, his hands trembling a bit. "Who did? Who took them?" he asked urgently, his voice rough.

"I'm so sorry," she cried, shaking her head and shuddering. "It's all my fault, I-I should've done something, but…the High Priestess, she…"

"Evelina, just tell me who has my wife and my friend," he said, a little calmer this time around.

"The Sibylline Sisterhood," she answered. "They came when the creature was risen from the Earth, when they fetched pails. Your friend…was taken first."

The Doctor tensed up. "And what about Rose? What about my wife?"

"She followed them. She-she saw your friend being taken away, and she went after them. Then the Sisters took her away, too."

He shook inside. Incidents like this were never fine ground for him to be standing on, especially when it involved people he cared about. Especially when it was his wife.

"Why?" he ground out. "Why were they taken?" Evelina bit her lip and ducked her head down, avoiding his gaze. A thin thread of his patience snapped as he towered over the young woman, but somehow he kept his voice even. "Evelina, tell me where they are."

"At the Temple of the Sybil," the girl answered. "It's all my fault, they were saying something…like a prophecy, and it sounded false. And false prophets…" she trailed off.

"Are to be sacrificed," he finished with a nod, his lips pursed. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

Balling his fists he turned and began to walk out the main room, focussing on the wavelength in his mind that would lead him to Rose. She was keeping herself at a low-level, which meant whoever they were dealing with were telepathic. Brilliant. Crashing parties was one of his specialties.


	8. Fires of Pompeii Part 3

**A/N: _"And if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like you've been here before?"_**

 **Thank you lovely viewers as usual! ;)**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 7: Fires of Pompeii Part 3_**

By the time Rose was taken to the Temple, she heard faint mantras said by women, but was unable to distinguish anything. One thing that was for sure was that she felt another pang hit her in the stomach, which only increased the further down the halls she was travelling. Though she closed herself off from the Doctor, she could easily feel the faintest wave coming from him in the back of her mind. And, as she imagined, it wasn't pleasant. What else would she expect when she got herself captured. Knowing her husband this most likely triggered the Storm clawing in its cage. She could still easily escape from the hold the Sisters in the red robes have on her, but she was waiting until she found Donna so that she could find a way to save her and get back to find the Doctor.

It made her think back to Evelina when Donna kept bringing up Pompeii's demise. Whenever she put her hands over her eyes it seemed as if she had zoned out, like her mind was going somewhere else. When they first arrived here Rose had that notion that someone had been following them but she brushed it aside. And not only that, but she could've sworn she picked up another wavelength that didn't belong to the Doctor. They must've been telepathic, and that's probably how Evelina was able to communicate with them. Unless…whenever a member of the Sisterhood raised their hands to cover their eyes to reveal the ones painted on the backs of them they were able to transfer images and reels? To be safe Rose kept her defenses up but left a tiny opening for her husband to track her down. Hopefully he would find them in time.

"You might have eyes on the back of your hands, but you'll have them in the back of your head by the time I finish with you!"

The familiar voice was fast approaching as Rose was escorted into the Temple, her eyes immediately falling on Donna as she was lying down on a sacrificial altar and binded by ropes. Some of the Sisters were surrounding the room, kneeling on the ground.

"Let her go!" Rose hollered.

"Rose!" Donna cried. "Oh, am I glad to see you. Maybe not from this angle, but hearing your voice is just as good!"

"The other false prophet arrives," purred one of the Sisters, who was pacing around the altar.

"So, this is the almighty Sisterhood," Rose remarked, glancing around the Temple. "Eh, doesn't really strike me as a threat. Not as much as your big boy comin' up from the ground. Then again…that wasn't really anything intimidating either."

"Silence!" The Sister spat. "Your incessant prattling will cease forever. Soon you will be meeting your fate."

Rose snorted. "Yeah, that's never gonna happen."

"So you think," the Sister remarked. "But the two of you will be disposed, as the High Priestess decried."

She rolled her eyes, and in a flash slammed her foot down hard on the one belonging to Sister that had been seizing her. When the woman let out a cry Rose took the opportunity and maneuvered around the woman and made her way up to where Donna was tied up. Of course the other Sisters would make an attempt to shift and apprehend her, which they tried as their hands made their way to grab her by the arms, but she was quick to pull off one of her husband's moves—she reached beneath her stola where her skirt was and retrieved her sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the women.

"Let Donna go, right now," Rose told them, spinning around in a circle and keeping her guard up.

The one Sister laughed. "Such bravery. I praise your attempt to show strength and courage, but that device of yours…is powerless."

"Would you risk that?" Rose challenged, bringing it level with the woman as she came closer, still aware of the others behind her. "You lot are involved in all of this, yeah? What for? What do you want?"

"To do as we are told," the Sister replied. "And to rid the world of those who come into our lands to spread false prophecies should they interfere."

"Wonderful plan," Rose said with a snort. "But that's not all you're doing. What about Evelina? Her arm is turning into stone, and I know for a fact it ain't a birth mark."

"It is the gift of the gods," one of the other Sisters said. "A symbol of wisdom, of greatness. Of ascension."

Rose arched her eyebrow. "Yeah, such greatness," she derided before swiftly switching on the sonic at the ropes tied around Donna, freeing her.

"What magic is this?" the head Sister demanded as the others drew back.

Rose flipped her screwdriver deftly, then aimed it at the woman again. "What's the matter? Don't know something for once?"

The woman gave her a challenging look. "It is a known fact that you are still weakened…" she glanced around, a wicked smile plastered on her face. "And you are outnumbered."

Rose looked around as Donna ran over to her side, holding the ropes in her hands. "Is that really gonna stop them?" the ginger asked in a whisper.

"At least it makes them think that, then it's fine," Rose replied. What a test run this would be for her brand new sonic.

The head Sister moved closer and raised her hand, unveiling a decorative dagger from her sleeve. "Your persistence will cease once and for all." She raised the weapon up, ready to strike and Rose kept a firm grip on the sonic…

"Oh, that'll be the day," a voice called out from the shadows of the Temple and Rose immediately blossomed inside, grinning widely when she saw her husband casually walk forward. "Although, for a soothsayer, I would imagine you would already _know_ her personality. Well, I guess not every fortune teller is accurate. You alright?" he asked Rose as he came to her side.

"Well, yeah, you know…" she said with a head tilt, smiling at him and lowering her sonic. "Nice night to take a stroll around, I guess."

"Not bad at all," he said with a shrug, his hands buried in his pockets as he eyed her outfit for the first time. "That goes for the _stunning_ stola, as well."

She grinned cheekily. "I take it you approve."

"Well, I didn't really have a chance to give my compliments earlier with the foot soldier greeting us, and then, in the blink of an eye, I noticed you were gone."

"Sorry I didn't give you a heads up to join me. Mea culpa."

He winked and turned to Donna. "And Donna, you okay?"

"Oh, never better," she replied.

"Nice toga."

"Thank you."

"No man is allowed to enter the Temple of Sybil!" the head Sister spat.

A darkened glint flicked in the Doctor's eyes. "You just tried to sacrifice my friend and my wife, and you want to tell me what I'm not allowed to do?"

Rose inwardly shivered at his tone. It's been a while since she heard him like that. Granted he was on the cusp of it during the confrontation with Miss Foster, but she could feel his anger boiling from where she stood and through their bond.

He stared at the woman for a long hard moment before changing his tune. "Do you know, I met the Sibyl once. Hell of a woman. Blimey, she could dance a tarantella. Truth be told, I think she had a bit of a thing for me."

"Why am I not surprised?" Rose said with an eye roll.

"Not the first time I was ever called pretty," he said, clicking his tongue at her.

"And it won't ever be the last."

"Nope. But speaking of last, I said it would never last. She said, 'I know'. Well, she would. And she was oh, so accurate, 'cause a certain pink and yellow human would be filling the position later on, and no one else would ever take that place," he added with a warm grin.

"Who are you?" one of the Sisters asked, studying him carefully. "You're a cohort to these impious non-believers, I heard you refer to the Sisterhood as being mad."

"Ah, eavesdropping," he said with a sneer, glancing around the room. "Such a method. You know, there once was a time when this cult had a leader running things and making orders with less scheming and violence. Let me tell you about the Sibyl…the founder of this religion." He kept his hands in his pockets as he moved closer to the head Sister. "She would be ashamed of you. Absolutely chagrined to see what you've done to her legacy. All her wisdom and insight turned sour. Is that how you spread the word, eh? On the blade of a knife?"

"Yes…a knife that now welcomes you!"

The head Sister raised her dagger, preparing to strike him, but the Doctor made no movement and merely arched an eyebrow at the woman.

"Show me this man," said a raspy voice that caused everyone in the room to turn towards the curtain near the corner of the room. While the other Sisters knelt down out of respect, the one holding the dagger remained standing.

"High Priestess, the stranger would defy us!" she cried.

"Let me see," the voice croaked. "This one is different. He carries starlight in his wake."

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look before the three of them approached the curtain. "Ah, very perceptive," he remarked, eyeing the fabric pointedly. "Where do these words of wisdom come from?"

"The gods whisper to me," the High Priestess said, still hidden behind the drapes.

"Done a lot more than just that," Rose muttered.

"Ah, might I beg audience, look upon the High Priestess?" the Doctor asked, looking back at the Sisters.

The curtains parted slowly, and the woman that was hiding behind them wasn't a sight of beauty. A grotesque image of her humanoid form completely turned into stone as she lay on her widened bed.

"Oh, my God!" Donna gasped. "What's happened to you?"

"The heavens have blessed me," the High Priestess said.

The Doctor moved his eyes across the woman's petrified appearance, his mind flipping through the possible species she may be. "If I might," he said, motioning to step closer. The woman raised her arm up as he stepped forward to kneel down. He lightly brushed his fingers across the hardened surface of her skin. "Does it hurt?"

"It is necessary," the High Priestess told him.

"And who said that?" Rose asked, sounding a bit disgusted.

"The voices."

"Hold on, but the same thing's happening to Evelina," she pointed out. "She said it was an irritation, but…it's more than just that. She's only starting."

"Is this what's gonna happen to all of you?" Donna asked the other Sisters.

The Head Sister approached them, pulling her sleeve back. "The blessings are manifold."

Donna touched the woman's arm. "They're stone."

"Exactly," the Doctor said as he moved back. "The people of Pompeii are turning to stone before the volcano erupts. But why?"

"Breathing in Vesuvius," Rose murmured.

He nodded. "That, and probably something more…something on an even larger scale."

"This word…" the High Priestess said slowly. "This image in your mind, this 'volcano', what is that?"

"How could you not know about it?" Rose asked. "You're soothsayers. Evelina couldn't see it either, but why? Aren't prophets supposed to see everything that's coming?"

The Doctor nodded again. "Good point. I reckon a point so fixed in time that it's literally set in stone couldn't be missed by a long shot, and yet…you fail to see it. Who are you?"

"High Priestess of the Sibyline," the woman answered.

"No, I'm talking to the creature inside you," he told her, his patience wearing thinner with every second passing. "The thing that's seeding itself into a human body, in the dust in the lungs…taking over the flesh and turning it into…what?"

"Your knowledge is impossible," the Priestess said.

"Oh, but you can read my mind. You know it's not. I demand you tell me who you are!"

"We…are…awakening!" the Priestess bellowed, her voice echoing with a deeper tone beneath her own, now sinister and akin to possession.

"The voice of the gods!" the Head Sister exclaimed.

"Words of wisdom, words of power," the other members of the Sisterhood began to repeat in a mantra.

Feeling himself snapping, the Doctor turned back to the Priestess. "Name yourself!" he hollered over the continuous chanting. "Planet of origin, galactic coordinates, species designation according to the universal ratification of the Shadow Proclamation."

"We…are…rising!" she declared.

"TELL. ME. YOUR. NAME!"

The High Priestess threw her head back and cried out loud. "Pyrovile!"

"Pyrovile. Pyrovile," the Sisters began to chant.

"What's a Pyrovile?" Donna asked.

"Apparently _that's_ a Pyrovile," Rose said, gesturing at it. She looked over at the Doctor, who had a darkened expression draped across his face. "So, what, it's growing inside of her?"

He nodded, his eyes fixed on the creature. "She's at the halfway stage."

"Well, and that turns into what exactly?" Donna asked warily.

"That thing back in the villa," Rose breathed out.

"Exactly," the Doctor said with a grim voice. "That was an adult Pyrovile."

"And the breath of a Pyrovile will incinerate you, Doctor," the creature hissed at him.

"I warn you, I'm armed," he said as he pulled out his water pistol and held it up. Good thing he filled it up before he came here. With his eyes forward he nodded to the side indicating the hypocaust. "Rose, Donna, get that grille open."

Donna looked back at the opening. "What are you gonna—"

"Just…" he said, giving her a look and jerking his head in its direction to move. Rose wasted no time in heading over to it and Donna followed. With a steady hand he aimed the pistol at the Priestess and took turns with each member of the Sisterhood. "What are the Pyrovile doing here?" he demanded.

"We fell from the heavens," the Priestess said. "We fell so far and so fast we were rendered into dust."

"Right. Creatures of stone shatter on impact. When was that, seventeen years ago?"

The creature scoffed. "We have slept beneath for thousands of years."

He cocked his head to the side for a second. "Okay, so the earthquake seventeen years ago woke you up. And now you're using human bodies to reconstitute yourself, but why the psychic powers?"

"We opened their minds and found such gifts."

"Yeah, okay, fine," he said quickly in an irritated voice. "You force yourself inside a human brain, use the latent psychic talent to bond. I get that. I get that. Yeah, but…seeing the future, that is way beyond psychic, you can see through time. Where does the gift of prophecy come from?"

"Doctor, we got it!" Rose shouted from the side.

"Now get down," he ordered as he inched his way back towards them, keeping the water pistol aimed at the Priestess. "Both of you, get down there now."

"What, down there?" Donna asked in disbelief.

Before the Doctor could snap at her to move, his wife beat him to it. "Just c'mon!"

If these creatures weren't telepathic then he would've sent Rose his thanks. "Why can't this lot predict the volcano?" he asked. "Why is it being hidden?"

"Sisters, I see into his mind," the head Sister said to the others. "The weapon is harmless."

Dammit. Dropping it the Doctor gave it a critical look. "Yeah, but it's got a sting!" Aiming it back at the Priestess he shot streams of water at her, causing her to moan in pain. "Girls, get down there!" he hollered before making a dash for the hypocaust and dropping down into the Earth, ending up on his haunches.

"You fought her off with a water pistol," Donna remarked, catching her breath. "I bloody love you."

"Damn straight," Rose said as she pulled him up to his full height and brought him down for a hard kiss, to which he returned in kind.

Once they broke apart the Doctor reached for one of her hands with his free one. "This way," he told them as he tugged her along with him.

"Where are we going now?" Donna asked.

"Into the volcano," he answered decisively, looking ahead into the tunnels.

"No way."

"Yes way," he said, twirling his pistol in his free hand before pocketing it.

"Appian way, yeah?" Rose said with a grin.

He flashed her a wide grin before the three of them trudged into the depths of the volcano.

Continuing their trek deep into the Earth the heat was rising more and more, hot steams whipping them in the face as they ducked beneath the rocky tunnels. Talk about hot springs. Still grasping the Doctor's hand Rose could easily feel the waves of tension radiating off of him as they walked and he explained the events of when he investigated Lucius' villa. It seemed that he discovered the augur was concealing six marble circuits, which when arranged a certain way, forms an energy converter. He said he didn't know exactly what its true purpose was, but after meeting the Sisterhood piecing together the puzzle was becoming a little less of a hassle. Somewhat. She sent him a reassuring wave to calm him down.

"But if it's aliens setting off the volcano, doesn't that make it alright?" Donna asked. "For you to stop it?"

"Still part of history," the Doctor said tersely without sparing her a glance.

"Well, I'm history too," Donna pointed out. "You saved me in 2008. You saved us all. Why is that different?"

"Some things are fixed, some things are in flux," he said, turning around briefly as they passed through a tunnel that had expanded. "Pompeii is fixed."

"How do you know which is which?"

"Because that's how he sees things," Rose answered quietly, squeezing her husband's hand when he tensed up again. "Everything; the past, the present, the future. All of it." She glanced over at him, seeing a muscle working in his jaw and his ancient eyes distant. "He keeps it straight, as the way it has to be. Otherwise…the universe would collapse."

Donna shook her head. "Can you see it too?"

She bit her lip. "No. But…I can always tell when something doesn't feel right. And right now I feel like I've got a knot in my stomach, and the longer we stay here only makes it worse."

They started to walk again when Donna spoke up again. "But Doctor, if you can see things and can keep it right, isn't there a way you can change anything?"

"I can't," he said with a soft voice as he came to a stop, turning to face her. "I can't change those events. It's not the order of things from how I see the universe. Every waking second I can see what is, what was…what could be, what must not. That's the burden of the Time Lord, Donna. I'm the only one left. Which means I have to carry that alone." He swallowed hard, briefly glancing at Rose before turning away to continue walking further into the volcano.

Donna remained standing where she was. "How many people died?"

"Stop it!" the Doctor snapped.

"Doctor!"

"Donna, _don't_ ," Rose warned through clenched teeth.

"How many people died?" she pressed, far too persistent.

The Doctor came to a stop and turned around to face her, eyes dark and jaw clenched tight. "Twenty thousand," he ground out.

A look of shock and disgust crossed Donna's face. "Is that what you can see, Doctor?" she asked. "All twenty thousand? And you think that's all right, do you?"

"Just stop!" Rose suddenly burst out, causing both of them to flinch. "Donna, you don't understand what could happen if you mess with fixed points. I made that mistake a long time ago, and you know what happened? I almost lost _everything_ —including the Doctor," she added, squeezing his hand. "You can't change it from happening. It's like-like a jumper with a loose thread; you pull that thread and the whole thing unravels and is _destroyed._ It's the same thing with the universe. It wouldn't be just those twenty thousand people up there, it would be billions and _billions._ It's…it's a harsh sacrifice, but it when the whole universe at stake…those measures are taken," she finished with a quiet voice.

All was quiet save for the inner workings of the volcano bubbling in the far distance. The Doctor, especially, was stricken by her words because everything she said was the truth. But it had to be done. He turned to Donna, who looked torn.

He let out a deep breath. "C'mon, we've gotta keep moving." Tugging Rose's hand he sent her a wave just as a bellowing screech echoed across the tunnels. "They know we're here! Come on."

Hotfooting it—which was an appropriate phrase given their location—they dashed through the tunnels, moving deeper into the bowels of the volcano, avoiding pockets of flames blazing up to their sides. They ended up in a mighty cavern where the heat intensified by probably a thousand degrees and a band of Pyrovilles walking about.

"It's the heart of Vesuvius," the Doctor said. "We're right inside the mountain."

"There's tons of 'em," Donna said, stunned.

Rose gently nudged him in the side and pointed up at something. "What's that thing there?"

Following her gaze he squinted when he saw something glinting amongst the rocky cavern. Something metal. Reaching into his jacket he pulled out a small collapsible telescope and peered through it.

 _"Ooh, how about that,"_ he thought to Rose. _"You've got better eyesight than me."_

 _"Maybe you really should get glasses actually made for **seeing** than just making you look clever,"_ she replied.

 _"Don't forget **dashing**."_

 _"That was implied."_

He pulled back to throw her a wink then returned to look through the telescope again. Adjusting it to focus onto the object he saw an open door revealing the interior of what looked to be a ship with circuitry.

"You two seriously look like on you can hold conversations just by lookin' at each other," Donna remarked.

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look. "Yeah…" he said, returning his attention to the telescope. "Bit of a habit of ours actually."

"You'd better hurry up and think of something, spaceman," Donna said urgently. "Rocky IV's on its way."

"What's the verdict?" Rose asked out loud.

"That's how they arrived," he concluded. "Or what's left of it. Escape pod? Prison ship? Gene bank?" He collapsed the telescope and pocketed it with a sniff.

"Something to do with the circuit plaques," Rose suggested.

He nodded. "Energy converter…" he drawled.

"But why do they need a volcano?" Donna asked. "Maybe…it erupts and they launch themselves back in space or something."

"No, it's worse that that," he said.

"How can it be _worse_?" Donna asked. The sound of a Pyrovile roaring answered that rhetorical question. "Doctor, it's getting closer."

"Heathens!" The trio snapped their eyes up at the booming sound of Lucius' voice, seeing the augur high up on a level in the cavern. "Defilers! They would desecrate your temple, my lord gods!"

Not giving much of a conscious though the Doctor grabbed both Rose and Donna by the hand. "Come on!" He tugged them, rather roughly, to run across the cavern…towards the magma monsters.

"We can't go in!" Donna cried.

"We can't go back!" he retorted,

"Crush them!" Lucius ordered. "Burn them!"

At his command one of the Pyroviles came to stand in front of them, causing them to skid to a stop. The Doctor quickly took out his water pistol and shot a stream at the creature. With a groan of pain it shied away. Glancing up at Lucius they continued to dash down the cavern.

"There is nowhere to run, Doctor," the augur mocked. "You, the Bad Wolf, and the Daughter of London will set your demise."

The Doctor disregarded the man's words as they continued to the pod. Reaching the front of it he spun around to face the man and the monsters. "Now then, Lucius," he called. "My lord Pyrovillian…don't get yourselves in a lava."

Rose gave him a pointed look, not as amused by his usual brand of drollery. "Seriously?"

"In a lava," he repeated, his smile faltering. He looked between both women. "No?"

Donna shook her head. "No."

Rose stared blankly. "No."

He nodded then looked back up at the augur. "If I might beg the wisdom of the gods before we perish…once this new race of creatures is complete…then what?"

A Pyrovile was walking towards them, crushing boulders in its path. "My masters will follow the example of Rome itself," Lucius replied. "An almighty empire, bestriding the whole of civilization."

"But why here?" Rose asked.

"You've got all this technology, why don't you just go home?" Donna added.

"The heaven of Pyrovillia is gone," Lucius told.

A crease formed on the Doctor's brows as he twirled his water pistol between his fingers. "What do you mean 'gone'? Where's it gone?"

"It was taken. Pyrovillia is lost. But there is heat enough in this world for our new species to rise."

Rose snorted. "Hate to break it to you, mate, but it's seventy percent water out there."

"Water can boil, and everything will burn!" Lucius spat.

And there it was. With a nod the Doctor pocketed his pistol once again. "Then the whole planet is at stake," he said. "Thank you, that's all I needed to know. Ladies!" Spinning around he pushed Rose and Donna hurriedly into the pod. He made a move to lock the doors with his sonic, but his wife was quicker than him.

"Got it," Rose reported, tucking her sonic back into her her pocket beneath her stola. He nodded before turning around to examine the circuits.

"Could we be any more trapped?" Donna asked.

"Never say 'trapped'," Rose said, looking around the cramped space. "Inconveniently circumstanced is the phrase."

A sudden burst of heat crept into the metallic sphere and they knew exactly what it was. "Now what?" Rose asked, watching her husband.

"See, the energy converted takes the lava, uses the power to create a fusion matrix which wields Pyrovile to human," the Doctor said, flipping a few switches that made the pod whir to life. "Now it's complete, they can convert millions."

"Well, can you change it…with these controls?" Donna asked.

"'Course I can, but don't you see? That's why the soothsayers can't see the volcano."

"'Cause there _is_ no volcano," Rose breathed out. "Then that means…Vesuvius wouldn't erupt."

"Exactly. The Pyrovile are stealing all its power. They're gonna use it to take over the world," he said, running a hand through his hair and tugging at his strands.

Rose studied him, the familiar glint in his eye arriving and it pained her. She had a feeling of what it meant and it was the expectant with fixed points, and the knot in her stomach was beginning to feel like a lead weight.

"But you can change it back," Donna said, sounding hopeful.

His breathing increased as he appeared frozen in place, staring at the machinery. "I can divert the system so the volcano will blow them up, and…" he trailed off with a soft voice but burst out with a loud frustrated growl followed by a curse in his native tongue, his flat open palm slamming down on the control panel as he glared at it with a scowl.

"Doctor, what's wrong?" Donna asked, concerned. "You _can_ change it, right?"

Rose immediately went over to him, but he closed himself off and turned away. "Of _course_ I can," he scoffed.

"Then what's the problem?"

"That's the choice, Donna," Rose said quietly. "It's Pompeii or the world."

The other woman's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, my God."

"And then it isn't just history, it's me," the Doctor ground out, his fists balled up as he seethed. "It's my call. I'm the one that has to make it happen." He bowed his head then whipped around and started punching the wall. "It's _always_ me that has to make it happen!"

"Doctor, this isn't _your_ fault," Rose told him quickly, coming over to him and placing her hand on his arm. "D'you hear me? This isn't your fault."

He guffawed mirthlessly and moved away, his hand running through his hair again as his words spat rapidly like acid. "Oh, no, of course not. None of this is my fault. Why shouldn't I feel guilty about this? I'm basically the executioner sending all of those people to _death_ against their will, but I should feel okay about that. But what difference does it make? Vesuvius explodes with the force of twenty-four nuclear bombs. Nothing can survive it, and certainly not us. So once again I lose _everything,_ and it's not _fair!_ Time and time again this stupid bloody _planet_ and the _whole_ _bloody universe_ needs saving, and so many lives are swept away and sacrificed, and to what? There's no honor in that, no reward in the end. It's always _my_ call, why? Why is it always _me_?"

He finished his furious diatribe with a hard palm slamming against the wall again, making the others flinch. Rose fought past the tears misting her eyes and reached her hands out and placed them gently on his arms. His tension eased up a little at her touch, but the cowl he wore was still grim.

"Because you're the Doctor," she told him softly, raising her hands to either side of his face. "And you do all you can to save the universe, because it's what you do. You save others, and make things right, no matter the cost."

His breath hitched as his eyes were fixed downward, the mask slipping as his vulnerability came through. "I can't…" His voice was barely a whisper. "We just came back to each other. I just got you back after…" he audibly swallowed hard, unable to finish his sentence as his eyes slid shut.

Rose brought him down to press his forehead against hers, sending him reassuring waves through their bond. His hands came up to wrap his fingers around her wrists gently as they stood in their stance, drowning out everything around them in the most natural of gestures between them. His uneasiness lingered, but it was fading with every second they stood like this. A memory of a similar situation played out in the back of their minds, the words being repeated through silent communication.

 _"I could save the world but lose you,"_ he breathed out. _" **Again.** I-I…I can't…"_

They stared intensely into each other's eyes for a long moment until she responded. _"I'll **always** be right by your side. I'm right here with you. Just do it."_

Donna watched the couple from the side, tears streaking down her face. She thought the night before when they became uncomfortable when she mentioned the duration of their marriage. They said they had been separated for some time, and it wasn't hard to imply that something tragic happened between them. And they were all put in a situation where they didn't know if they would make it out alive. Her heart was tearing as she saw them standing together in silence.

Finally with a shuddering breath the Doctor lifted his forehead off of Rose's and placed a kiss to the spot where he was rested. Still cradling her wrists he lowered them and nodded, then moved back to the control panel and ran the sonic over the controls.

"This is it," he said thickly, standing with both women on either of his side. "Push this lever and it's all over." He shakily placed his hands on the control, turning to the woman on his right. "I'm so sorry, Donna. It wasn't supposed to be this way."

Donna looked up at him, staring into his ancient eyes. She thought about what both of them were saying about these fixed points in time. All of those people in Pompeii were about to be swallowed by smoke and rocks and flames. But…then she thought about the whole universe, and all of those other people that could fall because of what happens now. They were sacrificing themselves to save billions. And she was fine with that. Biting back on a sob, she tried to keep her voice even as she placed her hands on the lever, one of them resting over one of his.

"Never mind us," she said.

The Doctor looked at the woman with complete surprise and swallowed hard. Then he felt his wife place one of her hands over his opposite one. Turning to her he saw the empathy on her face and warmness through their bond. Closing his eyes for a moment he lightly brushed his thumb over hers. This wasn't how he pictured the fall of Pompeii, but there was no other way. Remaining silent he let out another deep breath as he stared down at the lever. Twenty thousand people were about to burn, and right now, he wasn't doing it alone.

With another decisive nod, the three of them pressed down together…and were immediately thrown back hard into the back of the pod as it lurched violently, making them tumble around like clothes in a washing machine and collide into each other and the walls with stretched groans. Trying to grab a hold of each other was unavailing, but what was the most stupefying to them was when they elevated and hovered at the top of the ceiling, but the usual moment of anti-gravity was short-lived as they were tossed to the ground, ending up in a tangled pile. As their heads were spinning from the upheaval they each were a bit slow to move, letting out groans as they tried to stretch their limbs. But once the fog clouding around their heads cleared, only one thing was acknowledged greatly, they were alive.

Knowing that important bit of information the Doctor leapt to his feet and grabbed the sonic, opening the door and taking in his surroundings as he stepped out.

"It was an escape pod," he said breathlessly, which soon turned into a small round of laughter as he scooped Rose in his arms and spun her around joyously. "Brilliant!" Setting her down he kissed her sweetly before patting a hand on the side of the sphere. "Oh, you beautiful pod! It was an escape pod the whole time, like I originally guessed. And, uh, Donna…sorry about that…scene back there," he said once the other woman came out of the sphere, his ears turning a shade of pink. "Was a little dramatic."

"We'll celebrate the thrill of bein' alive once we get the hell outta here," Rose pressed as she pointed up in the distance to see the volcano spitting out flames and lava as a darkened cloud of ash turned day into night, blotting out the sun and making its way towards them.

"Right, come on!"

Grabbing each of their hands the trio wasted no time in hurrying to their true escape, and that was the TARDIS back at Caecilius' villa. Once they made it into the marketplace they were right in the middle of the pandemonium passing by people panicking and screaming as they tried to find their way to safety. It didn't take long until the ashes fell over the town like snow, black blankets of soot beginning to dust along the streets. As they continued dashing through the chaos everything finally hit Donna as she fully took in the scene around her.

"Don't go to the beach!" she cried out to anyone who would listen. "Don't go to the beach, go to the hills! Listen to me! Don't go to the beach, it's not safe! Listen to me!" Her tears streamed again when no one would acknowledge her. Scanning the mobs of people running to find safety, she saw a little boy who looked to be about five years old was alone and crying. Her heart broke more as she ran up to him. "Come here," she said, reaching her hands out for him.

"Give him to me!" a woman yelled as she snatched the boy away before Donna could even lead the boy away from his impending doom. She stood and watched with great devastation as the innocent lives pouring through the streets, headed straight for their death.

"Come on," the voice of the Doctor came over the uproar as he tugged Rose over with him and grabbed Donna's hand, pushing them in front of him as they continued to make their way to the villa.

The clouds of ashes were thickening, causing both Rose and Donna to cough, whereas the Doctor was too preoccupied in trying to make their escape. The villa was in their sights, and the trio burst inside to see the damage done from the quaking. Luckily the TARDIS was robust.

"Gods save us, Doctor!"

He skidded to a stop for at the sound of the desperate pleading cries of Caecilius. Turning around he saw the man and his family huddled together on the ground, trembling with fear. His chest felt heavy as he stared at them for a moment, but it lifted barely a fraction as he continued over to the TARDIS.

"You can't!" Donna cried. "Doctor, you can't!"

Rose stood and watched as her husband slipped inside the TARDIS, almost hopelessly as he went into the bright white light. Biting her lip she looked between the TARDIS, her friend, and the terrified family in the corner. For the first time today she felt the knot twisting in her stomach ease up a little the longer she stared at the family. Maybe…just maybe there would be some survivors to come out of this disaster.

 _"Doctor,"_ she called through their bond, as the madness around them was drowning out all sounds.

 _"We can't stay here much longer,"_ he replied. _"We're leaving_. _**Now**."_

Running up to the TARDIS she saw him standing as still as a statue by the console, his hand gripping the lever. She brought her thumb to her mouth and bit her nail.

"What're you doing?" the Doctor said urgently. "Come on!"

"You can't just leave them!" Donna yelled from the doorway.

"Don't you think I've done enough?" he snapped at her, his face once again a benumbed mask. "History's back in place and everyone _dies_."

"But it's like you said, Doctor, this isn't fair!" Donna pleaded. "Your own _planet_ , it burned."

"That's just it, don't you see, Donna?" he ground out. "Can't you understand? If I could go back and save them then I would, but I can't." His eyes looked to be misting a bit, but he covered it up. "I can _never_ go back! I _can't!_ I just…can't," he finished softer. He shook himself off and made his way down the ramp to them. "We've gotta leave now, let's go." He reached for Rose's hand, but she slipped out of his grasp. He gave her a disbelieving look, and it pained her. His voice was quiet. "Rose…"

She blinked back the tears brimming her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with saving someone," she told him, her voice barely audible over the mayhem.

He looked betrayed for a moment, then it was replaced by sadness. "I can't."

"Doctor, it's like the _Titanic._ What did you tell me when you said that was a fixed point? When you saved that family? Not every person is a part of this. You may not be able to save everyone but…" she trailed off and looked out the open TARDIS doors at the helpless family. _"Sometimes a **family** could be saved,"_ she told him through their bond.

"Please," Donna added desperately as her tears continued to fall. "Not the whole town, just…save _someone_."

Noticeably swallowing hard the Doctor looked between both women, then over to the family huddled on the ground as the ashes danced around them. And it was then he strode forward, his figure silhouetted on the ground from the white light of the TARDIS as he went up to the family.

He held his hand out to Caecilius. "Come with me," he said.

With a look of sheer veneration as if he were a savior, the man grasped his hand.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Great thick clouds of ash and smoke rolled over the town of Pompeii, the morning sky that was meant to be shining bright now encompassing darkness had blotted out all but the faintest flickering of the flames climbing up. High above up on the hills stood Caecilius along with his family, watching their birthplace burn before them. The Doctor stood behind them with an arm around Rose's waist, watching the same scene with an impassive expression. But she knew what was churning beneath the exterior. It was never hard to miss since she could easily read him. Not only was he keeping himself shut out through their bond, but his posture was still a bit rigid. She understood why.

This was far too much for him to deal with mainly because it was a scene mirroring that of the fall of his own home on a much smaller scale, but relative all the same. It triggered those unpleasant images and sounds that he buried deep down. Looking up at him Rose wrapped an arm around his back and rested her head on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. His eyes turned away from the necropolis that the city has become to look down at her, revealing everything he wasn't telling her, whether it was conscious or not. She gently raised her arm to rub his back, and he let out a deep breath, relaxing at her touch.

"It's never forgotten, Caecilius," he said softly, turning to look at the man. "Oh, time will pass, men will move on, and stories will fade, but one day…Pompeii will be found again…in thousands of years…and everyone will remember you."

"What about you, Evelina?" Donna asked, coming up to the girl. "Can you see anything?"

"The visions have gone," she said with a head shake.

"The explosion was so powerful, it cracked open a rift in time," the Doctor said. "Just for a second. That's what gave you the gift of prophecy. It echoed back into the Pyrovillian alternative. But not anymore. You're free."

"But tell me…who are you, Doctor?" Metella asked, sounding bewildered. "With your words…and your temple containing such size within?"

"Oh, I was never here. Don't tell anyone."

"The great god Vulcan must be enraged," Caecilius said, his eyes still fixed over their city. "It's so volcanic. It's like some sort of…volcano. All those people…" He trailed off with a broken voice breaking as his wife and children came closer to him, holding each other in an embrace for support through their tough time.

Rose looked up at the Doctor. And that's what they had to do now. Nodding in unison she reached over and lightly tapped Donna's arm as the three of them quietly slipped back into the TARDIS. Walking around the console he pulled the brake and sent them back into the vortex.

"You think they'll be okay?" she asked softly, coming to stand beside him.

"They've got each other and they're alive," he replied, flipping random controls. "Now their future's in their own hands to do what they what."

"Thank you," Donna said quietly.

He took a deep breath. "Yeah. You were right…" he offered her a faint smile. "Welcome aboard."

She smiled back at him, looking hesitant before saying softly, "Doctor…about your planet…what happened? Was it a volcano, too, or…?" She trailed off when he bowed his head, immediately regretting that she brought up the topic in the first place. "I'm sorry, I—"

"No, it's fine," the Doctor said quickly. "Fine." He made an awkward coughing sound before raising his head, his mood flipping. "So! S'pose that was enough excitement for the first adventure, eh? Took a little out of the Old Girl, I can hear Her grumbling about something in the garden. Must be the madevinia aridosa, they never last long - limited lifespans and all that. I should…probably go check on them." Gesturing at the corridor he nodded at both women before burying his hands in his pockets and heading in its direction.

Rose pressed her lips together and tried to nudge his mind. Blockage. He wasn't coming back, and she could take a wild guess and say he wasn't going to the garden.

"I didn't mean to…" Donna said with remorse.

"'S not your fault," Rose told her, placing a hand on the other woman's shoulder. "You didn't know."

Donna sighed and brushed back her hair. "This wasn't what I was expecting for a first adventure."

"It's not always like that, though," Rose said quickly. "Really, it's not. We do visit some of the most amazing places, and…sometimes we come across events like that, but it's not much of an occurrence."

"Well…I think I'm starting to get these 'fixed points' things…maybe."

Rose studied the woman with empathy. Lightly tapping her arm, she nodded off to the side. "C'mon. Let's have some tea. I can help you understand better."

"You said you made that mistake once. Are you gonna tell me that story?"

She nodded. "Coming from experience, I know you'll need to hear it."


	9. Post Tenebras Lux

**A/N: _"How am I gonna be an optimist about this?"_ Sorry. That's the last reference to 'Pompeii', I swear. ****Much love to all of you awesome viewers who keep me sane in this madness!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 8:**_ _ **Post Tenebras Lux**_

In the galley Rose stood by the stove and prepared some tea for Donna and herself. She was prompted to make a cuppa for the Doctor, but he seemed to be isolating himself for the moment, deliberately she should add as she was unable to detect his exact location. Even the TARDIS wasn't helping her. She would seek him out as soon as she explained the crucial details of fixed points. Still, she took his mug out and left it on the counter anyway.

"I'm hoping this story has a happy ending," Donna said as she sat at the table. "I don't think I could deal with any more dramatic and depressing endings."

"About that, Donna," Rose said, bringing their mugs over to pour the boiling water. "Just remember that you saved someone today. A _family._ They're alive because of you."

The other woman nodded. "It's just…all of those people…"

Rose closed her eyes, recalling the pleading and horrified cries of the children and adults dashing across the streets of their home as the ash rained down on them. "But so many others _lived_ ," she stressed softly. "Always keep that in mind." She sat across from Donna, handing over her mug.

"Deciding who lives and dies," the ginger breathed out, shaking her head. "How could you both handle it?"

"It's not always a pleasure," Rose said, sipping her tea. "It's…not really something we normally do. In fact we try to avoid situations like that because lots of times they come at a price. But…trouble's the bits in between when it comes to us, and sometimes…things happen."

Donna nodded, wrapping her hands around her mug and staring into it for a moment before drinking. "Blimey, this is really good. You know for aliens you really know how to make your tea."

Rose smiled faintly. "I'm still mostly human."

"Yeah, gotta keep remembering that. It's very British for your husband, though."

They both chuckled. "Guess so."

Setting her mug down, Donna bit her lip. "So…you wanted to tell me a story?"

"Yeah, yeah, I did."

Rose took a deep breath, her fingers brushing over the ceramic of her cuppa. It's been a while since she told the story she was about to tell to anyone. When she tried telling it to her mother her response was complete disbelief, and while it only seemed puzzling to her, she accepted it. And the Doctor was there, having explained the vitality that came with those sensitive events, and since then made her understand more about the universe.

"It happened a long time ago," she began. "Back when I first met the Doctor. Back when he was a different man."

"Wait," Donna interjected. "What d'you mean he was a 'different man'? Did he redeem himself in a sanctuary, or something?"

Rose choked on her tea, sputtering out a laugh. "No, not in _that_ way. In…another way. That's another long story."

The other woman snorted. "They're _all_ long stories."

"Trust me, that's for another day."

"Just chock full of surprises, then?"

Rose smiled briefly. "You bet. Anyway…it wasn't too long after I started travelling with him, and I asked him to take me to a specific point in time to see a certain someone. But the problem was it was too risky. I wanted…I wanted to see my father," she said softly. "He passed away when I was just a baby…it was a hit-and-run, and he was left on the street and died before the ambulance came." She paused for a moment. "I never knew him. The only stories I heard and pictures I saw of him came from my mum, but I wanted to see him in person just before his…accident."

"I'm so sorry," Donna said quietly. "What'd the Doctor say?"

"Well, I was hesitant to ask him to go at first 'cause I was nervous to see his reaction. I didn't really know too much about him then, but even then I loved and trusted him. He told me he was able to do it, but was concerned about me, saying that…it would be too much for me to handle. So he took me to see their wedding day…and my dad got my mum's names wrong," she added with a watery chuckle, making the other woman smile. Her voice became quieter. "But then…then I asked to see him on the day he died. I just…at the time I just wanted to be there for him so he wouldn't die _alone._ When we got there, I didn't know what to do. I stood there and watched the car coming when he stepped onto the street…and the Doctor was right. I _couldn't_ handle it. But I wanted to try again. He warned me that it could create a paradox, but he let me have a second chance."

"Paradox?" Donna asked, her brows creasing. "You mean you could've run into yourself."

Rose nodded. "Exactly," she said, tapping her fingers on her mug as the memories of that day came back to her. "But…I wound up doing it anyway. I acted on impulse and ran by mine and the Doctor's past selves, and if _that_ wasn't already a problem, I knocked my dad out of the way before the car could hit him." She paused again, inhaling a shaky breath.

"And…that changed everything," Donna said.

She nodded again. "Because he was supposed to be dead, that's what was meant to happen. And I interfered. I changed it from happening. And then…came the consequences. As you can imagine the Doctor was furious—kinda like how he was today, only…worse. We ended up arguing and going our separate ways for the time being. But that's when these creatures—reapers, he called them—started appearing, and attacking people…including the Doctor."

She closed her eyes for a moment as the scenes played out in her mind, seeing those people be devoured by those monsters, but the worst of them all was when the man that her husband used to be ended up being one of them.

"The thing is…" she continued. "Because I changed a fixed point and created a paradox, more and more people ended up dying because of my actions. It was all _my_ fault. But…my dad didn't think so. For the whole time we were getting to know each other, even though he didn't believe I was his daughter at first. But then he told me he was proud to know how I turned out to be when I grew up, and was happy to spend his last hours with me. The only way to set things right was for him to die. So…he did. He sacrificed himself and ran out in front of the car as it kept reappearing until time returned to normal. Then everyone came back. The Doctor came back." She inhaled another deep breath. "And I was there when my father died."

Rose stopped for a moment feeling her eyes mist when she was ending her story, seeing a similar reaction, if not worse, on Donna's face as she was immersed in her tale. "He didn't get to be alone," she said quietly. "You fixed everything."

"Actually…I _did_ change history a little," Rose said with a head tilt. "Nothing too major, but just a tad. Thing was, my mum told me when I was younger that my dad ran out in front of the car for no reason whatsoever. And that…there was a young girl who stayed with him when he died."

Donna's eyes widened. "She saw _you_."

Rose nodded. "Before she told me that no one was by his side when he died, but I changed that."

The other woman shook her head. "How's that possible? I mean…how can you remember both incidents?"

"'Cause I was in the middle of it all," Rose explained. "I was able to remember it all. But…Donna, the point in all of this is that fixed points are meant to stay as they are. Because that's always the choice, just like today—it was Pompeii or the universe." She reached out to place a hand on her arm. "It was the right choice, Donna. I know it hurts, but it had to be done."

Donna let out a deep breath and took another sip from her mug. Judging from her expression, Rose could tell her mind was racing from everything she had told her. Not surprising at all. They had talked for a little while, more about other examples of fixed points that weren't to be messed with that Rose was aware of, and other consequences that could result from them. Through the whole conversation Donna was entranced by the other woman's words and brief explanations. They were somewhat puzzling, but comprehensible.

"You okay?" Rose asked, placing a hand on her arm.

"Yeah," the other woman answered. "Just trying to wrap my head around it. But…I understand now."

"Good," Rose said, then smiled. "I thought about comparing it to _Back to the Future_ to make it sound clearer in case it seemed too…complicated."

Donna laughed. "Oh, now it all makes sense now. Thanks for telling me. I've got loads of questions, and I'm sure I won't get all the answers to them all."

"Take my advice…just relax and try and get some sleep. Maybe read a book or watch a film, something like that. You'll need it. And if you ever wanna talk about something else, I'm always here. Both me and the Doctor."

"I'll hold you onto that, thanks." Standing up she stretched her arms. "I think…I'll take your advice now. Right after I take a shower. I don't know about you, but this toga would be much better without ashes."

"And always, no matter what, remember that you saved the world, Donna. You _saved_ it."

Donna nodded. "Thanks. Night, Rose."

Rose smiled and took their empty mugs and moved over to the place them in the sink. "Night, Donna."

Feeling like a weight was lifted off her chest Rose pressed her lips together. At least she made her feel a little better after being forced into such a sensitive and dramatic situation. Hopefully they stayed away from those for a while. Now there was one other person who was in need of comfort, and she wasn't hesitant to do so. Trying to tap into her husband's mind to see where he was she gently nudged him with warmness. She was met with another block, though not as impregnable as it had been earlier, which was a bit of a relief, was still keeping her out. That was never something she liked to feel. Placing a hand to the wall, she looked up at the ceiling.

"Where is he, Old Girl?" she asked. "Can you show me this time?"

Slight hesitation, but then She complied, showing a reel of him pacing around in their bedroom, a hand running through his hair. Not to her surprise he was antsy, that was how he was. Especially when he was bitter. Saying her thanks to the TARDIS, she headed down the corridor until she finally came upon their room. The door was opened just a crack, the barest glimmer of light bleeding through. Him and his darkness was never a good combination. Upon entering she saw nothing, but there was a small crack in the entrance of the en suite, dimly lit.

She opened it slowly to find the Doctor standing by the sink with his hands gripping the sink and his head bowed, eyes closed. He must've been preparing to take a cold shower considering that was something he did when he was distressed once in a while since he discarded his suit jacket and undershirts, leaving him bare. Studying him she saw the same old habits of his leaking out at full force as he closed himself off. She hated seeing him this way. It's been a while since he would brood at this level, but then again they haven't been in anything causing such deplorable distress in some time. They needed to talk about what happened, but she didn't want the conversation to be one-sided.

"Doctor," she began softly, walking up to him and resting a hand on his back. A shiver passed through him as she began to rub the tense spot, letting his muscles relax a bit more. "I know you're dwelling on this, and I know it's hurting you, but please don't shut me out. You did the right thing. So many others _lived_." He was still silent and she shook her head. "You know you can let me in anytime. I'm always here."

Rose wrapped her arms around him from behind, placing a soft kiss at the base of his neck and resting her head between his shoulder blades. His body loosened seconds later when he let out a deep exhale, straightening his posture a bit as his fingertips traced over her arms. Nuzzling his skin she traced circles over his abdomen before shifting to peek over his shoulder, peering at his reflection in the mirror as he lifted his head. Even in the dim light the familiar downcast look crossing his vision was noticeable, revealing the flames and contrition she saw far too many times before.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, relaxing himself. He remained still for another moment before turning around to wrap his arms around her tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She gently rocked him back and forth as she held him, rubbing the taut muscles in his back as he clung onto the material of her stola, almost as if she were about to slip through his fingers like sand. Times like these pained her, but she would do anything to reassure him that he was never alone and that she was here to stay, no matter what actions he performs when saving the universe, no matter how dark.

The moment seemed to be lasting for a while as neither one of them spoke a word, nothing but the sound of soft hums from the TARDIS and the steady breathing coming from both of them heard around the room. She felt him slacken, his grip on her dress easing up as he gingerly pressed closed mouth kisses to her neck, his hands mapping out her back over the fabric. She knew exactly where this would be headed. Not that she was complaining because he was accustomed to speaking his mind without words or telepathic transfers, but times like these called for verbal communication, especially before he closed himself off again.

"Doctor," she breathed out, trying to get his attention, but once he laved over her pulse point at her soft spot, she let her intentions slip away and hummed.

His hands moved down working to undo the belt of her stola around her waist as he ascended up to the corner of her jaw, leaving behind a trail of soft kisses. Just as she was about to open her mouth again to try to speak his own came crashing down on hers, silencing whatever words were about to come out. Kissing her fiercely, as if desperate to drink all of her in as a result of parchment, he tossed away the belt and slid his cool fingers beneath the silk, his hands running up her ribcage and fanning out behind her back, the bottom half of her outfit now a wide opening.

 _"I need you…"_ he breathed out into her mind.

Moaning in his mouth Rose intuitively raked her nails through his scalp, earning a growl from him as he brought his fingers to her front, intemperately working on her upper belt. He stopped for a moment and guided her backwards into their bedchamber, closing the door behind him then spinning around, one of his arms raising to balance himself and to press her up against it. His hips ground against hers, causing both of them to groan in unison. Nearly tearing at the belt across her chest he threw it somewhere behind him with negligence and skated his hands along the open expansion laid out before him.

Breaking for air was necessary, and he allowed it but only briefly as he claimed her lips in a bruising manner again, deepening it without question. His hands lowered to wrap around her waist before sliding down her thighs to hoist her up in his arms and carried her over to their bed.

Originally Rose had wanted to talk to him, but apparently he had other plans. Either way, it was remedial for the both of them. Especially for him.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Only a few hours had passed until the Doctor's eyes snapped open, darting around the darkness surrounding him in their bedchamber, biting back on a strangled cry both internally and externally by inhaling a sharp breath so not to wake up his wife. Turning his head slightly he was relieved to see her still sound asleep, almost a slight glow emitting from the halo of her golden locks as her head was pillowed on his chest. Although he _was_ a bit surprised that the hammering rhythm of his hearts wasn't startling her. Not that he _wanted_ to disturb her from her peaceful state, because she deserved her rest. At least _one_ of them was able to sleep well at the moment.

Slowly raising the hand he kept secured on her shoulder he lightly brushed back her silken hair, enjoying the warm sensations transferred into his mind as he did so. A small smile spread across her lips and he couldn't help but do the same. For a moment he forgot why he jolted out of his sleep, felt himself returning to normal before the ghosts and skeletons of his past came out of their chamber to nag at him, the painful reminder of what he had done so long ago and leave him wallowing in his contrition. That's what Rose was always good at—chasing away his demons and making him burn bright in the darkness that constantly consumed him.

Why else would he always stress in saying she was his saving grace? Her palliative essence was always enough to bring him back to reality whenever his dreams only hindered his encumbrance more, always helped him through the inner tribulations locked away. And, for a while, it had worked again tonight, just like always. Just as it had during their recovery period after living through Hell. She was always the one to alleviate his pain. He felt at ease now, his hearts calming down from their rapid pattern as his breathing returned to normal. Small beads of sweat trickled down his forehead in a path, so he stopped his ministrations to his wife's hair to wipe them away with his forearm.

A soft sound escaped from Rose and he smiled faintly, resuming his gentle caresses to her hair. He's always thought that watching her in such a deep slumber was one of the most serene and beautiful sights he's ever seen in his long life. But, much to his dismay, he was still restless despite being within his wife's comforting arms. Then again that was a certainty when it came to him. Always has been after living for so long.

Inwardly sighing the Doctor carefully, so not to wake up Rose, untangled himself from her. She made another noise and he froze, waiting for her to settle back down, and she did a moment later. Tenderly nudging her mind with the barest touch he sent her a wave of warmth, causing her smile to appear once again before she nuzzled into the covers. He brought his hand back to brush a few stray locks that had fallen over her face then lowered down to place a light kiss to her forehead before slowly sitting upright.

His eyes fell over to their disarrayed pile of clothes beside their bed, especially at Rose's stola which was nearly torn asunder. He shook his head. Such an elegant piece of clothing having to be sullied all as a result of his own desperate needs. That's what it was; utter desolation. All he wanted to do was drown himself in his wife's essence, to let her waves crash around him as the world fell away and let them remain in their own where nothing could break their stride. Anything to get his mind out of the chasm it was descending into.

The Doctor stood to his feet and, rather than collect his rumpled clothes to dress himself, headed over to the en suite. Though he was aware that reality had sunken in and that the images tainting his mind were only dreams—or _nightmares,_ in his case—the realism only made him feel like he was still engulfed by walls of fire, encasing him in such an intense heat. A nice shower seemed appropriate right now, and not one by use of his sonic, but an _actual_ cold one. He had meant to take one earlier, but his desperation to bathe himself in his wife's essence was of higher priority.

Shutting the door behind him quietly he stepped into the bathtub and turned on the shower, pulling the curtains around as he let frigid spray wash over him. For him it wasn't too much of a burden, given that he had a cooler body temperature than humans, such extreme changes in degrees were never an issue for his physiology to adjust to. Leaning forward he placed his open palms against the tile and bowed his head beneath the cold water, letting every drop stream down his skin. The lingering heat that had enveloped him soon dispersed, but it didn't drown out the echoes in his ears, the demons chattering away in their corners, and the burning visions in his mind.

Not just of Pompeii, but of the War. Of Gallifrey burning before him. _Because_ of him.

As if his hands weren't already stained with the blood of his own people, now he added another coating with the helping of twenty thousand residents of that city. But this time it wasn't only by his own doing—both his wife and friend were involved. Bad enough Rose had to deal with yet another distressing event, as if she needed to be around another fixed point, but the worst end of it was that it was Donna's first trip. And she joined them in sentencing so many lives to death. What a memorable adventure for her to deal with. He warned her in their first meeting that Christmas Day after the incident with the Racnoss a couple years ago. Her reasons for declining his offer to come with them were tenable then and always would be.

The Doctor kept his eyes closed as he ran a hand through his drenched and flattened mop, resting it on the back of his neck as the water pounded against his head. That poor woman. Her first adventure had to be a burning city, and a fixed point to boot. And not only that but they had to run into an augur and sibyls. Along with the haunting echoes ringing in his ears came the repetitive words told to them from the so-called prophecies.

 _She will come back._ Who was? Narrowing it down to a woman wasn't really much help for him as his mind flipped through various possibilities, but he came up with nothing. Not only was a woman coming back—allegedly—but others were returning. That sounded promising for sure, as equivocal as it sounded. Not that he believed any of that rubbish. But even if all of that happened to be true who was? And as the subject was plural then no good would come from it if another invasion would be the result. As if he hasn't dealt with _that_ standard matter before.

Then there were the words said to Donna, predictions that a woman was coming for her as well. More specifically a woman in _black._ A typical foreshadowing, but that couldn't mean anything. Could it? The ambiguity of the whole prognostication still puzzled him the more he thought about each of the tellings. Along with that knowledge she was told that she would also run into a man who may not be a figment of her imagination, whatever the hell that meant. Dreaming. That's all it was. Unless…maybe it could be someone in her _future._ He wasn't sure.

And then came what the augur foretold about Rose, things that sent shivers through both of their bodies every time it was mentioned. Bad Wolf. Those two words always meant something bad would happen. Of course when last that entity had made her arrival it had brought back his wife from…death. That wasn't something he wanted to harp on about.Bad enough he went on a dramatic tirade in front of both women, especially recapturing unwanted experiences with his wife. He's suffered through months and months of those tortuous images, and he wasn't in the mood to be plagued by them _again._ Not when he and his wife had finally recovered from that Hell.

The augur also said she will be at the door. What did that mean? ' _The wolf will be at the door.'_ An idiom. Its meaning, though, didn't connect any dots. He brushed that aside. Though the reference to Rose being 'the Oracle' was intriguing. That and something about…songs? Okay then. More dubious assumptions.

But what really baffled him was the whole 'something on your back' deal. He had no clue what the meaning of that meant, if it even did at all. He kept chucking away any and all worries. It was all just delusions. Just idiosyncratic beliefs thrown out as a means of scaring them. Although…he must admit it was a _bit_ of a coincidence how those soothsayers were able to know some things. Like mentioning their backgrounds, for one thing. That was _impossible._ Fascinating, yes, but…that wasn't meant to happen. Especially in _Pompeii._

Fixed points were never anything he enjoyed being involved in, but he couldn't change the outcome. They had to be that way no matter what. Not every life could be saved. But as he once said—and his wife was quick to remind him of it—that not every person was involved in the point. Some other words of hers came back to his ears, and for a moment, the echoes silenced. Her voice taking over: _'the amount of lives you've saved outweighs the ones who unfortunately couldn't make it.'_

That was true. She always stressed that, and he never tried to forget that. As depressing and distressing as it was to be responsible for twenty thousand deaths…he knew it was a fair trade for the whole universe. If it was up to him he wouldn't let any innocent lives be taken away like that, but he couldn't control that. He may have been the only Time Lord left in existence but he didn't have the right to break the rules those set straight so long ago. If he did the consequences would be catastrophic and the whole universe would collapse at the drop of a hat. But he knew deep down that he would never do such a thing. Not while he had Rose around.

That's one of the many reasons why he loved her dearly; she always kept his head on straight, made him think rationally, stopped him from becoming the monster he kept locked away. That was all the reassurance he could ever want. As long as his wife was by his side then his sanity would always be intact and held in place. And for that he was eternally grateful to be blessed by having her in his life. And he was also glad to have Donna around. Having another person onboard was what he and Rose needed right now.

Feeling his body becoming a bit numb from the coldness pricking at his skin and his muscles relaxing the Doctor turned the knob and shut the shower off, shaking himself from his mental wandering. Scrubbing a hand down his face he inhaled a deep breath while pulling the shower curtain back. He reached over to fetch a towel and dried himself off then stepped out, already feeling more refreshed than when he woke up, much to his relief.

Yet despite that he still felt antsy. Nothing unaccustomed. He admitted that he was much better than earlier, but sleep wasn't something he could do right now.

Exiting the en suite, still quietly so not to wake up Rose, the Doctor darted his eyes around their room in search for his pajamas. Luckily he was able to obtain the striped set he borrowed from Jackie a couple years ago. Though the lighting in their room was barely dimmed and borderline blackness, he was able to move around with ease. He kept the sleepwear in a separate compartment by the wardrobe, as well as some pants. Slipping them and his trousers on he stopped when he heard Rose make another sound, this time through their bond.

Turning around he saw her shifting around in bed, switching her position to her other side, facing his direction. It wasn't a nightmare, thankfully. He would've known right away. With his shirt in his hand he strode over to stand beside her, his unoccupied hand gravitating towards her face as he brushed the backs of two knuckles down her cheek with a feather-light touch. That smile appeared on her face again as he felt her send him a small wave, settling down. Even in her state of slumber she would do so.

After a moment the Doctor shrugged on his shirt and made his way over to their bedroom door. Though he was feeling more at ease he still didn't trust himself when he fell back to sleep. But he would return soon enough to his wife. First he wanted to get some tea and maybe tinker around a bit. He wasn't lying about the madevinia aridosa. They did only live for a short amount of time, and he hasn't checked on them in a little while. He may have used that as an excuse to leave the girls earlier, but maybe he could do that now. Sleep certainly wasn't the plan. Or maybe have some tea. Yeah, he'll do that.

Taking one last look at Rose sleeping soundly in their bed, the Doctor closed the door mutely and headed down the corridor. He had made it to the galley and went straight for the stove to make some tea. He reached into a cupboard to retrieve his mug, but frowned when it wasn't in its usual spot. Before he could ask the TARDIS if She had moved it to another location by mistake, he looked down and found it sitting on the counter off to the side.

The Old Girl hummed in his mind, telling him that She hadn't placed it there. He nodded, already figuring it out. His wife must have left it out for him just in case he woke up. She knew him so well.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Sleep was pretty much impossible, so Donna took up on Rose's advice. Well, one part of it, actually. She decided to watch _Back to the Future_. She may have seen it a few times when she was younger, but as she finished watching it in the media room, she had a whole new outlook on the film as well as the dangers of time travel and fixed points.

Her conversation with Rose never left her memory as she recalled the other woman's experiences from what she had told her. So many questions were buzzing around in her head about everything. From what she gathered from Rose's story about accidentally changing the event of her father's death was important for sure, but she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy still. She can still see all of those people burning and dying and she couldn't do anything to help them. That poor little boy crying and standing all alone who was then buried beneath the rubble from the volcano…

That image just wouldn't go away. But she had no reason to complain much since the Doctor had to have all twenty thousand people of Pompeii plus his entire planet in his mind. How could he stand it? He's been around the world for such a long time, he was ancient. Perhaps his extended lifetime allowed him to heal those scars? No. After the fury he displayed earlier, it wasn't hard to miss how easily those unpleasant images could rise from the surface and make him bitter. That grim, darkened mask he wore so effortlessly as much as his usual bright, cheery one could make an appearance at the snap of his fingers.

Then she recalled the dramatic scene back in the escape pod, just before the three of them pushed down on the lever and sent those people to their death. His fit of anger and desperation in that tirade he burst out with made her shiver by seeing his darkness bleed through. But the moment Rose came into the picture he calmed down. His fury diminished and was replaced by sadness. Both looks were replays of those she witnessed a couple years ago when she first met the both of them. It was actually one of the reasons why she turned down his offer to come with them.

But she was foolish to do that. And just seeing them as they were now was enough to make her happy. Especially knowing they were married now. Rose was the only one made for him. She was the one who's seen him at his best and worst the most, and she always made him better each time. It was all that must've kept him going. That and the adventures, of course. Having a life so exciting could never get boring.

Seeings as she wasn't going to be able to sleep just yet Donna raised herself off of the couch and made her way to her bedroom. She might not be able to get some shut eye, but it didn't hurt to try. As she kept going she passed the galley and heard someone shuffling around. She walked backwards and peeked through the opening to find the Doctor standing by the stove…in pajamas.

He turned around and froze in place when he saw her, looking surprised. "Oh, Donna," he said, holding a mug in his hands. "You're not lost, are you?"

"No, couldn't sleep," she answered, still staring at his outfit.

"Yeah, I figured," he responded. "Ehm…did you need something?"

Donna's eyes met his again to see him frowning. "You're wearing pajamas," she said.

The Doctor raised his brows. "Yeah. I have pajamas," he told her slowly.

"It's just…I'm so used to seeing you in your pinstripes," she said, entering the room and seeing the pattern on his sleepwear. "Oh! You even wear pinstripes to bed! I knew it. Not much of a change, then."

He chuckled through his nose. "I don't sleep in suits, Donna. And I usually don't sleep in these. I'm either…err…" he trailed off and cleared his throat, his free hand coming up to tug on his earlobe.

It clicked when she understood what he meant, and didn't even want to picture it. "I don't need the details, it's okay," she said, holding a hand up. "That's only for your wife to know. And how would I know? You're alien, for all I know you could sleep on your head, or something."

The Doctor blinked once. "I don't do that."

"Rose asleep?"

"Yes. Like I said before, she's no stranger to retreating to her cocoon," he said as a light joke before sounding concerned. "What's wrong? Having trouble sleeping, you said?"

"A little bit, yeah," Donna said with a sigh. "Just keep seeing…things. The boy, the burning…"

He studied her, then nodded to the table. "Come on. I'll fix you a cuppa."

"No, that's fine," she told him as she went over to sit in one of the seats. "I had some already…when I was talking to Rose, and she told me a story."

"What story?" the Doctor asked curiously, taking the seat across from her and taking a sip from his mug.

"The one about her dad," Donna replied, folding her hands together on the table. "About how she…changed a fixed point." He inhaled a deep breath as she continued. "I mean, I understand why she said it was all a mistake, and how there was always a choice. And what happened because she saved him."

A sympathized look crossed his features as he set his mug down. "There's always a choice, Donna," he said softly, leaning forward on his forearms. "What we did today…it was what had to be done."

"Yeah, I know," she said, placing a hand on her forehead. "I know now that it was what we had to do 'cause…it was Pompeii or the world, it's just that…" she broke off with a head shake.

"You feel guilty about pushing that lever 'cause you feel like you played a part in their deaths," he concluded. She nodded in response. "It's understandable. Just because it was the right thing to do in order to save the universe doesn't mean you won't feel guilty." He paused, his eyes fixed on his tea. "I wish I could say it gets easier, that it could be easily forgotten, I really do. But…no matter what…it'll always be there, somewhere deep down."

Donna studied him when he became silent, his eyes distant. She had a feeling that he wasn't referring to Pompeii now. It was something more personal. Recalling his reaction to the slight mentioning of his home planet earlier triggered his bitterness, and she didn't want to do that again. Not when it seemed that he was calming down.

Dropping one of his hands from the mug the Doctor rubbed his eyes then scrubbed it down his face, looking as if he was debating to say something or do anything else. After another pause, he let out another sigh. "Donna," he began. "D'you remember when I told you that I was the only Time Lord left?"

"Yeah," she said hesitantly.

He pressed his lips together for a moment. "Well…there's a reason for that."

"Your planet burned," she said quietly. "And you were the only one that made it out."

"It wasn't just that," he told her. "I was the only one that made it out 'cause I was the one that made it happen."

Donna's eyes widened. "What?" she said in disbelief. That was something she wasn't expecting at all. She figured that he somehow ran away from home before his life was claimed. "What happened?" she asked softly. He shifted in his seat and she mentally kicked herself for adding on to his discomfort. "I didn't mean to—"

"No, it's fine," he assured quickly. "You asked about it earlier…about my planet." He sniffed, regaining his composure as he began. "A war happened…a Time War…for the sake of all creation. Not just humanity, but _everything._ The Time Lords fought against another race called the Daleks; two of the oldest and mightiest races in the universe, battling it out with some of the most destructive and powerful weapons to ever be created, to never be used for anything else and could destroy worlds within _minutes._

He paused, his bottom lip curling into his mouth as he leaned back in his seat. "And they _did._ Whole worlds and galaxies ended up caught in the middle the fighting, right in the crossfire. So many were destroyed. It lasted for a long time. It turned into Hell. And in the end, nobody won. Everyone _lost._ Every participant was sacrificing Time itself for their own selfish gains, controlled solely by arrogance and megalomaniac tendencies. The universe was unravelling and no one cared, no one seemed to notice and continued on with the fight…except for me. I was the only one who could end it…but it came at a price."

"Your people for the universe," Donna said softly.

"It probably wouldn't have come to that," the Doctor said with a head shake. "Had some decisions been made sooner rather than later, or vice versa, or…maybe if I had been at a different place at a different time…but at that point it was a last resort, and I only had one choice to make. I chose the universe. Billions and billions over my own people, my own family, friends, enemies, other worlds. Everyone. I knew the consequences of what could happen had I not done what I did…but that doesn't mean I feel good about it."

"So I guess I shouldn't complain about sacrificing twenty thousand people," she said, shaking her head.

"No, I wasn't saying that," he said quietly. "That wasn't what I meant. The point, Donna…the point that I'm making is that…even though you did the right thing doesn't mean you won't feel guilty. I know the pain you're feeling. I've been there before, lots of times. It always hurt and…on occasion it still does. It'll probably always be there. In fact…especially in my case, I know for a _fact_ it'll always be there."

"Even though you're with Rose?"

He took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the bracelet he wore around his wrist and his fingers brushing over it. "Yeah," he said quietly. "But…when we're together it all fades away, and she's all I can see. All I can feel. The pain just eases because…she knows how to make me better, how to constantly remind me of where I stand whenever it slips my own mind. Reminding me of the many lives that were fortunately spared in the madness." He leaned forward again. "And that's the point I'm trying to make, Donna. You saved someone today. That family is alive because of _you._ The Pyrovilians may have forced you into that situation, but you made the right choice and saved the world, Donna Noble. _Never_ forget that."

Donna smiled faintly at that. Though she still felt responsible for those twenty thousand lives…it was worth having the entire universe saved. So many others survived after those losses. It still hurt, but he was right. Both he and Rose.

"Guess I did," she replied, then hesitated before asking. "Are…are all fixed points like that? I mean, I know they all come at a price if they're tampered with, but…when Rose told me the story about her dad, she said that when it returned to normal it changed how her mother saw it."

"Well, that's not much of a major altering to the established events," the Doctor explained, scratching his sideburn. "It's…all a bit…wibbly wobbly. There's lots of examples of fixed events that have the slightest changes and can, in some cases, rewrite Time itself without creating disastrous consequences."

"Such as?"

He chuckled. "I've got one…but it's a long story."

Donna rolled her eyes. "They're _all_ long stories when it come to you two."

For a while they talked as the Doctor spoke about one specific event that occurred between him and Rose, and it was when they consummated their marriage. He didn't go too much into the details but he told her that in that moment they had changed future events, which to him seemed impossible, but apparently happened. Donna paraphrased his complicated explanation, but all in all she didn't mind. She was feeling better once again, any and all guilty feelings vanishing for now. Like he said to her: the guilt would always be there and would hurt every once and a while, but that was okay. Because, in the end, she knew that what she had done was right.

As they both bid each other goodnight they each went their separate ways down the corridor back to their rooms, and Donna was finally able to get some sleep again.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

For the Doctor, as he made his way back to his chamber, he was already feeling much better once more. Opening up to companions was never common for him, or anything he'd be comfortable with doing, especially as of recent years. Save for Rose, of course. But, while whenever the topic of his home was mentioned always resurfaced the pain and reopened the wounds, he was more at ease.

Entering his room quietly he slipped out of his sleepwear, folding them neatly and placing them back in their compartment before sliding back under the covers with his sleeping wife, wrapping his arms around her from behind and nuzzling into her warmth. She stirred and made a soft sound.

"Doctor?" she said with drowsiness, shifting a little in his arms.

"Shhh," he hushed, his lips tracing the shell of her ear. "Go back to sleep, love."

Rose turned around in his arms to face him, still somnolent as she looked at him with hanging eyelids. "'Nother nightmare?"

He shook his head. "Not right now, no," he told her, brushing back her tousled blonde strands, offering her a faint smile. "I'm alright."

It mirrored on her face as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and held her close, tucking her head under his chin as they both drifted back to sleep.


	10. Planet of the Ood Part 1

**_A/N:_ I'm a proud activist of FOTO. ****Much love to you awesome viewers! You guys make my days so much brighter *n_n***

* * *

 ** _Chapter 9: Planet of the Ood Part 1_**

The next day the Doctor decided to treat the ladies to a trip to another classical city. It was the least he could do for them to make up for the madness that occurred in Ancient Rome. Taking a pause from the dramatics that were constantly being thrown at them was necessary. Well, at least not from the thespian types, that is. He took them to Ancient Athens around 429 BC. Taking in the sights and sounds the trio visited the Parthenon and the Athenian Acropolis, even dressing in togas provided to them by the TARDIS. The Doctor had stressed that their normal apparel would be apt for their location and would allow them to blend in, but he allowed it. Of course he had a notion that Rose had induced the Old Girl to send those stolas because just so she could give him a once-over in the garment.

Despite their interest they were hoping for some entertainment, so he took them to see a play written by one of the most popular playwrights during the Greek times—Sophocles. Since only a handful of his works were recovered, there weren't many selections to choose from when they suggested a show. So they went to see the very first performance of Oedipus Rex. Suffice to say both Rose and Donna were a little ambivalent about the play—the latter saying that she preferred Shakespeare's work. After the show the Doctor decided to take them into town to observe the pedestrians and, much to each of their relief, no one was in danger of dying.

But one thing none of them were expecting was a woman who was supposedly the gods, Aphrodite and Peitho, or perhaps a member of their cults they had formed when the city came to fruition. Just what they needed. Apparently the woman had said the three of them had displayed such looks that intrigued her and tried to seduce them into joining them back at the temple where they could perform some kind of liturgy and set up Rose and Donna with prospective suitors. Knowing this the Doctor was quick to clarify that he and the former were already taken and even showed the verification of that, displaying their commitment to each other with their jewelry. Donna, however, was taken in and was told that one day she would be able to wield and hold the persuasive skills that often determined their future success with a swain.

And, it was with then, the trio thought it was best to make their leave before any available men flooded down the streets in an attempt to cajole them into…things. Now they were back in the TARDIS and changed out of the cultural garb and into their modern outfits.

"We really have a habit of runnin' into cults," Rose commented as she slipped on a maroon scoop-necked camisole.

"That wasn't intentional," the Doctor said with a sigh as he stood by the mirror, changing into his blue suit and discarding his tie altogether. "But then again I should've known better. Ancient times, ancient practices and…factions, for that matter. Mind you, it's better than having to run into a group of sibyls telling you about the future. _Allegedly_."

"Yeah, I'd take the temptresses over them any day," she said with a snort as she retrieved her navy blue leather bomber jacket. "Although, they _are_ more flirtatious with you…dunno if that's really better."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Not my fault this body's pretty."

She chuckled, coming up to him to wrap an arm around his shoulders from behind. "Don't I know it?" She pressed a kiss to his cheek while he clicked his tongue and winked. Freezing for a moment she stepped back, moving to his side. "D'you really believe any of that, though? Those…predictions, whatever they meant. From the Sybils."

The Doctor turned to her, his face neutral. "It was all superstition, Rose. Just nonsensical fallacies made to worry us and tear our heads apart for the sake of knowing the meanings behind them." His hands rested on her upper arms. "That's just it, they're nothing but meaningless words. There's nothing to worry about, okay?"

Rose studied him for a moment before nodding. "Alright," she said before pointing a finger at him, her face serious. "But the second you see something crawling on my back you better tell me."

He chuckled through his nose and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Promise. And I see we're matching again. Well, somewhat, I should say. At least with the color scheme. Quite the occurrence this is becoming."

"This wasn't intentional, either," she replied with a tongue-touched smile. "What's life without whimsy?"

"Definitely not our life," the Doctor said pleasantly as they both made their way out of their room and into the corridor.

As they came into the console room they noticed Donna already there, waiting for them and in a new outfit. "If I hadn't already known you two were a couple, then you matching all the time would give it away," she remarked. "Almost as much as your googly eyes."

"We don't always match, Donna," Rose told her as they rounded the console. "'S just…coincidental."

The other woman snorted. "Maybe you should've done that before those…followers got a hold of each of us. Mainly me."

"So," the Doctor spoke up, his hands moving around the controls. "Nearly sacrificed to the Temple of Sybil and almost arranged to be another man's woman as decried by the Temple of Aphrodite. How's it feel, Donna?"

"Great," she answered sarcastically. "I'm crossing it off my bucket list. And if I were to be made someone's wife, it certainly wouldn't be by throwing myself at someone in an arranged marriage in _Ancient Greece_."

"That's fair," Rose remarked before turning to the Doctor. "So, where we off to next?"

"Dunno," he said with a shrug before a wide grin spread across his face. "You know what…how 'bout we leave it up to…"

He spun around the console in a flash of speed before the three of them jostled one another through the near-violent jolt that rocked through the TARDIS. Both the Doctor and Rose were in front of the jump seat one second then sent flying into it, only to lunge forward as the ship began teetering like a seesaw. Donna was on the opposite side of the console closer to the door, but soon ended up bumping into a coral strut. Another jolt sent Rose into her husband's lap before gently easing her aside before pushing himself forward to flip a switch, causing the turbulent seas to come to a stop. Rose and Donna exchanged a look before the former turned to her husband.

"Y'know that would'nt've happened if you let _me_ drive."

"And you say _I_ have an ego," he remarked.

"At least mine won't ever be as large as _yours_."

"Ehh…give it time, you've got a long way 'til then."

She swatted his arm. "So, where are we then?"

He shrugged, a huge grin on his face. "Dunno. Set the controls to random. Mystery tour!"

Rose's eyes lit up. "Yeah? It's been a while since we did the magical mystery tours."

"Yep! If I remember correctly, our last one ended up in Sharjaunee. Remember that, Rose? The yellow planet?"

"And _that_ ended well," she snorted. "Almost ended up being arrested by bloody chauvinists because the color of the TARDIS was forbidden."

The Doctor scratched his neck, a sheepish look on his face. "Weeell…slight mishap there. But! I assure you it won't be that place again. And even if it was, that's all part of the anticipation, innit? Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole wide—" He cut himself off for a second when he looked at Donna. "Are you all right?"

The other woman was flitting her widened eyes between them and the doors. "Terrified. I mean, history's one thing, but an alien planet…"

"I could always take you home," he offered.

Rose elbowed him in the ribs. "Rude," she muttered. "Donna, we know what it's like."

"Everything you're feeling right now; the fear, the joy, the wonder—we get that!" the Doctor added happily, both of them moving around to stand in front of her as he buried his hands in his pockets and rocked on his feet. "We get that!"

"Seriously?" Donna asked. "After all this time?"

"Of course!" Rose said with a grin of her own. "Why do you think we keep going? The anticipation to see whatever the universe has to offer."

"Oh! All right, then, let's go!" she said happily. "This is barmy!" she chirped as she walked down the ramp to stand by the door, facing them as the Doctor reached over to grab his coat from the strut and shrug it on. "I was born in Chiswick. I've only ever done package holidays. Now I'm here. This is—I mean, it's—I dunno. It's all so—I don't even know what the word is!"

She opened the door and stepped through, the Doctor and Rose close behind. They were immediately greeted with a bitter coldness whipping them in the face in a howling gust of wind. Blankets of snow coated the ground as small flurries danced in the breeze.

"Oh, I've got the word," Donna said, holding her arms close to her frame. "Freezing."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Rose commented as she took in the surroundings.

"Snow! Ah! Real snow!" the Doctor cried in delight as he stepped out to join them. "It's been a while since we've seen actual snow, Rose."

"Since Noel," she said. Luckily it wasn't as nippy as the conditions on that Christmas planet, so she supposed she was alright. "Doesn't really feel like that long ago, though."

"Well, yeah, that's true," he said with a nod. "But still, all the same, it's lovely!"

"Don't suppose they have hot maxa-chocolate here?"

He chuckled. "That's only found in _one_ place, and it's certainly not here. We'd be able to smell that richness from miles away." He inhaled deeply. "Nope. Definitely not Noel."

"Could figure that out since there's no Christmas related customs of any sort around."

"True." He bent down to gather some snow in his palm, brushing it through his fingers and showed it to his wife. "What do you think?"

"Bit cold," Rose remarked, noting that Donna was shivering from where she stood by the TARDIS doors.

"Look at the view!" the Doctor chirped, thrusting an arm out towards the barren landscape.

In the distance of the winter wonderland were towering snow capped mountains, icy and white. A stone arch made to resemble a bridge wasn't far away as icicles dangled from it, hanging above a deep chasm.

"Yep," Donna said from behind. "A beautiful… _cold_ view."

"Could build another snowman or have another one of our snowball fights," Rose suggested, nudging the Doctor. "I'm still entitled to that rematch."

"Thought we settled that was a stalemate," he said with a smile as he dusted his hands.

"Only 'cause I started to freeze and you were boasting about your 'superior physiology'."

"Weeell…to each is own. Still though, millions of planets, millions of galaxies and we're on this one. Molto bene! Belissimo!" He reached for Rose's hand, placing his other in his pocket as they began to walk away from the TARDIS. "Says Donna, born in Chiswick. You've had a life of work and sleep, telly and rent, takeaway dinners, birthdays and Christmases, two weeks holiday a year and then you end up here! Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on a different planet. How about that, Donna?"

"Doctor," Rose said, tugging on his hand and causing him to turn around. "She's gone."

He frowned just before the other woman came back out of wearing a heavy coat with a fur-lined hood over her head. "Sorry. You were saying?" Donna asked.

"Better?" he said, arching an eyebrow.

"Lovely, thanks."

The Doctor turned to Rose. "What about you? Aren't you gonna bundle up?"

She waved it off. "'M fine."

He raised his brows at her, his voice serious. "Rose. You're shivering, I can feel it. I don't want you to come down with pneumonia."

"Alright, hold on," she said with an eye roll as she slipped inside the TARDIS. She returned a few moments later wearing a heavy parka zipped all the way up with the hood over her head.

"You both comfy?" the Doctor said with a smile.

It mirrored on her face. "Yep."

"Yep," Donna responded.

"Can you hear anything inside of those?" he asked, bending over to peer through their hoods to see if they would break their poker faces.

Rose giggled right away. "Sorry?"

"Pardon?" Donna said, surprisingly with a straight face.

He sighed and shook his head. "Right. Anyways, I was saying, citizen of the Earth—"

His sentence was cut off by a loud whirring from overhead. The three of them craned their necks up to see a large rocket flying by.

"A rocket," Donna breathed out in wonder, lightly slapping the Doctor on the arm. "Blimey, a real, proper _rocket._ Now _that's_ what I call a _spaceship._ You've got a box—he's got a Ferrari." She began to skip off in the vessel's direction. "Come on, let's see where it's going."

Rose turned to the Doctor, who was pouting as he looked back at his beautiful ship with offense. Manly pride shattered for a few moments. "To be fair, you _did_ once say She was like a sports car," she said with a giggle.

"That was being compared to one of those bloody space hoppers," he muttered, the petulant expression on his face not easing up. "And I'm making an effort to not be offended by those remarks."

Rose rolled her eyes. Nine hundred and three year old child. She grabbed his hand and tugged him along to follow Donna. "Come on, you old grump. We'll walk it off."

Catching up with their companion the other woman turned to them as they walked across the snowy landscape. "How are you dealing with the cold?" she asked the Doctor. "I mean, I know you got lots of layers on, but it's _freezing_ out here!"

"Superior physiology," he boasted while Rose groaned. "Can withstand many weather conditions."

"Right," Donna said with a snort. "Rubbing it in my face. But even aliens should get cold. Look at Rose."

She chuckled. "Still mostly human, Donna."

The other woman shrugged. "Whatever you say, spacegirl. Still pretty alien to me. But I stand by my point in saying that even aliens freeze from the cold."

"He has a cooler body temperature," Rose explained, patting his arm with the hand not gripping his own. "Much lower than humans. Although…there _are_ ways of warming him up," she added with a sly grin.

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Discretion?"

Rose giggled again. "Not sorry."

"Neither am I."

"Oh, you two," Donna said dramatically from the side. "And I thought you were gooey _before_ you were married."

The trio laughed as they crossed the bridge naturally placed over the chasm. Once they came near the end of it, Rose came to a stop when something came to her ears. Something sounding like…an ethereal melody of some kind.

"D'you hear that?" she asked the Doctor as she lowered her hood.

He glanced around the area. "Yeah. Where's it coming from?"

"Hear what?" Donna asked. "I can't hear anything."

"Take your hood down, Donna," he told her.

Lowering her hood Donna looked at them. "Alright. What is it? What are we listening to?"

"That noise," he said. "Can't you hear it?"

"It sounds like…a song," Rose remarked, the tune never leaving her ears. It was beautiful, almost as melodic and serene as the one the TARDIS would play soothingly when trying to sleep. But she felt a cold shiver shoot down her spine, and it wasn't from the weather.

"Hold on…" the Doctor drew out slowly, his eyes scanning the plain until he exclaimed suddenly. "Over there!"

Spotting something in the distance he broke into a run, the girls close behind him. Whatever the source to the song was must have been close by. Rose noticed a figure half-buried in the snow, appearing immobile, but when they came closer to the body she let out a gasp when she was able to identify the species. It was an Ood, the slave race that she and the Doctor encountered on Krop Tor and were possessed by the Beast. This one appeared to be injured.

"What is it?" Donna asked quietly.

"An Ood," Rose answered as the Doctor knelt by its side and pulled out his stethoscope. "He's called an Ood. But…how did he make it out here? This is far away from where we met them last time."

"But its face…"

"Donna, not now," the Doctor snapped. "It's a 'he', not an 'it'. Rose, give me a hand."

"Sorry, yeah," Rose said, kneeling on the Ood's other side.

He moved the stethoscope around the creature's chest, a crease forming on his brows. "I don't know where the heart is," he muttered. "I don't know if he's _got_ a heart. Talk to him. Keep him going."

Nodding, Rose bent over and tried to comfort the creature, her hand resting on his shoulder and her voice soft. "Hello. My name's Rose, and this is the Doctor. What's…your name?"

The Ood raised its translator ball a bit and it lit up. "Designated Ood Delta 50," he replied weakly.

Rose offered it a small smile. "Nice to meet you, Delta 50. Everything's gonna be okay, yeah?"

"You've been shot," the Doctor said, concerned as he moved the diaphragm down to Delta 50's abdomen.

"The circle—" the Ood began to say as he tried to sit up, only to fall back with a groan. "The circle must be broken."

Rose exchanged a look with the Doctor. That wasn't a phrase they had heard these creatures say when last they saw them. Of course they were possessed by the devil then.

"The circle? What do you mean?" the Doctor asked curiously, dropping his stethoscope. The creature was unresponsive, his eyes slipping shut. "Delta 50, what circle?" he tried again, more firmly. "Delta 50? What circle?"

It was then Delta 50's eyes shot open, but the color of them changed and turned into a deep ominous red. The Doctor and Rose quickly scrambled back as the Ood growled fiercely and sat upright. They studied him for a moment before his growling faded away and his body collapsed back, his eyes slipping shut again. Both the Doctor and Rose exchanged a look. That was definitely a difference from last time. Or…was it?

"He's gone," Donna breathed out as she stepped closer to the Ood.

"Careful," the Doctor warned as both he and Rose cautiously approached the motionless body, kneeling down to examine him.

Donna knelt by the creature's head, gently stroking it. "There you are, sweetheart. We were too late. What do we do, do we bury him?"

"The snow will take care of that," the Doctor said with a frown, standing to his feet and burying his hands in his pockets as the ginger woman came to step over to them.

"Who was he?" Donna asked. "What's an Ood?"

"They're servants - of humans in the 42nd century," he answered.

Rose snorted. "Slaves, is the word. They don't get paid for the jobs they did. Well…that was up at the base on Krop Tor. What they're doing around here is another question."

The Doctor regarded her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, brushing his thumb over her parka. _"I wasn't aware of that then,"_ he said softly in her mind. _"How could I have missed that?"_

 _"To be fair, that day was pretty chaotic,"_ she reasoned. _"Lots of things goin' on. You lost the TARDIS, you were concerned."_

 _"That's true. But the main thing on my mind that day was trying to get you out of there. I…never really stopped to realize that about the Ood."_

Rose patted his chest as the memories of that day came back to them. She noticed Donna staring at them, frowning that she was unaware of their silent communication.

"Anyways," the Doctor said aloud. "As I was saying, they're mildly telepathic. That was the song—it was his mind calling out."

"I couldn't hear anything," Donna said sadly as she walked away from the body to stand by them. "He sang as he was dying."

Rose stared at the motionless body of the Ood, a little warily. "But…Doctor, his eyes turned red."

"I know," he said with a nod. "That's a change."

"What's that mean?" Donna asked.

"If I had to take a guess…trouble. Come on."

He reached for Rose's hand and the trio began to continue their trail down the snowy plain, still in the direction of the rocket. By some chance maybe it was headed straight to some sort of facilities that could explain what exactly an Ood was doing way out here and could lead to answers to why the creature had done something so bestial and unnatural for such a benign personality.

"You see, the Ood are harmless and usually good-natured when they're themselves," Rose told Donna as they walked. "Except the last time we met them there was this…force. Like a stronger mind that took them over and controlled them."

"What sort of force?" Donna asked curiously.

She waved it off. "Long story."

"Long walk," the other woman pointed out.

"It was the Beast," Rose answered. Donna looked at her, still confused by her response.

"It was the devil," the Doctor said evenly.

"If you're gonna take the mickey, I'll just put my hood back up," the ginger woman snapped.

"Well, I don't believe it was the _actual_ devil," he added. "There's representations of the Horned Beast all across the universe—myths and legends from a million worlds. What was down in the pit was merely an idea that bled out."

"An idea who said I would die in battle," Rose blurted out quietly.

The Doctor closed his eyes, hearing the ominous words the Beast had said about his wife that day in the pit, a prediction that would soon become the truth over a year later…

He shook his head, denying the visions access to flood through. They were past all of that. They were healed. Or…still healing, rather. But they were here, and they had other things to take care of and think about

 _"Don't think about that,"_ he thought to her hoarsely, though still firm. _"Ever. You're here, and that's all that matters."_ She sent him an accepting wave as a response and his tension eased up. He let out a deep breath. "Yeah…that was the last time. "Must be something different this time, though. Something closer to home." They reached the edge and peered over a bluff, a sprawling complex below. "Ah-ha! Civilization!" he exclaimed, gesturing at the base.

"You think that's where the rocket was headed?" Donna asked.

"Must be," Rose remarked, eyeing the compound. "Fancy some investigating?"

"Why not?"

She turned to the Doctor, who arched an eyebrow. "You really have to ask?"

She grinned cheekily. "I know. Rhetorical question."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

With some use of persuasion the trio was able to convince the guards to let them through. Of course it had helped that Rose used her blatant and natural charm to make it even easier which, no surprise, made the Doctor roll his eyes. Cheeky woman. But still, they managed to get their way through and into the compound.

"How about that?" Donna commented. "Lettin' your wife charm the guards like that. Never imagined that since you're so possessive."

Rose snorted. "I don't always do things like that. But _this_ one on the other hand…" she nodded to her husband. "Has a habit of flirting."

"What?" he asked incredulously, his brows furrowed. "Not me. If anyone has that habit it's one Captain Jack Harkness. Most definitely not me."

The women chuckled at his affronted expression. "I was kind of expecting some kind of spy stuff."

"Maybe next time," Rose said with a shrug as they noticed a crowd of people ahead, who seemed to be buyers. They each broke into a run to catch up.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a woman was saying, sounding like she was giving a sales pitch. "Welcome to the Ood-Sphere and isn't it bracing? Here are your information packs with vouchers, 3D tickets and a map of the complex. My name's Solana, Head of Marketing. I'm sure we've all spoken on the vid-phone. Now if you'd like to follow me—"

"Sorry, sorry!" the Doctor said as they came up to the group, heading up front to the woman. "We're late! Don't mind us! Hello. The guards let us through."

"And you would be?"

"The Doctor and Rose Tyler," Rose answered as they both held out their psychic papers in synchronicity.

"And this is Donna Noble," he added, nodding to the ginger woman.

"Representing the Noble Corporation, PLC Limited, Intergalactic," Donna said, stepping forward.

"We're very well known," Rose put in. "We sent an associate out to book us a visit. We should be on there."

Solana looked between the three of them, looking nonplussed before regaining her professional poise. "Must have fallen off my list," she said with a smile. "My apologies, it won't happen again. Now then, Miss Noble, Dr. and Mrs. Tyler, you would like to come with me."

 _"Brilliant improvisation there, Lewis,"_ the Doctor said through their bond. _"Both you and Donna."_

 _"Thanks, Shake,"_ she replied. _"I'm usually good with lists."_

He snorted. _"Oh, is that so? Gee, I wonder where you got that from."_

 _"Pretty self-explanatory, innit?"_

"Here is your information pack. Vouchers inside," Solana said, handing it to the Doctor before addressing the whole crowd. "Now, if you'd like to come with me, the executive suites are nice and warm."

The executive opened the door, but before the crowd could be escorted inside the sound of an alarm blared across the area.

The Doctor paused at the door. "Ooh, what's that?" he said acutely, looking at the woman who seemed a bit shaken up from the alert. "Sounds like an alarm."

Solana composed herself again, waving it off dismissively. "It's just a siren for the end of the work shift. Now then, this way! Quick as you can!"

As the group was ushered inside they were thankful that the area was, indeed, much warmer than the outside. Rose unzipped her parka a little as they made their way into a guest suite. Upon entering she felt a wave of disgust rest in the pit of her stomach when she noticed a row of the Ood standing on pedestals for display as if they were shop window dummies. Some others were standing in the corners holding serving trays, and she shook her head. This was wrong. The whole lot of it.

 _"Like bloody mannequins,"_ she muttered in her mind.

The Doctor glanced at her after slipping his specs on and pressed his lips together, reaching for her hand and squeezing it as the three of them moved to the back of the room while Solana stood at a podium in front of a large screen covering the entire wall and poster art images of the Ood.

"As you can see, the Ood are happy to serve and we keep them in facilities of the highest standards," she said. "Here at the Double O—that's Ood Operations—we like to think of the Ood as our trusted friends. We keep the Ood healthy, safe and educated."

"'Friends'," she repeated with distaste, crossing her arms over her chest. "Is that what they're calling them instead of _slaves_?"

"We don't just breed the Ood, we make them better," Solana continued with a smile, making Rose that much more irritated and angry. "Because at heart, what is an Ood…but an extension of us? If your Ood is happy, then you'll be happy too."

Everyone in the room applauded, save for the three travellers. Rose wouldn't dare take part in something where people actually supported this. All she kept hearing were the comments said from the crew back on Krop Tor, when the Ood were referred to as stupid and useless cattle that were used as slaves, saying that it was all they lived and died for. She never believed that. That wasn't a lifestyle anyone could just be accustomed to and live by.

"Now, if I can introduce you," she continued when the clapping eased up. "He's only just flown in. We're very lucky to have him with us today. The Chief Executive of Ood Operations, Mr. Klineman Halpen."

The crowd began to applaud once again as a professional man with a receeding hairline made his entrance and his way over to the podium. "I bet that's Ferrari boy," the Doctor muttered.

"Bet he's worth a bit," Donna responded.

"Are you travelling the universe to find a husband?" he replied with a scowl.

She grinned. "You got a problem with that, skinny?"

Rose scoffed. "Seriously, Donna?"

The ginger shrugged and the Doctor rolled his eyes. "Women," he murmured. Rose elbowed him in the side and he feigned hurt. Maybe. "Sorry, I…wasn't referring to you."

"Flattering."

"'Bout for over two centuries now," Mr. Halpen began, getting their attention. "Ood Operations has licensed the Ood to the point where fifty percent of all houses across Galactic Central possess at least _one_ domestic Ood." Rose scrunched her nose in annoyance as the man kept on. "And it's onwards and upwards as the Double O looks to expand into new and alien territory—"

"Can I just ask?" the Doctor interjected with a raised hand.

"We'll be taking questions later," Solana told him, looking a bit fidgety.

"Well, we're asking questions _now_ ," Rose said.

The Doctor turned to her and winked before returning his attention to the executives. "'Cause our ship landed off-course beyond the ice field. And we found an Ood…in the snow. He'd been shot."

Mr. Halpen briefly turned to Solana, his mouth moving nervously as he began to stammer. "Well…that's terrible," he replied, showing sincerity. "I really must apologize, Mr.…?"

"Doctor," he corrected.

"Doctor," Halpen repeated before hesitantly adding. "Ood pirates, I'm afraid. They steal the Ood for the black-market. And if a prisoner escapes…" he paused as if to show compassion, but they weren't buying it. "Well, poor soul."

"Have you got any problems with the Ood?" Rose spoke up. "Anything serious, maybe something involving…oh, I dunno, red eyes or things like that?"

Both Halpen and Solana looked uncomfortable by her question. "I have no such reports, Miss…" he replied evenly with a head shake, but his body language was clear.

"Tyler. Rose Tyler," she replied, placing a hand on her husband's arm. "And that's 'Mrs.'"

The Doctor glanced at her and smirked, and she grinned.

Mr. Halpen let out a nervous chuckle. "Right. Well, Mrs. Tyler, you and your husband sound like members of FOTO."

"What's FOTO?" the Doctor asked, puzzled.

 _"Friends of the Ood,"_ Rose supplied mentally.

"Oh!" he said with a grin, nodding as he looked at her and Donna. "Friends of the Ood, I like it. FOTO, yeah. Is that such a bad thing, then?" he asked the executive sharply.

"We're _all_ friends of the Ood here," he replied, holding his arms out before fixing his attention to a device on his wrist. "Oh…unfortunately, I've been called away. How sad. But, uh, nobody move. You've got some first class entertainment coming up. Now if you'll excuse me."

He stepped down from the podium, the applause much lighter than it was during his arrival as he made his way over to the trio, followed by an Ood with a sigma symbol on his jacket. "Well, Dr. and Mrs. Tyler, we'll continue this conversation another time."

The Doctor leaned forward. "D'you know, I think we will."

"Yeah, we'll take you up on that," Rose remarked, looping her arm through her husband's.

Halpen eyed them up and down before turning to Donna, almost in a disparaging manner. "Nice coat."

"Nice rocket," she told him.

He raised an eyebrow, considering her compliment before walking off with the Ood. The Doctor had a grimacing expression at the mention of the man's means of transportation again, taking it as another insult to his magnificent ship.

"What?" Donna asked when she noticed his look.

"Really?" he asked incredulously.

"Oh, come off it," she replied.

Rose rolled her eyes and rubbed his arm. "Donna, don't mind him. You just wounded his ego again. And, for the record, that man isn't worth any commendations whatsoever. Not when he's part of this enslavement."

She held her hands up innocently. "Sorry."

"And, besides that, we know the TARDIS is much better."

The Doctor's attitude changed, his eyes lighting up. "Most definitely."

Donna shook her head. Men and their possessions.

As the members of the group spread out some, Solana stepped down from the stage to walk over towards the three Ood that were on display in the center of the hall. The Doctor exchanged a look with Rose, then looked over at Donna as they approached them.

"I'd now like to point out a new innovation from Ood Operations," she said, gesturing at the first one. "We've introduced a variety package with the Ood translator ball. You can now have the standard setting. How are you today, Ood?"

The Ood raised its translator ball. "I'm perfectly well, thank you," it replied normally.

"Or perhaps after a stressful day, a little something for the gentlemen," she continued, moving on to the next Ood. "How are you, Ood?"

"All the better for seeing you," it replied with a sultry female voice.

Both the Doctor's and Rose's brows shot up in surprise.

"Bet you'd love it if Rose talked to you like that," Donna snorted from behind.

A wicked grin spread across the Doctor's lips. "Oh, she already has before," he said with a low voice. "Still does. Not in those words exactly but…in so many other ways. _And they're much more_ … ** _amatory_** ," he added slyly, his voice low.

She rolled her eyes playfully and elbowed him. _"Priorities, you old lecher."_

He leaned over and waggled his eyebrows at her, transferring a reel of salacious images from the night before of their usual circumstances. All six rounds. Rose felt her cheeks blush but she grinned cheekily behind her hand while he chortled out loud.

"Oi, keep it in your pants, you randy aliens," Donna murmured, tapping both of their arms, causing them to blush and wink at each other.

"And the comedy classic option," Solana continued onto the third Ood, breaking their little…moment. "Ood, you dropped something."

The Ood raised its translator ball. "D'oh!" it spoke, impersonating Homer Simpson and causing everyone in the room to chuckle. Once again, everyone except for the trio.

"All that for only five additional credits," the executive told them, that plastered smile still on her face. "The details are in your brochures. Now, there's plenty more food and drink, so don't hold back."

The occupants in the room began to mingle, moving around and picking up nibbles from the trays the Ood were serving. Usually the Doctor was always first in line to grab as many of the servings as possible, but he was uncomfortable with the current surroundings as well. Donna went off and got herself a drink while he and Rose stood where they were. She elbowed his side to indicate the large screen behind the podium.

"Presentation?" she inquired. "Maybe we'll be able to find out more about the Ood's origins before the humans showed up."

He cocked his head to the side and sniffed. "Hopefully."

Moving over to the control board he glanced over to see Rose reaching into her jacket to pull out her specs and smirked. He then pressed a few keys and switching the screen on, showing them their location.

"Ah, got it," he said, burying his hands in his pockets. "The Ood-Sphere. I've been to this solar system before—years ago. Ages. Close to the planet Sense-Sphere." The picture zoomed out to show the further three areas around the Ood-Sphere in space, spanning three galaxies shown outlined in red connecting to small dots on the edges across the view. "Let's widen it out…the year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire," he added, pointing to it.

"4126?" Donna asked, surprised as she came over to them. "It's 4126? I'm in 4126?"

The Doctor grinned. "It's good, isn't it?"

"Hold on," Rose said, leaning closer at the screen then back a her husband. "Did you say the second? So they've got a long way until Platform One."

"Pretty much," he responded with a nod, placing a hand on her back as he observed the screen with her. "Not the year 5.5/apple/26 yet, but even if so, you know we can't go back to that year now."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, crossing into established events is forbidden. Like I haven't heard any of _that_ before."

"You two have a habit of speaking about paradoxes and other things," Donna remarked. "Most of the time I don't understand half the things you two say."

They both chuckled. "That's us," Rose said with a wide smile.

The other woman looked between them. "Alright, putting aside…whatever you two were blabbing about…what's the Earth like now?"

"A bit full," the Doctor answered. "But you see, the empire stretches out across three galaxies."

"It's weird," Donna said. "I mean, it's brilliant, but…back home, the papers and the telly, they keep saying we haven't got long to live—global warming, flooding, all the bees disappearing."

"Yeah," Rose said with a frown. "That thing about the bees is odd."

"But look at us—we're everywhere," Donna said with widened eyes as she stared at the screen. "Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers or more like a virus?"

"Sometimes I wonder," the Doctor murmured.

Rose glanced over at him before pointing at the picture. "So what're those red dots, then?"

"Ood distribution centers," he replied.

"Across three galaxies?" Donna asked. "Don't the Ood get a say in this?"

"No, they don't," Rose said with a hard voice, glaring at the people mingling happily. "From the way they were treated the last time we met them, at least."

Donna shook her head before walking over to one of the Ood on the pedestals on 'display'. She gently tapped him to get his attention. "Um…sorry, but…hello. Tell me, are you all like this?"

"I do not understand, miss," he answered evenly.

"Why do you say, 'miss'? Do I look single?" she asked, offended by the remark.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and Rose bit back on a laugh. "Went a little off track there, Donna," she said.

"Yeah, back to the point," he added.

"Sorry, yeah," Donna said before turning back to the creature. "What I mean is, are there any _free_ Ood? Are there any Ood running wild somewhere like wildebeest?"

"All Ood are born to serve," the Ood said. "Otherwise we would die."

"But you couldn't have started like that," Rose stepped in. "No one could be _born_ into that. What were you like, before the humans?"

The Ood jerked his head slightly, twitching a little at the mention of humans. But…he seemed controlled. Maybe. "The circle," he strained.

"What do you mean? What circle?" the Doctor asked, alerted.

He began to stumble over his words, trying to force them out. "The circ-the circle…the circle is—"

"Ladies and gentlemen," Solana addressed, cutting him off and gaining everyone's attention. "All Ood to hospitality stations, please."

The Ood blinked a bit, recovering from his strenuous efforts to speak and walked off, joining the others as they left.

The Doctor studied them with an arched eyebrow before taking off his glasses. That was odd. Something about this circle was connecting them, some kind of force. Something different for sure. But what was it? Social hour was over. Time to return to their sleuthing.

"I've had enough of the schmoozing," he remarked, reaching into his pocket to pull out the map of the complex and showing it to the women. "D'you girls fancy going off the beaten track?"

"Goin' out of bounds?" Rose quipped. "Why not?"

"A Rough Guide to the Ood-Sphere?" Donna asked, observing the paper. "Works for me."

* * *

 **Response to _Guest:_ Glad you enjoyed it! ;)**

 **Response to _newboy:_ And I always look forward to your feedback :D You always make great points about future events. Definitely. Over 900+ years of scars and memories lodged inside that big mind of his. And that's _very_ true about Davros. **


	11. Planet of the Ood Part 2

_**A/N:**_ **As always, many thanks to all of you lovely viewers! :D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10: Planet of the Ood Part 2**_

The Doctor led the way as he held up the map, observing it. "Lots of places marked out of bounds," he said. "I like out of bounds."

"Who doesn't?" Rose remarked.

"We're like…spies," Donna said with a smile.

"Oh, we _are_ spies," the Doctor preened.

Rose snorted. "James Bond style."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," he replied with a passable Sean Connery accent that made her roll her eyes playfully.

Coming up to a locked gate Rose beat the Doctor at unlocking it by whipping out her sonic. He raised his brows at her, to which she threw him a cheeky grin. "It's really useful, you know."

He nodded. "Glad I thought of making you one."

"You mean glad you let your manly ego slide for once."

"I'd say that's a bit inapplicable," he said with a sniff.

"Probably 'cause you can't handle it," Donna cut in.

He didn't dignify that with a response and Rose giggled, nudging his side with her elbow. Stepping through they heard a voice over the PA system announcing that Ood Shift 8 was commencing, whatever that was.

They found themselves in a part of the complex closed off to visitors. Finding a flight of stairs they climbed up and ended up on a high platform or a deck of some sort. Once there they were able to look down at the wide open area and observe the scene from below. Dozens of Ood were being marched around in a tight formation, exiting one warehouse and headed for another part of the complex. One of them had fallen to their knees, appearing tired.

"Get up," a man said from behind as he approached the alien, who remained on the ground. "I said, get up!" He pulled out a whip and cracked it at the helpless creature.

"Servants?" Donna breathed out, horrified. "They're _slaves_."

"Told you," Rose growled, watching with disgust at how the Ood was being treated. Worse than a dog.

"Get up!" the man ordered again, cracking the whip once more as the alien scrambled to his feet. "March!"

"It was never this bad," Rose said quietly as she watched the aliens be directed into the building. "I mean…it never seemed like this. The workers on Krop Tor called them stupid, useless cattle, but…that looked to be the extent of it. They were never physically harmed."

When compared to these people the crew back on the sanctuary base were higher degrees of benign to those gentle creatures. Calling them names and downgrading their nature, while gratuitous as that was, was undoubtedly more benevolent than the way they were treated at this place.

The Doctor wrapped his arm around her back, gently rubbing the back of her neck as they both watched sadly. "I never thought," he said regrettably. "Never asked…"

"That's not like you," Donna remarked softly. "What happened last time when you met them and they had red eyes?"

"They all died," he muttered as his eyes never left the creatures below, a muscle in his jaw working when he saw the guards barking at them with whips and rifles. "I didn't mean for that to happen. I was busy dealing with the Beast and trying to get us off of a planet ready to fall into a black hole. But I only had time for one trip. I couldn't save them…I had to let them die. I reckon I owe them one."

"I'd say both of us do," Rose said softly, leaning into her husband's touch as she composed herself. "What's the plan, then?"

Mr. Halpen strode across the open area joined by his own little entourage consisting of the Ood they had seen earlier with the sigma symbol and another man in a lab coat. Another disgusted feeling came over Rose as she watched the man.

"There goes the boss," she spat quietly.

"Then let's just keep out of his way," the Doctor said. He dropped his hand from Rose's back and nodded off to the stairs. "Come on."

Moving back down the flight of steps the trio made their way down to the ground floor, swerving around the buildings and warehouses. The Doctor took the lead as he brought the map back out to look for any mentioning of a gathering of some sorts that could lead to explanations of what made the Ood surrender their freedom to the humans. Rose caught up with him and kept up with his pace at his side, looking over the map as well.

 _"Anything?"_ she asked through their bond.

 _"There's all sorts of warehouses around,"_ he replied, lifting his head up to briefly glance at their surroundings then returned his attention to the map. _"Any of them are worth searching through."_

 _"Y'know, it's more sensible to say that **this** place could be the real black-market."_

He turned to her, a curious look on his face. _"You think?"_

Rose shrugged. _"Wouldn't you say so? I mean, think about it. The Ood are being treated like slaves for whatever reason, and that Halpen bloke seemed too shady earlier. He mentioned that Ood pirates would try to steal the others to sell, but that was a load of rubbish. Wouldn't you say that it's really happening **here**? All those sales pitches and gimmicks."_

The Doctor raised his head again, the gears in his head working. She had a good point. That executive displayed extremely dubious behavior when under fire with questions in regards to those benign creatures. _"Could be,"_ he answered, then leaned over and arched an eyebrow at her. _"Are you deducting again?"_

She returned the conspiratorial look. _"I think I am."_

 _"Have I ever told you how incredibly **sexy** you are when you do that?"_

 _"I can ask **you** the same thing."_

They both exchanged concupiscent grins as a simultaneous response for a moment before resuming their observations to the map.

Though she was trailing behind Donna caught those gushy stares between the couple and rolled her eyes. They always looked like they were about to shag each other, it was written as plain as day in their eyes. Well, they _were_ married, so that was expected with them. It was then they were about to pass another warehouse, but something caught Donna's eye and she stopped in her tracks. On the door was a sign reading _'Ood Cargo'._ She turned to the other two, who completely missed it. How did they ever get anything done? She brought her fingers to her mouth and whistled loudly, causing the lovebirds to duck in surprise and turn back to her.

"Where did you learn to whistle?" the Doctor asked as he shoved the map back into his jacket, both he and Rose walking over to her.

"West Ham, every Saturday," Donna answered with a proud smile. "Gramps is big on seeing the games."

"Nice," Rose commented before reaching into her jacket, prepared to pull out her sonic but froze. "Why don't you take this one, love?" she said to her husband.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow before using his sonic on the door. Both girls giggled. "What?" he asked, looking between them.

"Nothing," Donna said. "Just that you're really coming around."

He rolled his eyes and Rose nudged his shoulder before he slid the door open. Entering the building each of them paused for a moment as they found the place dimly lit, letting their eyes adjust to the new space. Scanning the interior they found that it was filled with blue shipping containers. Above them was a large metal claw that moved along a track in the ceiling, lifting and moving the containers around the room.

"Oh, my God," Rose whispered, a sickened feeling creeping into her stomach.

"Ood Export," the Doctor said before pointing up at the claw. "You see? Lifts up the containers, takes 'em to the rocket ships. Ready to be flown out all over the three galaxies."

"What, you mean…" Donna breathed out incredulously, gesturing at the containers. "These containers are full of…"

"The Ood. Of _course_ they are," Rose said with thick repugnance as the Doctor went over to the nearest crate and opened it, which was much easier than expected.

Once they stood in the doorway a malodorous stench whacked them in the face, almost enough to make them gag. They found a group of the Ood standing together in formation, unassertive and blinking at them.

"Oh, it _stinks_ ," Donna remarked, wrinkling her nose.

The rank smell wasn't what was churning Rose's stomach, though. Well, not fully. She moved her eyes over the docile aliens as they stood bunched up together, still as statues as if waiting for someone to give them a command or give them any regards. She glanced over at the Doctor, and could easily feel that it was getting under his skin.

"How many do you think there are?" she asked quietly.

"A hundred?" he guessed. "More?"

"And that's roughly for each crate, isn't it?"

"A rough estimate, yeah."

"A great, big empire…" Donna said with disgust. "Built on slavery."

"It's not so different from your time," the Doctor told her.

"Oi, I haven't got slaves!" she snapped.

"Who do you think made your clothes?" he retorted.

Rose opened her mouth to speak, but the ginger woman beat her before a word could come out.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but your _wife_ is from the _exact_ same time as me. Is that why you travel 'round with a human at your side? It's not so you can show them the wonders of the universe, it's so you can take cheap shots."

The Doctor pressed his lips together, a sheepish expression crossing his face. "Sorry."

"Well, don't," Donna said before softening. "Spaceman."

"But…it doesn't make any sense," Rose said, her brows furrowed. "The door was just open." She turned back to the Ood. "Why didn't you just run away?"

The first Ood in the front of the pack held up the translator ball. "For what reason?" he asked politely.

"You could be free," Donna told him, stating the obvious.

"I do not understand the concept."

"What is it with that Persil ball?" she asked the Doctor and Rose quietly. "I mean, they're not born with it, are they? Why do they have to be all plugged in?"

"Yeah, she's got a point," Rose spoke up, staring at the spheres. "Maybe it has something to do with this 'circle'."

Recalling the numerous amount of Ood back on Krop Tor in their 'habitation center' all stacked together and standing around in formation. Those translator balls seemed common but there was no way that they were born with those in their systems.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow at her before turning back to the alien. "Ood, tell me, does 'the circle' mean anything to you?" he asked.

"The circle must be broken," all of the Ood said in unison as their translator balls lit up the entire container.

"Whoa, that is creepy," Donna commented.

"But what is it?" he pressed. "What is the circle?"

"The circle must be broken," they repeated.

Both Rose and the Doctor simultaneously let out a frustrated sigh. "But _why_?" Rose asked. "Why does the circle have to be broken?"

"So that we can sing."

The trio just stared at the creatures, puzzled. "What the hell does that mean?" Donna asked.

"Dunno," the Doctor replied, studying the group. "Maybe some sort of—"

He was cut off when alarms began to blare across the entire warehouse. "That's not a fire drill," Rose commented.

"I wish it was," the Doctor said. "C'mon!"

They burst out of the container and ran a maze through the shipping containers. If they can create a winding path that was used as a defense to trick whoever might be chasing them, then they could be able to take the way they came out of here. Rose came to a sudden stop when something caught her eye in the distance. The route she took proved to be useful as she noticed a way out.

 _"Doctor, I've found a way out,"_ she alerted him.

 _"Rose?"_ he replied, alarmed. _"Where are you? You were just with me!"_

 _"I turned and went a different route. Good thing too, 'cause we can get outta here."_

 _"All right, you and Donna wait right there, I'll try to find you."_

 _"Okay, I'm right by the_ _—"_ She cut herself off, replaying what he just said. _"Wait a minute, Donna's not with you?"_

 _"I thought she was with **you** ,"_ he answered. _"Girls tend to stick together, I thought you two wandered off. Which, in all honesty, contravenes rule number one. Especially when people are coming after us_ _—"_

 _"Yeah, yeah,"_ Rose thought, annoyed. _"Well, she's not with me."_

 _"Where's she gone?"_

"Stay right where you are!" A voice suddenly shouted in the distance, causing Rose to turn around to see a guard locate her, running in her direction with a rifle. Crap.

The Doctor cursed on his end. _"They found me!"_

 _"Same here. Run!"_

 _"Be careful! I'm gonna find you!"_

The Doctor continued running through the labyrinth of shipping crates, trying to lose the rhythmic thudding footsteps somewhere behind him. Not only was his friend missing, but his wife was also running about in this maze with a guard on her tail. How did he not realize either of them weren't behind him? Bad attention span on his part.

 _"Rose! Where are you?"_

 _"By a forklift on the other side of this place. Or…whatever side. I dunno, it's not like there's a directory."_

 _"Be careful, I'm gonna find you."_

 _"This is the worst hide and seek game we've ever played."_

 _"Too right."_

He tried to focus on the waves through their bond to locate Rose, but his mind was racing when he saw the guard on the other end of the aisle. He cursed again then took off, swerving through the containers. He slowed his pace when he heard the sounds withdrawing. Coming to a stop altogether he pressed himself against one of the containers, listening intently. What he hadn't heard was the quiet steps behind him when a hand suddenly touched his arm. He let out a shout of surprise.

"Calm down, it's only me," Rose breathed out as she caught her breath.

He let out a sigh of relief, holding a hand on his chest before giving her a quick hug. "Blimey, this is worse than Runabla III."

"Lovely comparison," she replied. "Could be worse, yeah?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were behind me? Almost gave me a hearts attack. A double one after realizing you weren't with me."

"Sorry," she said when he pulled back. "Didn't wanna draw attention to guards creepin' around. Did we lose them?"

"For now, I think so," he replied, then arched an eyebrow at her. "You found a way out and didn't leave?"

Rose scoffed. "Like I was gonna leave you alone in here. And I dunno where Donna went off to, but she's gotta still be close by."

The Doctor nodded. "Hopefully. Can't risk being captured. For all we know they could toss us with the red-eyes."

"Not to be a pessimist or anything, but the guards really wouldn't just give up that easily, would they?" she asked, looking around.

He shook his head, pushing himself off of the container and resting a hand to it, his head bowed as he was attentive to their surroundings. "Why, though? Why would they just retreat? Donna!" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the warehouse. "Donna, where are you?"

Rose bit her lip. Being chased by guards with guns all the while their friend was missing and nowhere in sight. A whirring sound came to her attention as she turned around to find its source. Nothing was there…but then she looked up and her eyes widened. The mechanical claw built into the ceiling was being operated and making its way over to them.

"Doctor," she said urgently, tugging on his sleeve.

He lifted a finger up and gently hushed her as he was currently engrossed in hearing something. "Hold on," he said softly. "I'm trying to hear if they've gone altogether."

"Yeah, they've gone, alright," she told him, tugging his arm harder. "Gone and found another way to come after us!"

At that the Doctor turned around with a curious look on his face before following the direction of her finger indicating the crane speeding towards them. "Ah," he replied acceptingly. "Um, Rose?"

"Yes?"

"Well, basically…"

"Run?" she inquired, a sweet smile on her face.

He returned the grin. "Oh, yes!"

Grabbing each other's hand they took of once more, tearing through the maze of containers as the crane was chasing them at an alarming speed. It had descended on them once and with an extra burst of energy, they pushed themselves further forward, dodging the attack as it narrowly missed them. Turning another corner didn't help them as much in losing it as it seemed to gain on them. Once more it expanded its claws and slammed against the ground, making them stumble a bit, but they evaded another attack. Never did they think that when they woke up this morning they would be avoiding death by an oversized arcade crane.

The Doctor tightened his grip on Rose's hand as they charged, ignoring the strain they were putting on their bodies. Splitting up would most likely be a strategic plan to confuse the operator behind the claw and would be easier for them to gain some ground to escape and search for Donna, but he didn't want to take that risk again. That piece of machinery was far too large and sharp, and he wasn't letting his wife out of his sight. Not when she could easily become a stuffed doll to be trapped in cold, metal clutches. Turning another corner the claw made another move at snapping at them causing the Doctor and Rose to duck, the former pulling the latter in front of him.

 _"Apparently we're the chosen ones,"_ he thought to her.

 _"What?"_ she replied, confused as they continued running for their lives.

 _"Like in Toy Story. Remember? Inside the machine?"_

 _"Doctor, now's not the time for movie references."_

 _"Sorry."_

They both hurtled over a pile of broken crates, once again missing the claw by a hair's breadth. The mechanical device was gaining on them which wasn't something they needed to be reminded of as they were losing ground and succumbing to fatigue. They may have been used to running across the universe since it was a part of their lifestyle, but making strenuous and continuous efforts to drive oneself to the limit could slow anyone down. Oh, the irony.

Running out of options the Doctor tugged Rose alongside him as they came to a sudden stop. "What're you doing?" she asked out loud.

"Trade up," he responded heading for the closest container. "Giant arcade claw for menacing telepathic slaves. Fair?"

"Fine by me."

Quickly trying to enter the crate the Doctor cursed when he found the door was locked. Just as he reached for his sonic, he felt Rose seizing him by the arm.

"Watch out!" she yelled as she pulled him away from the container before the claw could grab them and began to run again.

The Doctor growled in frustration and wished the claw was about a second later upon descending so that he would've been able to get himself and his wife inside to escape until he could come up with another plan. It was one thing he was brilliant at, but right now his mind was racing to come up with another tactic. The claw was gaining momentum and hot on their heels as it swooped down again, causing Rose to trip over her feet.

"Rose!" he shouted as he immediately helped her scramble back up to her feet. The very last thing he wanted was for whoever was controlling the crane to obtain his wife as a prize.

No sooner after returning back into the groove the claw smashed down again, knocking their balance off and sending them over barrels. The Doctor twisted around as he fell on his back, bringing Rose down with him as she ended up on top of him once they connected with the floor. His eyes widened when he saw the claw hovering above them and about to drop. Swiftly out of impulse he rolled over, switching their positions to place his wife beneath him to shield her. Truthfully, there wasn't any point in doing so as the claw could easily pick up two prizes with one grab and there was little to no protection needed. But he would be damned to let his wife be on top. Well…at least in _this_ particular situation. The claw made cranking sounds from above and began to plummet, prepared to grab them up…but then nothing happened.

Rose peeked one of her eyes open to discover that neither one of them were taken away. The crane halted inches above them, its opened claws frozen on either of their sides and emitting creaking sounds as the device hung limply in the air. Both of them lay where they were, completely stunned and panting from the adrenaline rush.

"That's different," the Doctor remarked.

"Ya think?" Rose said with a snort. "Now we know what it feels like to be inside of a claw crane."

"Reckon this isn't something we'd ever hope to get involved in again."

"Only if we come across a smaller one in an arcade that doesn't involve death."

They both let out short breathless laughs as the Doctor rested his forehead on Rose's, their panting returning to normal, steady breaths. When she shifted slightly beneath him did he realize their positions; one of his legs were wedged between hers while his entire body covered hers like a shield, his arms propping him up while hers were wrapped around his neck, keeping him in place. Good thing they were married.

By now they thought it would be imperative for them to pick themselves up and dust themselves off and make their getaway and continue their search for their friend who was still missing before more guards returned to the area. So why haven't either of them made a move yet? As it turns out they nearly submitted to each other's natural aura. Rose only added to the parlous situation when she innately licked her lips, but the Doctor was in his right mind and knew this could wait until later. For a moment.

Barely stopping himself he dipped down to kiss her soundly, becoming fervent when she melded against him, parting her lips to allow him access, and of course he submitted to her invitation and made his way inside, causing both of them to groan. Neither of them could resist. Much to their reluctance they broke apart a moment later, regaining their breaths again.

"Ehm…" the Doctor began, clearing his throat even though his voice still came out rough.

"Probably best to continue this later," Rose suggested. "Don't really fancy having eyes watching us like…this."

A sheepish expression crossed his face. "Yeah…best not. Discretion and all that. And Donna wouldn't be too thrilled to know we were…well, like _this_ when we were trying to find her."

She grinned cheekily. "Then maybe we should get up now."

"Yeah, we really should." He pushed himself up to his knees and held Rose's hands and was about to help her up.

"Your little show has come to an end," a gruff voice suddenly spoke from somewhere in the warehouse. They both turned to find two guards approaching them with large guns aimed at them.

"You two are coming with us," the other guard told them.

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look before standing to their feet and slowly raising their arms up. _"Definitely should've saved that snog for later,"_ he thought to her, sounding a bit discomfited.

 _"C'est la vie,"_ she sighed.

Remaining passive they stood as the guards seized them rather roughly and shoved them forward. Rose bit her tongue and restrained herself from giving the guards an earful, hearing the Doctor send mental notes of warning to her, specifically since the officials were carrying guns. About a minute later they were brought up to the front of the warehouse.

 _"The way out should be close by,"_ Rose thought to him. _"Once we find Donna, we can bust outta here."_

 _"Right,"_ he replied, his eyes darting around the area. _"Well, if we've been captured, then I reckon they took hold of her first."_

Coming down another aisle they noticed a group of more guards loitering by one of the shipping container but as they approached them a familiar voice was shouting from the inside.

"Doctor, Rose, get me out of here!" Donna hollered.

 _"_ If you don't do what she says, you're really in trouble," the Doctor told the guards. "Not from me—from _her_."

"Yeah, you should _really_ think about it," Rose added.

"Unlock the container," a man ordered one of the guards.

The Doctor eyed the supposed authoritative man with an arched brow, who was giving him also briefly giving him a look before turning away. Just by that he was able to conclude that this must have been the man who was operating the crane…and probably watched as he and his wife were snogging beneath the frozen claw. Should've been more aware of surveillance.

The second the door to the crate was opened, Donna rushed out. "Doctor! Rose!"

She threw her arms around the latter. "There we go," Rose said, returning the hug. "You're alright."

"Safe and sound," the Doctor added when she came over to hug him tightly as well.

"Never mind about me," Donna said as she pulled back and gestured at the container. "What about them?"

At her words red-eyed Ood began to pile out of the container, raising their translator balls up to the guards' heads and zapping them, killing them.

"Red alert!" the man with authority yelled. "Fire!"

Staring in horror for a moment, the Doctor pulled both Rose and Donna away from the scene when bullets began to strip. As much as he wished he could save the guards from the Ood and vice versa, he took it as a means of escaping. Even as they continued running they could hear the orders from the guards to fire at will and kill the creatures. A sickening feeling came over him and he could feel the same uneasiness giving off from his wife. He squeezed her hand as they exited the warehouse, trying to get as far way as possible. It wasn't until they rounded a corner that they realized Solana had tagged along. Moments later they all stopped when they were a safe distance away, catching their breaths.

Donna eyed the executive. "If the people back on Earth knew what was going on here—"

"Don't be stupid," Solana snapped, cutting her off. "Of course they know."

"So they know how you treat the Ood?" Rose asked, outraged.

"They don't ask. Same thing."

"Runnin' a company built on slavery and torturing those innocent creatures? That's where you get your thrills? All of it for business?"

"I'm not the head of this company," Solana retorted. "That's not my field. I just do what I'm told."

Rose snorted in disgust. "Nice job—making a sales pitch and selling the Ood like bloody _dolls._ They're kind and gentle. They've got their own consciousness, their own thought. They're not livestock to just walk all over. The Ood aren't born like this, they just _can't_ be. You lot must pick 'em up like strays and brainwash them."

Solana narrowed her eyes, choosing not to respond to that. The anger was radiating off of Rose in thick currents, so much so that the Doctor was a little concerned that his wife was about to engage in that particular Tyler action of slapping the other woman back into yesterday. Having been on the receiving ends of those numerous times he knew the sting behind them. He brought his hand up to the back of her neck, gently brushing her soft skin with his thumb, his attention to the executive.

"She has a point. A species born to serve could never evolve in the first place. What does the company do to make them obey?"

"That has nothing to do with me," Solana replied dismissively.

"What, because you don't ask?"

"That's Dr. Ryder's territory," she said irritably.

He dropped his hand from Rose's neck to reach into his jacket and pull out the map. "Where is he? What part of the complex?" The woman only stared at him and his patience snapped much like the sound of his voice. Holding out the map he shook it at her with frustration. "I could help with the red-eye. Now show me!"

Hesitant at first she pointed at a specific spot. "There, beyond the red section."

Rose bit her lip. Though she was furious at the woman, she was a worker in this hellhole, and just cooperated with them. "Come with us," she told the executive. "You see what's goin' on around here, but you can't agree with all this. You could help us stop it."

Solana paused and looked between them, considering the idea. But then she looked over her shoulder and called out, "They're over here! Guards, they're over here!" Like a true sycophant.

With a growl the Doctor pulled Rose and Donna away into another round of running, dashing through the labyrinthine pathways of the complex to trying to find this Dr. Ryder bloke was in Ood Processing. Of course they probably would be able to find it with ease had a certain executive working here had led them to the exact spot. Their best method was to come across it manually. Which would be easier if they didn't have a bunch of guards chasing them in pursuit and ready to apprehend them. His choice of passage soon took a change of course when a bunch of guards were headed straight for them. Backtracking they took another route to evade another attempt of capturing.

"This way!" he shouted at Rose and Donna, taking off.

Coming across another way, they came across more guards. "No, try this way!" Rose yelled as she grabbed a hold of her husband's arm and pulled him towards another way.

Moments had wore on as they narrowly evaded another run-in with the guards, twisting through the paths of the complex in what was becoming a cat-and-mouse game on a larger scale. Passing by the various warehouses in a flash something had caught Rose's attention as she skidded to a stop, the others seeming not to notice. Something faint coming to her ears.

"Rose," the Doctor called as he ran back to her. "What're you doing? We gotta—"

"Shhh," she hushed, lifted a hand up as she listened to the sound entering her mind. Though it was faint like a gentle whisper, it was…familiar. Like the one they had heard shortly after landing on this planet.

"Rose?" he asked, flummoxed. "What is it?"

"Can you hear it?"

The Doctor narrowed his eyes for a moment, but then his eyes lit up when he heard something in his mind. "Oh, of course!" He whirled his head around to the closest warehouse by them and immediately rushed over to the door, Rose close behind. "We didn't need the map, we should've just listened!"

"'S kinda like finding the wave through our bond," Rose pointed out as he quickly used his sonic screwdriver on the door and thrust it open.

"Exactly! Emitting currents through the neural units that evolve from engagement with the environment." He smacked his forehead. "Oh, I'm so thick!"

Rose ducked inside the warehouse. "Isn't that like cognition?"

"Somewhat," the Doctor answered before giving her an intrigued look. "Wait a minute, how did you—"

"Library, Doctor."

"Can you two ever say things that make sense?" Donna spoke up as she joined them, then looked over her shoulders. "The guards are coming!"

"Then hurry up and get in here," Rose said as she pulled the ginger woman inside.

Once they were all inside the Doctor quickly locked the door with the sonic then darted his eyes around the area, finding a stairway off to the side. The song was a little louder, and its sources were located somewhere down below. Lightly tapping Rose's arm they dashed in that direction, following the waves.

"Does that mean we're locked in?" Donna asked, following them.

"Listen," he said. "Listen, listen."

The song was growing louder with every step they took down the flight, reverberating in their ears softly. But the moment they reached the bottom they came to sudden stop, discovering cages surrounding what appeared to be a basement. But that wasn't all that caused them to halt. Like slamming into a brick wall both the Doctor and Rose winced when they were barraged with torrents of the song overwhelmed their minds, a threnody expressing deep sorrows of habitual dolor.

"Oh, my God," she said softly, letting out a quiet whimper from the sensations.

"I'm so sorry," he told her apologetically. "I can't block it out."

She shook her head and he noticed her eyes were misting over. It was painful to be able to hear such an aria echo in one's mind. Slipping his arm around her shoulders he brought her close to him, his thumb brushing over her shoulder empathizing with her just as she would to him.

"What is it?" Donna asked, concerned.

"Can't you hear it?" Rose asked. "That singing?"

The other woman shook her head. "The same one you heard earlier?"

"Yeah, it's…stronger now."

The sound of something shuffling in the darkness of the room caught their attention. A shiver passed through Rose as she tried to make out the faint silhouettes in front of them. Something was inside one of the cages, barely moving around. She had a feeling of what—or who, rather—was occupying them judging by the song ringing in both hers and her husband's mind.

The Doctor released his hold on her to look around. He found a switch off to the side and flipped it on. Both women gasped when the lights came on, revealing the figures occupying the closest cage to them. About half a dozen Ood were huddled together in a circle, crouching down and each were holding something close to their chests. They slowly approached the cage, causing the group to tremble in fear and move to the back of the cage, facing away.

"They look different to the others," Donna said.

"They're natural-born Ood," Rose said softly, placing a hand on one of the bars. Her quiet tone gained a hard edge of disgust. "This is them before the processing."

"Before they're adapted to slavery," the Doctor added as they moved to squat in front of the cage. "Unspoiled. This is what we've been hearing. That's their song; the sound of their minds reaching out."

Donna watched the creatures huddled together in fear sadly. "I can't hear it," she said quietly.

"Do you want to?" he asked curiously.

She turned to him, not quite able to distinguish his expression but when she glanced over at Rose, she saw tears brimming her eyes. "Yeah."

"It's the song of captivity," he warned.

"Let me hear it." she told him firmly, taking a deep breath.

The Doctor shifted on his haunches. "Face me," he instructed softly.

Complying, she turned around to face him properly. He raised his hands and gently placed his fingertips to her temples, his eyes slipping shut. Immediately Donna felt an odd sensation, something feeling like a small amount of pressure one would acquire when one would have the blood rush to their head and push against their ears, yet it was more…pleasant. Strange, but pleasant. She closed her eyes.

"Open your mind," he murmured. "Just relax." She took another deep breath, sterling her nerves as she inwardly trembled. She heard a faint sound, far away and distant. "That's it. Hear it, Donna…hear the music."

His fingers dropped themselves from her temple, and it was then she heard the song in all its entirety, in all of its solemnity, and it was disheartening. A despairing lament hoping to be heard by so many others, in hopes that the solitude would end and the light would come at the end of the darkened, seemingly never-ending tunnel that became their environment. She heard everything, felt everything; the overwhelming perturbation, the straining weariness, and the agonizing pain which were all repercussions from suffering through the isolation of being hidden away from the world as they knew it, away from the lives meant for them and having to live in one impelled on them against their will.

Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks when she opened her eyes, looking over at the vulnerable creatures still cowering with fear at the back of their cage, causing her heart to break impossibly more than it already had. She couldn't bear the anguish any longer.

"Take it away," she said quietly.

"You sure?" the Doctor asked.

Her voice broke. "I can't bear it."

Nodding he urged her to face him again as he repeated the process, bringing his hands back up to her temples. She slipped her eyes shut once more, the song still in her ears. But then another moment later it was fading away until it was removed completely. Now there was silence. Opening her eyes she glanced back over to the Ood. They remained in their huddling position, only this time she couldn't hear them.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, wiping the tears staining her cheeks.

"It's okay," the Doctor told her.

"But you two can still hear it."

"All the time," Rose said with a nod, her eyes still misty. "Ever since we got here it was like a soft echo, but…it's stronger now."

Donna shook her head. "I wasn't able to hear it earlier. Is it 'cause I'm human?"

"Yeah," the Doctor told her. "Though humans have a low-level telepathic field and can actually pick up on waves that are somewhat imperceptible, depending on the resonance and the person's capability, it was impossible for you to hear it. Not until I was able to transfer it into your mind."

"But what about you, Rose? You've been able to hear it this whole time, and you're still mostly human. How?"

"I'm…my own brand," Rose replied, rubbing her temple.

"Rose's situation is completely different," the Doctor cut in. "She still holds humanistic qualities, just has some biological changes. But she's flexible when it comes to telepathy, able to communicate with me on a fundamental level—"

"Hold on," Donna interjected. "D'you mean that you two can talk with your _minds_?"

"Telepathically bonded," Rose supplied. "We can transfer a lot with a thought, Donna. Been able to do it for a while."

"Oh, it's no wonder why you two always look like you're eye-fu—"

"As I was saying," the Doctor cut in. "Rose is flexible in the telepathic field. Not to a full level like myself, but she's able to communicate and pick up on the signals of other telepathic beings. Well, not _every_ single one, but it's the same principle."

"They can't help themselves," Rose said softly, gesturing at the Ood. "They're reaching out, trying to get heard."

The Doctor turned to his wife and reached for one of her hands. Donna watched them, still hearing the lament in her ears despite it being taken away from her when he released Rose's hand after a moment. He grabbed his sonic screwdriver, aiming it at the lock on the cage. A noise came from the level above them.

"They're breaking in," Donna warned.

"Ah, let 'em," he waved off dismissively as both he and Rose slowly entered the cage, crouching down. The Ood tried to shuffle away from them, still afraid. He held up his hands to show no intentions of harm. "It's okay," he said softly. "We're not gonna hurt you. We're friends. What are you holding?"

The Ood looked at him, still shyly as they kept whatever they were clutching in their hands close to their chest and out of sight.

"'S alright," Rose said gently, gesturing at the three of them as Donna followed them inside. "We're friends. I'm Rose, this is the Doctor, and this is Donna. You can show us, it's okay."

The Ood studied her, seeming to consider their trust. "Let us see," the Doctor urged kindly. One of the creatures began to move closer, still timid. "That's it. That's it, go on."

The Ood then held out his cupped hands, lifting the top one to reveal the very object in his grasp…and what he showed them made both Rose and Donna gasp in horror.

"Is that—" the ginger woman began.

"It's a brain," Rose breathed out as she stepped closer to observe the organ. "They're born with a second brain."

"Hindbrain," the Doctor clarified. "Like the amygdala in humans, it process memory and emotion. You get rid of that, you wouldn't be you anymore. Everything that you are becomes nothing," he added with a hard voice, his face twisting with anger.

The same expression was crossing Rose's face as she stared at the gentle creature. "You'd be like a processed Ood," she said, feeling her insides bubbling up.

It was almost as bad as becoming a Cyberman—having everything you are turn into something cold with no emotions, everything that defined you stripped away. It was no wonder processed Ood told them that their only purpose in their half-life is to serve—the part of them that could do so much more, what held purposes for them had been cut off and taken from them against their will.

"So the company…cuts off their _brains_ ," Donna said slowly, still horrified.

"And they stitch on the translators," the Doctor finished through gritted teeth.

"Like a lobotomy and then a transplant," Rose added.

"I spent all that time looking for you two," Donna whispered from beside them. "Because I thought it would be so wonderful out here." She paused for a moment, a faint sob coming out of her but she had regained her composure. "I want to go home," she finally said.

Both the Doctor and Rose turned to her, stunned by her wish but before either of them could say anything else another crashing noise coming from above as they heard footsteps approaching. No surprise it was the big man himself, Mr. Halpen, along with his entourage.

"They're with the Ood, sir," they heard one of the guards call.

The Doctor stood up and went over to the cage door, swinging it shut. "Doctor," Rose began quietly. "What're you—"

"Shhh," he said, holding a finger up as he gripped the bars. "I've got a plan." Soon the figures were standing before them. "What are you gonna do, then?" he taunted through the cage. "Arrest us? Lock us up? Well, you're too late! Ha!"

Rose refrained herself from a facepalm. There was no way this would end well.


	12. Planet of the Ood Part 3

**A/N:** **As per usual much love to you lovely viewers! :D**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 11: Planet of the Ood Part 3_**

 _"Tell me, when you said you had a plan, was **this** what you had in mind?" _ Rose muttered to her husband through their bond as she pulled at the handcuffs binding them together as the three of them were attached to a pole by guards in the executive office.

 _"Weeell…"_ the Doctor drawled sheepishly. _"I wasn't planning on us being captured like **this,** no."_

 _"Do we **ever** plan on that?"_

 _"Bad thinking on my part. Not really a shining moment."_

She shook her head. Should've known this would happen sooner or later. Trouble always seemed to find them.

Halpen came up to them, looking far too casual. "So, I said we would be continuing our conversation from earlier, and here we are. Why don't you just come out and say it? FOTO activists."

"That's right, we're Friends of the Ood," Rose snapped. "What's wrong with that? And you claim to be the same thing, but at least we wouldn't beat them and use them like bloody dogs, letting them become slaves!"

"The Ood were nothing without us," he said. "Just animals roaming around on the ice."

"That's because you can't _hear_ them," the Doctor growled. Even now he could still hear the song echoing in his ears, all of the hopelessness and sadness reverberating. "You can't hear what they're feeling."

The CEO scoffed. " _Feeling_? They were nothing but strays wandering about, looking for a purpose."

"Oh, that's _rich_ ," Rose said with a mirthless laugh. "Performing lobotomies on innocent creatures. What purpose comes with that, eh? Everything that they were was stripped away from them against their will. They would actually _have_ a meaningful purpose in life if you lot hadn't _abused_ them like you have."

"They welcomed it!" Halpen defended. "It's not as if they put up a fight."

"You idiot!" Donna yelled. "They're born with their _brain_ in their _hands,_ don't you see? That makes them peaceful! They've got to be because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets."

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look and nodded. "Nice one," he told Donna.

"Thank you," the ginger woman said.

Fury only boiled more in Rose's stomach as she studied Mr. Halpen, who appeared blithe when exposed at how much his company had exploited the Ood. If she wasn't cuffed to a pole she would've cold-cocked him in the face by now.

"The system's worked for two hundred years," the CEO replied. "All we've got is a rogue batch. But the infection is about to be sterilized."

"What d'you mean 'sterilized'?" Rose questioned, not having a good feeling about what would happen next.

Halpen lifted the communicator on his wrist, speaking into the comm. "Mr. Kess, how do we stand?"

 ** _"Canisters primed, sir,"_ ** came the voice on the other end, who the Doctor recognized as the man from the warehouse that had operated the crane. **_"As soon as the core heats up, the gas is released. Give it two hundred marks…and counting."_**

The Doctor's eyes widened in horror. "You're going to _gas_ them?!"

"Kill the livestock," Halpen said with a smile. "The classic foot-and-mouth solution. Still works, you know."

"They're not _livestock_ ," Rose spat, livid while pulling at her cuffs in an attempt to smack the pompous tosser back into yesterday. "They're not _cattle._ They've got their own emotions, their own thought, their own _lives._ All you care about is fillin' up your pockets with the proceeds to sellin' them as a marketing gimmick! Every penny you earn is given after every drop of blood and tears they've shed over the immoral environment _you've_ thrown onto them. You pompous bastards make me _sick_."

The CEO rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically at her venomous verbal attack. "Oh, activists. Nothing ever satisfies you people."

"Because they're like humans!" Donna cried, glaring at the man. "They've got hopes and dreams just like you have, and you jus take them all away all 'cause you can't understand them. It's wrong!"

"Being stuck between a rock and a hard place eh, Doctor?" Halpen said to the Doctor, still smiling and speaking as if his company was a sanctuary. "How's it feel to be stuck between two women?"

"Not the first time I've heard that," he replied with a hard expression. "But at least I can agree with them and can see others as people and not _pets_ to be exploited all to make a quick buck."

Just before the CEO could form retort a series of klaxons began to blare throughout the warehouse. "What the hell?" He and his entourage exited the office to check out the reason for the disturbance.

"What's going on?" Donna asked.

"Nothing good," the Doctor ground out.

"The sterilization must've went wrong," Rose said. "You think the Ood are making an uprising?"

"An order of mistreated creatures who want nothing more than hope and were given hell instead looking to overthrow the higher powers? Could be a revolution, yeah."

Halpen returned moments later with his associates, gallery looking grim about what was happening. "Change of plan," he announced.

"No reports of trouble off-world, sir," the scientist reported, observing a screen to the side of the room. "It's still contained to the Ood-Sphere."

"And who are you?" Rose asked, studying the man with a hard stare.

"Dr. Ryder," he answered.

"So you're the one in charge of Ood processing," she spat. "You're the one who cuts away the best part of them and takes away _everything_ that defines them."

The scientist looked taken aback. "I…it's not my fault, it's the job I was appointed to!"

"Oh, but you how painful it must be for the Ood to suffer through the operation," the Doctor cut in. "And yet you continued to do it."

"It's only my department, not my creation!" Ryder insisted.

"Enough!" Halpen snapped before turning back to the man. "You said that it's still contained in the Ood-Sphere, correct?"

"Y-yes, sir," Ryder said with a nod.

"Then we've got a public duty to stop it before it spreads."

"What's happening?" the Doctor demanded, leaning forward as far as he could go since he was held back by the cuffs.

"Everything you wanted, Doctor," Halpen told. "No doubt there'll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilized so I can't risk a bullet to the head. I'll leave you and your ladies to the mercies of the Ood."

He turned on his heel and headed for the door, but the Doctor spoke up, causing him to stop at the door.

"But, Mr. Halpen, there's something else, isn't there?" he called out. "Something we haven't seen."

"What do you mean?" Donna asked.

"The creature couldn't survive with a separate forebrain and hindbrain, they'd be at war with themselves," he explained quickly. "There's got to be something else, a third element. Am I right?"

Halpen smiled. "Again, so clever," he derided.

"It's gotta be connected to the red-eye," Rose spoke up. "What is it?"

The man turned to them, looking them straight in the eye. "It won't exist for very much longer," he sneered. "Enjoy your Ood."

With that the CEO left the room with his guards, leaving the three captives to themselves. The moment they were out of sight they began to wiggle in an attempt to free themselves.

"Well, _do_ something!" Donna yelled. "You're the one with all the tricks! You must've met Houdini at some time!"

"Doesn't mean he jotted down notes," Rose murmured.

The Doctor shot her a brief look before tugging at the cuffs. "These are really good handcuffs!"

"Oh, I'm glad of that. At least we've got quality!" the ginger woman said with thick sarcasm. "Forget the fact that we could die any minute, but the cuffs are _amazing_!"

"Trust me, it could be a _lot_ worse," Rose said lightly before suggesting, "Sonic screwdriver?"

"Can't reach it," he told her. "It's in my jacket. Have you got yours?"

"Yeah, it's in my trouser pocket. Hold on, lemme see…"

With great difficulty Rose tried to slide her hand into her trouser pocket, which was easier said than done since the cuffs were digging into the skin of her wrists. Pressing herself back she tried to maneuver until she was leaning against the Doctor to give her some leverage in order to squeeze her hand into her pocket. She stopped for a moment and glanced up at him, his eyebrow arched as he watched her.

 _"What?"_ she thought to him as she began to move again. _"'Scuse me."_

 _"No no, you're alright,"_ he replied. _"Need a hand?"_

 _"I think I've got it covered, love, ta. Besides…I don't think you'd be able to reach into my trousers."_

He snickered and she shot him a look. _"Actually, that's one of my specialties."_

 _"Shut up, you old lecher._ _Save it for later."_

 _"Promise."_

"Oi, you two!" Donna said from the side. "Quit shagging each other with your eyes and do something!"

The Doctor cleared his throat. "We-we weren't…oh, whatever. Sorry. Want me to help?" he asked, shifting a bit.

Rose shook her head. "Think…I'm…close."

Her hand was reaching the brim of her pocket as she strained herself, elevating her leg as high as she could to try slipping her fingers in to retrieve her sonic. She inwardly groaned. For once having bigger-on-the-inside pockets was a disadvantage.

"Might wanna speed things up, blondie," Donna spoke up when the doors opened to reveal a group of red-eyed Ood standing in the entrance.

The three had stopped their struggles, save for Rose as she continued to reach for her sonic but then the creatures began to advance on them.

"Doctor, Donna, Rose, friends!" the Doctor yelled, trying to convince them that they were on their side.

"The circle must be broken!" Donna spoke up.

As those two continued to frantically repeat those words to the Ood, which soon overlapped over each other, Rose struggled to slip her hand inside her pocket. Maybe she should've worn her normal attire rather than these. Soon she registered that the others were speaking even faster and she was running out of time to fetch their only way of escaping. Relaxing for a brief second, she gave it all she had as she forced her hand inside her pocket, her fingers brushing the end of her device.

"Rose," the Doctor muttered. "You might wanna hurry it up! Friends, friends, friends!"

"Gimme a sec!" she called, irritated.

"We've barely _got_ a second!" Donna cried.

Biting her lip Rose forced her hand inside her pocket as deep as she could, inwardly cheering when she managed to wrap two fingers around her sonic screwdriver. Pulling it out was a little more challenging, but she pushed it in her palm, grasping it.

"I got it!" And then she straightened herself up to see the Ood holding out their translator spheres inches away from their faces, and she gasped.

Then nothing happened. The seconds were tense as a nerve-racking silence followed, the only sounds being their four heartbeats pounding in their ears. The Ood switched off their translator balls then and brought them back to their chests, backing away and holding their heads in their hands. The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look as one of the Ood lifted its head, opening his eyes to reveal that they were back to normal.

"Doctor. Donna. Rose," he said in his usual casual voice. "Friends."

"Yes we are!" Rose cheered.

"That's us!" Donna said happily.

"Yes, that's us!" the Doctor said with a grin. "Friends! Oh, yes!"

Once they convinced the Ood that they were in fact allies the trio wasted no time in heading back outside in hopes to find out what exactly the third element was. What they ran into was complete chaos as they made it out into the base grounds of the complex. It had turned into a battleground. Every corner they turned in the snow they had to avoid getting caught in the middle of crossfire, dodging speeding bullets flying in the air as the guards unloaded on the red-eyed Ood as the creatures made their attacks, zapping and killing the humans dead with their translator balls. A strong gust of wind blew by them as well, flurries dancing wildly before them and blurring their vision briefly. The agonizing shouts pierced through their ears as they ran across the area.

Rose watched the scenes playing out, her stomach still uneasy. The feeling was mutual, rising more and more inside her husband as well. The Doctor always detested guns, and having to be surrounded by the very weapons he despised had him sitting on pins and needles. Suddenly coming to a stop they hid behind a barricade of barrels to get their bearings, looking around.

"How are we gonna find anything in this?" Rose shouted over the ruckus.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied with frustration, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. "I don't know where it is! I don't know where they've gone!"

He took off again and the women followed. "What're we looking for?" Donna hollered as they dodged more attacks.

"Might be underground!" he yelled. "Like some sort of cave or a cavern or—"

"A chamber?" Rose suggested.

"Maybe!" He came to another stop, scanning the area again.

More gunshots rang out, narrowly missing them by less than a foot. "Well we can't stay here to figure it out!" Rose hollered as she grabbed his hand and they charged forward, Donna close behind them.

They continued on through the madness around them, weaving through buildings and skidding around corner, not knowing exactly which direction they needed to go. They came across an area that seemed to be shielded off, so taking that opportunity the women took much needed breathers. The Doctor, on the other hand, was jittery as he bounced up and down in his spot impatiently waiting to keep going. Just as they were about to start moving again the three of them were thrown to the ground when a nearby explosion rocked the area. They kept their heads low until it was over. The Doctor popped up first and surveyed their surroundings before pushing himself up and helping the women.

"You all right?" he asked as he stood to his feet and held out his hands for both ladies.

"Fine," Rose answered, dusting the snow off of her outfit. "Donna, you okay?"

The other woman nodded as they helped her to her feet, coughing from the lingering smoke. Once it cleared they noticed a figure standing a few feet away before them. It was the Ood with the sigma symbol on his jacket that would follow Halpen around. He made a gesture at the three of them, motioning for them to follow. Exchanging looks the Doctor was the first to move, but Rose stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"You sure about this?" she asked quietly, studying the Ood.

"What other options do we have?" he replied. "We certainly can't stay here, and he could lead us in the right direction."

"But what if he's got those red eyes, too?" Donna chimed in.

Rose turned back to see the Ood watching them curiously, his head cocked to the side. Not only was it a little risky to join the creature that Halpen made his slave, maybe he was different. Unlike the other Ood this one was labeled. Maybe he was different?

She stepped forward. "Sorry, but…what's your designation?"

"Designated Ood Sigma," the Ood responded.

"Why should we trust you?" Donna called out. "How do we know if you'll turn…red-eyed?"

"I am immune to the infection," he said. "If you would please follow me Doctor, Donna, Rose…I believe you were searching for a location. It's right this way."

The Doctor turned to Rose. "See? He's perfectly fine," he said, grabbing her hand as they followed Ood Sigma.

Rose inwardly snorted. "There has to be a catch. I mean, it could never be _that_ simple. When is anything simple with us?"

He tilted his head back and forth. "Yeah…very rarely. But we'll never find the answers out here."

Following Ood Sigma, he led the trio to a warehouse labelled with the number '15'. The Doctor ran the sonic over the security panel, causing sparks to fly as the door opened. Once inside they hurried down the steps in hopes to find the third element. The interior seemed like an ordinary storage area but coming down the flight it was anything but that. Flickering red lights only added to the eerie feeling until they skidded to a stop when a cavern came into view. The song that had been reverberating in both his and Rose's ears increased, making their heads pound. She whispered again at the force and he squeezed her hand. Stepping out of the shadows they noticed a guardrail rounding a deep chasm. Releasing his grip on her hand he placed his hands on the railing to peer over.

It was the third element, the one thing that was keeping the Ood from fighting each other and silencing their song—a massive brain pulsating that was kept within an energy field held up with six pylons.

"Oh, my God," Donna said from the side, shocked.

"The Ood brain," the Doctor said, gazing upon the organ. "Now it all makes sense. That's the missing link. The third element, binding them together; forebrain, hindbrain, and this. The telepathic center. It's a shared mind…connecting all the Ood in song."

"So, it's a hive mind," Rose commented as she gripped the railing.

He nodded. "Exactly. The Ood are gestalts, bound together by a single entity, and this is it. A shared mind existing in every being of a particular race that linked them together, allowing them to access memories and feelings of each other."

The sound of a weapon clicking behind them echoed in the near silence of the warehouse. Turning around they saw Halpen emerging from the shadows while holding a gun in his hand. The Doctor was quick to shield the women, his insides churning. The last thing he wanted was for any of them to get shot. Especially his wife…again.

"Cargo," the CEO said. "I can always go into cargo. I've got the rockets, I've got the sheds. Smaller business. Much more manageable without livestock."

"They're not livestock," Donna growled. "They're people."

Halpen sighed dramatically. "Oh, you activists all think you're so priggish and sanctimonious."

"He's mined the area," Ryder explained as he followed suit, indicating disc-shaped explosives lining the building.

"You're gonna _kill_ it," Rose said angrily, maneuvering around the Doctor. "You can't do that! You destroy that brain, you kill every one of the Ood!"

"Genocide," the Doctor ground out, shifting to gently tug Rose back over to his side. He knew she was restraining herself from smacking the smug smile off of the man's face, but he was also carrying a loaded weapon.

"They found that thing centuries ago beneath the northern glacier," Halpen said, gesturing at the brain.

"Doctor," Rose said, looking over the railing. "Notice those pylons?"

He nodded. "Formed in a circle."

"'The circle must be broken'," Donna quoted what the Ood had been repeating.

"Dampening the telepathic field," the Doctor added with a frown. "Stopping the Ood from connecting for two hundred years."

"Turning them into _slaves_ ," Rose said with disgust.

"And you, Ood Sigma," Halpen said irritably. "You brought them here. I expected better."

"My place is at your side, sir," Sigma replied as he moved to do just that, remaining by the man's side.

Halpen chuckled. "Still subservient. Good Oo—" His sentence was cut off as if he choked. Rose narrowed her eyes at the man and exchanged a look with the Doctor.

"But if that barrier thing's in place," Donna spoke up. "How come the Ood started breaking out?"

"Maybe it's taken centuries to adapt," the Doctor replied. "The subconscious reaching out."

"But the process was too slow, had to be accelerated," Ryder explained, stepping forward. A wide smile suddenly spread across his face. "You should never have given me access to the controls, Mr. Halpen. I lowered the barrier to its minimum. Friends of the Ood, sir. It's taken me ten years to infiltrate the company. And I succeeded."

Halpen studied him, nodding. "Yes. Yes, you did." Almost instantly he grabbed the man by the jacket and pushed him hard towards the railing.

"No!" Both Rose and the Doctor shouted as they made a move to reach for the man's arm, but they were too late as his body plummeted into the chasm, his figure rapidly absorbing when making contact with the brain.

"You… _murdered_ him," Donna said with a quiet, horrified voice.

"Very observant, Ginger," Halpen sneered with a devilish grin. "Now then, can't say I've ever shot anyone before…can't say I'm gonna like it, but, uh, it's not exactly a normal day, is it? Still…"

He aimed the barrel of the gun to point at them, more specifically his target was pointed directly at Rose, and the Doctor swore he heard his hearts skip their beat, the only sound being the rushing of his ice cold blood in his ears. His vision blurred when the unwanted images came flooding back into his mind, the ones of a similar situation that led to an unpleasant and heartbreaking end and ached him for nine months. Rose was trembling inside, and he sensed it. Surely he knew those images were coming back to her, a partial amount transferred from the ripple effects, and it was showing.

Though his nerves were blenching from his anxiety he had enough composure to stand in front of his wife, like her protective shield.

 _"Doctor,"_ she thought to him.

 _"No,"_ he told her. _"Not again."_

If anyone was taking a shot, he'd be damned if it wasn't him. At least the chances of him coming back were foreseeable. Last time when Rose came back to him…it was something totally impossible. He knew he couldn't rely on Bad Wolf every time when Rose was put in a fatal predicament, because the next time that would happen he might not be able to save her or she wouldn't be able to find a way back to him. The Doctor's vision began to focus better as the flashbacks faded. He noticed how much paler Halpen was becoming, his arm shaking with the gun in his hand.

"Would you like a drink, sir?" Sigma asked, stepping out from behind the CEO with a glass in his hand.

"I think hair loss is the least of my problems right now, thanks," Halpen said with a laugh.

Sigma moved to stand in front of the trio, still holding the glass. "Please have a drink, sir."

The Doctor gently put a hand on his shoulder to try pushing him out of the way, but the Ood ignored him.

Halpen began to sweat and blinked rapidly. "If-if you're gonna stand in their way…I'll shoot you too."

His last words seemed to trouble him as he spoke them, almost as if he were talking in slow motion. The Doctor and Rose exchanged a curious look before studying the man.

"Please have a drink, sir," Sigma insisted.

"Have-have you… _poisoned_ me?" Halpen sputtered out with a cough.

"Natural Ood must never kill, sir," Sigma replied, raising the glass.

The Doctor peered at the contents, which appeared to be a clear liquid. "What is that stuff?"

"Ood-graft suspended in a biological compound," the Ood answered.

"No way," Rose said with a laugh.

Halpen wasn't amused as his state was looking even more unwell. "What the hell does that mean?" he demanded.

"Oh, dear," the Doctor said, a smile brightening his face.

"Tell me!"

"Funny thing, the subconscious. Takes all sorts of shapes. It came out in the red-eye as revenge. It came out in the rabid Ood as anger. And then there was patience." The Doctor laughed. "All that intelligence and mercy focused on Ood Sigma."

"So, Mr. Halpen," Rose said innocently. "How's the hair loss?"

The CEO was shaking uncontrollably, his attention on Ood Sigma. He brought a hand to his head and smoothed back his receeding hairline…and ended up having a handful slide off and stay in his fingers when he pulled them back. "What have you done?"

"Oh, they've been preparing you for a very long time," the Doctor said, observing the man. "And now you're standing next to the Ood brain. Mr. Halpen, can you hear it? Listen."

The song became louder, and it seemed that the CEO heard it and Rose grinned.

"What have you—I'm…not—"

His state was becoming more ill as the gun slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor, his body looking as if he were having a seizure. Sigma stepped out of the way while the others watched as the man before them began his transformation. Halpen let out a cry of agony as he raised his hands to clutch his head. Scraping his nails down his scalp a sickening feeling came over Rose and Donna when they saw his skin peeling off, revealing a shining ivory-colored Ood head underneath. His mouth opened when he made a choking sound as tentacles dropped out. Straightening his body, he patted his head and blinked a few times.

Donna could barely form a thought. "They-they…turned him into…an Ood?"

"Yup," Rose said casually, while she was both wary and fascinated by the change.

"He's an Ood," the other woman said slowly, still trying to grasp it.

The Doctor nodded. "I noticed."

"That's different," Rose commented.

Halpen then made an unusual gurgling sound before coughing up his hindbrain, the organ cradled in his palms as he blinked in confusion.

"He has become Ood-kind," Sigma said, moving to stand by his side. "And we will take care of him."

Donna raised her hands to her temple, shaking her head. "It's weird being with you two. I can't tell what's right and what's wrong anymore."

"It's better that way," the Doctor said, reaching for Rose's hand. "People who know for certain tend to be like Mr. Halpen."

"They turn into an Ood?" Rose inquired with a teasing smile.

He shook his head and nudged her shoulder. "Nah, not all of them," he joked before a loud beep got his attention. "Oh!" He ran over to the rails and reached over to disable the detonation packs. "That's better. And now…Ood Sigma, will you allow me the honor?"

Sigma bowed slightly. "It is yours, Doctor."

A wide smile appeared on his face. "Oh, yes!" He ran over to the equipment and worked on various controls that powered the energy field. "Stifled for over two hundred years but not anymore. The circle is broken. The Ood can sing!"

Flipping a switch he spun around in a circle and turned back to the brain, watching as the field shut off. Soon the song that had filled their minds expressing deep anguish was uplifted, echoing throughout the planet with harmonious melodies of rejoicing. The Doctor couldn't help but laugh at the beautiful sound. Ood Sigma raised his arms up, letting his kin release their souls into the winds.

"I can hear it!" Donna said with a smile.

Slight tears brimmed her eyes, but this time they were tears of joy. What had started out as a heartbreaking tune sang by hopeless beings had changed and turned into one of complete happiness. Now she understood. The universe, while had its times of darkness, was still wonderful. And the proof of that was around them now. The Ood were finally freed from isolation and could walk amongst the universe in peace. The Doctor wrapped an arm around Rose's shoulders and brought her close to him. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head and closed his eyes, reveling in the euphony that was the song of freedom playing through the air.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Leaving the warehouse the trio headed back out across the snowy plain to follow the path to the TARDIS. Ood Sigma accompanied them as well as a queue of other Ood. The melody continued to echo across the sky, and it warmed each of their hearts.

"The message has gone out," the Doctor said when they came to a stop in front of the TARDIS. "That song resonated across the galaxies. Everyone heard it. Everyone knows. The rockets are bringing them back. The Ood are coming home."

"Right where they belong," Rose added with a smile. "Free to do whatever they want."

"We thank you, Doctor, Donna, Rose," Sigma said. "Friends of Ood-kind. And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for all of you."

"Oh, I've…sorta got a song of my own, thanks," the Doctor said, wrapping his arm around Rose's shoulders.

"Yes, you do, Doctor," Sigma said casually, cocking his head to the side as he studied him. "Your song has changed."

The Doctor frowned. "Meaning?"

"What used to be a lonely lament turned into a lively melody thanks to the howling wolf," Sigma explained. "Your future has changed and is written across the stars. There are additional songs as well. One that will be out of tune…one that will be returning from the ashes…" He turned to Rose. "And another that will also rise from the ashes."

"Riiiight," the Doctor drawled, glancing over at Rose briefly before wrapping an arm around her waist protectively. The last thing he wanted was more obscure prophecies being told to them. And, once again, he was puzzled by their possible meanings.

Rose eyed Sigma, curious about what he was referring to, but she had a feeling he might not know himself. Or did he? The Ood then stepped up to her, her curious look never fading. "They are returning," he told her.

She nodded slowly, not really knowing who exactly 'they' were. But then something had clicked. Evelina had said the same thing back in Pompeii. "Who is? What do we do?" she asked him, noting her husband's intrigued glance.

"You will know when the time comes," Sigma replied.

"Okay…" That wasn't really helpful, but she supposed she didn't have to worry about that right now. She brushed it aside and turned to their friend. "Uh, what about you, Donna? Still wanna go home?"

"No," she said with a smile. "Definitely not."

"Good to hear," Rose said as she pulled out of her husband's arms to pull the other woman in a hug.

"Then we'll be off," the Doctor said to the Ood.

"Take this song with you," Sigma said, raising his arm along with his kin.

"We will," Rose said with a smile. "Thanks."

"Always," the Doctor added genuinely.

"And know this," Sigma said. "You will never be forgotten. Our children and our children's children will sing of your deeds, and the wind and the ice and the snow will carry your names forever."

The Doctor nodded, smiling when the Ood's song continued on. He placed his hands on both Rose and Donna's backs as he turned them away from the Ood and led them over to the TARDIS. Unlocking it he ushered the women inside and took one last look at the creatures before slipping inside. The three of them shrugged off their heavier layers, the Doctor throwing his coat over the coral strut as he headed up the ramp. Rose was already standing by the controls, her hand on the lever.

"After the way you handled our landing here, I'm sending us off this time," she said with a teasing grin.

"No arguments from me," he replied with a smirk, holding his hands up.

Rose pulled the brake and the TARDIS began to dematerialize. The three of them watched on the screen as the Ood stood in their circle, arms raised as the song came through the speakers and filled the console room until they were off in the vortex. Rose noticed Donna moving to lean against one of the coral struts, an unreadable expression on her face.

"You okay Donna?" she asked.

The other woman nodded. "Yeah. It's just…seeing those creatures being treated like slaves, and then…you both saved them."

" _You_ saved them too, Donna," the Doctor told her.

"Yeah," she said with a half shrug, still looking a bit upset about something.

Rose moved over to her and gently placed a hand on her arm. "Hey, what's wrong? You saved an entire species, Donna. You're brilliant."

"Not when compared to you two," she replied glumly. "You two are just so much…more. You run across the stars in your little blue box, saving planets and galaxies and species—"

"And you helped us," the Doctor stressed. "Donna Noble, how could think so little about yourself like that? You're special in your own way. You really don't believe that? All that attitude, 'cause all this time you thought you're not worth it. Shouting at the world 'cause no one's listening—"

"Stop it," she said, sounding irritated.

"But that's not what he's saying," Rose cut in gently, wrapping her arm around Donna's shoulders. "What he means to say is that all you can do is stop and look at what you did. The good that you've done. How you helped save the universe back in Pompeii and all of the Ood. They're singing songs about _you,_ Donna. They'll never forget the good you did for them."

"Because that's who you are," the Doctor added, moving to stand in front of the woman, a proud look on his face. "You wanted to help them, you _want_ to help people. And that's more than good, that's _brilliant._ Even more than that. Every person is important, even if they don't know it. I dunno who ever gave you the idea that you're unimportant, because you're _not_ _,_ Donna Noble. You don't have to be alien or mostly human to be brilliant. You just be _yourself._ Be yourself like only _you_ can. You're so important. Your deeds are very noble, indeed," he added with a grin.

Donna shook her head, a smile on her face. "God, that's cheesy."

"Take my word, he's said _far_ worse than that," Rose snorted, making the Doctor roll his eyes.

"It's just…seeing what you two do to give those hopeless creatures a chance," Donna mentioned. "And that song…when I first heard it, it was heartbreaking. I didn't wanna hear it. And now…it's amazing."

"That's how the universe is, Donna," Rose spoke up, dropping her arm. "It's wide and huge and beautiful and terrible at the same time. There's all sorts of people and beings out there, both good-hearted and rotten. You'd hope that everyone should be better, but that's not always the case. 'Cause there's a lot of bad things out there." She paused and looped an arm through the Doctor's. "But not everyone is bad. Just like the days. Not all days are terrible. Some are lovely. Some are perfect and wonderful. Some days not everyone can be saved, but others could have everyone live, where you don't have to run for your life but you just live it. Yeah, lots of days are dark…but there's always a light shining behind them."

The Doctor smiled proudly and leaned over to press a kiss to her hair. His wife always knew how to say the right things. "And then there's always time for tea," he added lightly.

Donna snorted and rolled her eyes. "God, the pair of you. I think a shower is in order. I'm feeling rank."

Both of them nodded as she headed down the corridor. The Doctor turned to face the console, his hands fiddling with the console. Rose studied him for a moment and placed a hand on his arm, stroking it gently.

"You all right?" she asked.

"'Course I am," he replied without hesitation. "Fine and dandy." He pulled a face. "Eugh, never saying that again. But no, I'm fine. Fine, fine, fine."

She arched an eyebrow, not buying it. "It wasn't like last time," she told him softly. "I'm here and we're okay."

His hands stilled. "What?"

"About earlier…when Halpen held the gun…" His body stiffened a bit, a muscle working in his jaw. She raised her hands to either side of his face, turning him around. "Hey, it's okay. They're just images."

"They still happened," he whispered, swallowing hard. "At one time, they existed."

Rose nodded, biting her lip. "That doesn't matter 'cause we're here. I'm right here."

The Doctor inhaled a shuddering breath before wrapping his arms around her, nuzzling the top of her head. They stayed that way for a few moments before pulling back.

"So," Rose began, lightly brushing the tips of her fingers over his bristly sideburns. "About another scene from earlier…"

His grin made her melt inside. "How could I forget?" He leaned in to kiss her, but she placed a hand on his chest to stop him. His brows furrowed in confusion.

"I think a nice shower is in order for us, too," she replied, then threw him a sultry grin. "Care to join me?"

"You really have to ask?" he asked in a low voice, his fingers dancing along her spine, making her shiver.

She put on a thoughtful expression, moving her eyes up to the ceiling as she lowered her hands to unbutton his suit jacket. "No, but it's always nice to hear your responses."

He hummed. "True as that is, on some occasions actions can speak louder than words."

"Don't I know it?" she purred as she pushed his jacket off his shoulders. Turning around she took both his arms and wrapped them around her and gently tugged him down the corridor.


	13. Recollections

**A/N: Meant to post this yesterday, but I was caught up with the new season of Bojack Horseman.** **As always, much love to you lovely viewers! I adore you all :D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12: Recollections**_

Donna exited her room, refreshed after taking a much deserved hot shower and a quick kip, also from what her friends had told her. All her life back home she was never told that she was special by anyone—save for her granddad, of course. But she couldn't honestly remember another time when someone said she was important. Her mother certainly wasn't the type of person to say so. Every day of her constant nagging and irritation was all she knew how to do. Sure she would always brush them off and ignore them as always, trying not to let the judgements get to her, but sometimes they slipped through and made her glum. Made her think about the dull and boring life she grew up knowing.

Prior to joining the Doctor and Rose in the TARDIS she tried to live her life, tried to be fantastic and do things. Life, of course, had other ideas for her when she began travelling the world but it could never amount to the sights that she saw that Christmas day with those two. Her mother never helped. Their relationship had worsened after the incident with Lance. It was impossible to try talking to her since everything turned into a forceful rant. She still loved her, though. She recalled the last rant her mother went on, babbling about how her only daughter said that she would only be moving in for a couple of weeks which soon turned into months when there were no jobs available, as well as decent men, and how it was futile to sit around dreaming about a better life and that no one was going to come along with a magic wand and make life all better.

Maybe not a wand, but a blue police box was possible of doing that. While she would drown out the sounds and rambling of her mother, some of her comments still got to her. And, yes, it only lowered her self esteem a few notches and added more to her insecurities. She hadn't meant to slip a little of them out earlier in front of her friends, but they told her things she's never heard many people tell her, and it made her better. Made her feel more like herself. Made her feel like she fit in their little gang. The way they lived their lives was different and completely mad, but it was exciting. And they never stop. There's no directory or guide to lead them to another destination. They just ended up wherever, whenever.

There was danger, she was warned about that when she signed up for this lifestyle. There was excitement, whether it be the uplifting kind or the type to make one stupefied and shocked. There was an awful amount of running involved that was enough for a membership at a gym. There was a lot of wonderful and terrible sights out there in the world, but all the same it was a better life.

Lost in her thoughts Donna headed down the corridor to end up near the media room. This ship was massive much like her library of films. Maybe the gushy couple could join her when they were done with…whatever it was that they were doing. Through she had a pretty good idea of what the activity was. _Married_ life.

She came across a certain door marked with some kind of circular symbol and lines crossing it. She assumed it was the Doctor's home language considering that nearly every room had it. _Why couldn't everything be in English?_ At least the TARDIS could help her find the right place though. Her hand went to the knob and she heard a film already. Twisting the knob she entered to find Rose sitting on the sofa, relaxing with her legs brought under her as she was engrossed in her film, a small bowl on her lap.

"Sorry," Donna said. "Didn't know you were in here."

"No, 's okay. Jus' came in here about ten minutes ago," the blonde said. "Been a little while since we had a movie night."

"Where's your better half? Seems too rare for the two of ya to be apart with each other."

Rose snorted. "Heard that way too many times. He's in the console room right now, fixin' up the TARDIS."

"He do that a lot?"

"Every once in a while. Sometimes the Old Girl needs a tune up. 'Course lots of times he accidentally messes with the wrong control and we end up drifting until he gets it right, which could take weeks."

"He's had this ship for, what, _hundreds_ of years, and he _still_ doesn't know what control does what?" Donna asked incredulously. "Blimey, no wonder why his driving's all wonky. You should definitely take the wheel more often."

Rose laughed. "I think his manly ego's been wounded enough times today, but I've already told him that. He may be over nine hundred years old, but he's the equivalent of a five year old boy."

"I believe it," Donna chortled as she settled down on the empty spot on the couch. Her eyes fell to the television, finally realizing what Rose had been watching before she had walked in. "Ooh, James Bond," she remarked with a smile. "My gramps always watched these when I was young."

"Same here," Rose said. "Me and my mum would watch them once and a while. She was never really into spy movies, but she fancied Sean Connery."

"That's enough of an attention grabber, then!"

They both laughed at that. Rose set the bowl off of her lap and placed it in between them, offering Donna the treat filling it up—popcorn smothered in butter and melted nacho cheese, the perfect snack to munch on during a movie. Taking a small handful she popped them in her mouth, enjoying the taste.

"Oh, my God," Donna said, eyeing the bowl. "This is the best cheddar I've ever tasted."

"'S amazing. We picked up a few cartons of this stuff on some planet a few months ago. The people claimed it was 'liquid gold'," Rose added with air quotes.

"Well, whether it's worth a bit or not, it's delicious. Definitely the best topping."

"You bet. Even beats grated cheese and cinnamon."

"What?" Donna said with a short laugh, turning to the blonde.

Rose waved her hand dismissively. "That's what the Doctor prefers on his popcorn. Not only does he drown the stuff with butter and the cheese, but he even adds grated cheese and some cinnamon for more taste. Sometimes he puts actual slices of cheese on top and lets it melt."

Donna arched an eyebrow. "That's odd," she said, reaching for more. "Who puts grated cheese and cinnamon on popcorn? I never heard anyone on Earth do that."

"He _claimed_ it was an old Earth favorite, but then he said it was just his own personal preference," Rose said, then smiled. "It's actually not _that_ bad, but not what I'd go for."

Donna snorted. "Sounds like something an alien would do. 'Least he doesn't pour any of that…slime or whatever it was on top." The other woman laughed. "Probably a kick to his hyperactivity."

"God, you don't know _half_ the things that make him bounce all over the place," Rose proclaimed dramatically. "Imagine how he is when he drinks a certain type of hot chocolate."

"I hardly think he sleeps so much what with him always bouncing about."

"Yeah, he doesn't need as much sleep as humans do. And, well, I guess I really don't either, but still human enough."

"He's said that's a habit of yours."

"Too many times he's thrown that in my face," the blonde said with a head shake. "He only needs about an hour or two, but that was before we…" she trailed off and blushed, consciously scratching her eyebrow.

Donna rolled her eyes and snickered. "I'm actually a bit surprised you haven't got any paper cuts all over yourself, he's so _skinny_."

Rose giggled. "Even if I ever did get paper cuts they'd disappear right away." Donna looked at her oddly. "Healing factor," she clarified. "If I were to get a small cut on my knee it would stitch itself back together in a minutes."

"Wow. Bet you could survive a bullet wound too, huh?" she said jokingly.

Her light mood dropped when Rose pressed her lips together in a straight line before bringing a thumb to her mouth and biting her nail, appearing uncomfortable. Donna mentally kicked herself. Did she say something offensive? She hadn't meant anything, she was merely cracking a small joke. Unless…something severe had happened to her relating to the subject and it triggered negative thoughts.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to say—"

"It's fine, Donna," Rose assured. "You didn't say anything wrong, really."

She hesitated before asking, "Did…something happen?"

"Yeah…" the blonde responded, picking at the nails of one hand as she rested her elbow on the armrest. "It's…kind of a long story."

"You said the story about your last meeting with the Ood was a long one," Donna pointed out gently.

"True," Rose said, tilting her head from side to side. "But…it really is a long one, and…a lot happened. A _whole_ lot. To sum it all up though…I can't survive gunshot wounds. At least in certain places. I found that out already."

Donna furrowed her brows, still bewildered. Did she go through some kind of scan or system that informed her? Surely she couldn't have died and come back to life. Or…maybe she went through one of those incidents where people could hook themselves up to machines and go through simulation screenings.

"How d'you know that?" she asked.

"I already know 'cause…" Rose began, pausing for a moment before continuing, her voice sounding a bit thick. "Because I died once."

Donna let out a weak laugh. "No," she denied, shaking her head. "Y-you…you didn't _actually_ die…you're right here." Rose just stared at her. "You mean…like one of those near-death experiences where your heart stops beating but then you're revived?"

Rose took a deep breath. "Not…really, no. I _actually_ died. I was shot twice in the chest, but the thing is that it happened during a point that was erased from time itself, so it's as if it never happened. Sort of."

Donna blinked and opened her mouth to say something more, but she was left with no other words to respond to. The answer only raised more questions and made her unable to grasp the understandings.

Rose turned in her seat to face her, crossing her legs. "Those images aren't things I ever wanna think about ever again," she said, her eyes fixed on the bowl of popcorn. "Neither me or the Doctor do, but…we'll always have them no matter what." She paused. Her uneasiness was clear so Donna was about to tell her she didn't have to bring up anything she wasn't comfortable with to talk about. "You remember…Harold Saxon?" Rose asked warily.

Donna nodded. "That politician?"

"Yeah…thing was…he kidnapped me and held me captive for a long time and…well…he told his guards to shoot me."

Her eyes widened in shock. She remembered seeing that bloke's campaign commercials on the telly and, although she never really trusted political figures anyways, she voted for him for some odd reason. As it turned out he was a raving lunatic. "You really _did_ die," she whispered.

"I _was_ dead, but at the same time, not _really._ I became this…spirit, and turned into this entity called Bad Wolf."

"That name, Evelina called you that, didn't she? And…that Ood said something about a wolf, too."

"Yeah, that name's just as popular as the Doctor across the universe," Rose said with a sigh. "But the thing was that I lived on as a spirit for nine months until the Doctor turned back time when the Ma—Saxon made a paradox machine. That's the main thing to take away from that, though. The Doctor fixed everything and that whole year was erased from time."

Donna nodded slowly, absorbing all of the other woman's words and trying to wrap her head around the fact that her friend had actually _died_ and came back to life. "So…you died and came back to life when time reversed, right?" Rose nodded. "But you said it was erased. How could you remember it if it didn't technically _happen_?"

"Well, only a handful of people remember everything that happened—including the Doctor. You remember earlier when we said that we can communicate through our minds? That's how I saw the events through his eyes. We're connected. I saw the images like they were scenes from a movie, everything the Doctor saw when he lived through it. I saw it all. And…then I saw things from that year when I was a spirit before time was reversed."

"But how could that be possible?"

Rose chuckled briefly and shrugged. "Still have no idea to this day. It was all sort of locked away in the back of my mind and…it opened. Still does every once in a while, but…it's fine. We're both fine now."

Donna studied her, recalling not only all of the suffering she borrowed from the Ood's song, but she remembered when both Rose and the Doctor had told her that it had been a while since they last met her. When they mentioned that they had settled on the duration of their marriage due to the differing time periods after being separated from each other by another force. That Harold Saxon bloke was the force. Grasping everything from that she remembered the Doctor saying that Rose had lived eighteen months into their marriage and then an additional three, then in that time he lived through an entire year. She had lived through their marriage six months more than him. They both looked older for a reason—they had suffered during those times.

"I'm so sorry," Donna said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Rose inhaled a deep breath. "'S fine. We're both fine now. All that matters is that everything turned out for the better now. As if I would actually get myself killed after our honeymoon," she added with a snort.

Donna chuckled at that, humoring her for saying that comment. "God, the pair of you are just so full of surprises."

"That's us."

Both women then relaxed on the sofa, resuming their previous activities of chewing on the toothsome smothered popcorn while watching James Bond doing what he did best. Donna whistled again at one scene and Rose laughed, attempting to do the same. "Good thing the Doctor isn't in here, he'd probably pout at the sound of that," Donna said with a laugh of her own.

Rose scoffed at that. "You should see how he gets when we're around Captain Jack. You saw his reaction to when I called him gorgeous that time."

That perked Donna's interest. "Is he really _that_ gorgeous?"

"You bet," Rose answered with a grin. "Hold on, I've got some pictures…"

She straightened herself up just as a sudden zapping sound came from the side. It caught Donna by surprise when she turned in its direction. The other woman reached over the arm of the sofa to retrieve a thick leather bound scrapbook. Opening it she flipped through various pages, darting over the many photos and other mementos that filled the pages.

"Here we go," Rose proclaimed, stopping on a specific page. She shifted in her seat to move closer, pointing at a picture. "That's Captain Jack."

Donna studied the photo and whistled at the man shown. An incredibly handsome man that resembled Tom Cruise, and he even had a movie-star smile to add to his appearance. His hair was dark and he had sparkling blue eyes. The uniform he wore looked to be one from World War II, completing his look of a war hero.

"Now he's a _real_ looker," she commented.

"Wait 'til you see him in person," Rose said dreamily. "Next time the Old Girl has to refuel we'll stop by Cardiff to see him and his team. He's an inherent flirt, just so you know."

"Oh, I definitely have to meet this man now!" Donna said with a laugh.

Rose nodded, laughing along with her. "You two would get along for sure!"

She continued to flip through the scrapbook, telling Donna the story of how both she and the Doctor first encountered the dashing man in London during the Blitz in 1941 and how he travelled with them for a little while. And how the Doctor wasn't too keen on having him around in the early days.

"Always was possessive of you," Donna said with another laugh.

"Never changed," Rose said. "Well, he's always the same man, no matter what. With just a couple minor changes."

Donna looked at her, a little confused. "I don't suppose that's another nod to that comment you made about when he was a different man back then."

"Yeah, it is."

She then turned to the next page of the scrapbook, revealing a picture of herself standing with Jack, then to one on the next page showing her with an older blonde and two other blokes.

"Who're they?" Donna asked, pointing at it.

"That's my old mate Mickey," Rose said, identifying the young man with dark skin. Why did he seem familiar? "And that's my mum," she pointed at the woman. She paused. "They're not around here anymore. They're…gone."

"I'm sorry," Donna said softly before nodding at the ruggedly handsome man with short cropped hair and big ears—impressively big, that was—clad from head to toe in black with a large toothy grin on his face and a twinkle in his eyes as he glanced at Rose. "Who's that? Seems to have quite the eye on you."

The blonde smiled warmly. "That's the Doctor."

Donna stared at the picture for a moment, then back at the other woman. "You're pulling my leg."

"No, 'm serious."

"How could _this_ be _the_ _Doctor_?" Donna asked incredulously, studying the man. There was no way that was the Doctor. But for some reason, she had to admit, she could actually see the skinny bloke with spiky hair in the other man's eyes. "Is that like a name that's passed down or something? 'The Doctor'? Like, his father or…?"

"No, it's actually _him,_ Donna," Rose stressed. "This is what the Doctor looked like when we first met."

 _Not bad,_ Donna thought. Although…growing his hair in was definitely an improvement as well as taking care of those ears. He could practically flap them and fly away in the sky. "So, repairs then," she surmised.

Rose smiled ruefully. "Guess you could say that, but it's totally different than what you're thinking about. No nip-tucking or stuff like that."

"How do you mean?"

"There's this process Time Lords go through when they're dying. It's called regeneration. It's sort of a way to cheat death where he can change his appearance. His whole body goes through the change." She tapped a finger on the man in leather. "This was how he was before, when I first started travelling with him; serious, broody, sassy—you'd definitely get along with that version of him. And now…well, you see how he is," she added with a grin. "Manic, bouncy, and over the top. 'Course…he still acts like his past Northern self every once and a while, but that's a part of the change. He's always the same man no matter what face he wears."

Talk about repairs, that was so…alien. "You two…you're just bonkers!" she exclaimed.

Rose grinned widely. "You bet! The very first day we met he blew up my job."

"What?" Then the blonde told the story about how she came to meet her future husband, when she punched out of her job at the shop only to go down into the basement to find living plastic mannequins. Then the Doctor saved her and then the next day she saved him. "Ain't that romantic," Donna chuckled. "Quite the charmer, he is."

"And he made me pay for chips 'cause he's stingy when it comes to money," Rose added. "He never carries Earth currency."

"Oh, I knew that. The day I met you for the first time he couldn't pay for a taxi."

"He's been on my tab since then," Rose said, shutting the scrapbook and setting it aside on the small table in front of the sofa. "He'll be in debt if he owes you money now."

Donna shook her head. "I'm not worried about it now. It just astounds me how…alien he is, that husband of yours."

"Trust me, I know. Lots of times it's not hard to miss and other times it's hard to remember. Those two hearts of his give it away quickly, though."

"That and the fact that he can change his whole persona."

"Mostly," the blonde said. "His memories and morals stay the same, but his mannerisms change. Not all of his habits though, 'cause like I already told you, he was even a cheapskate back then."

"Oi, I'm not cheap!"

Both women turned at the affronted tone of the Doctor as he stood in the doorway of the media room, his jacket gone and his tie loosened with the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up.

"'M still waiting for the ten quid you owe me," Rose remarked when the volume of the film lowered. "And every expense coming from the chips I bought for you. Don't tell me that ain't parsimonious."

"Far from it," he snorted. "I'm capable of paying for many a things, Rose, you know that."

"Not on _Earth_ you're not. On _Noel_ on the other hand…"

"On the contrary. I've paid for things on Earth. And, if I remember correctly, a few of them were for those greasy potatoes you love so much."

Rose snorted. "What a contribution; twice. You still gotta make up for the thousands of other times."

The Doctor huffed. "Only after you pay up your part of the bill that you still owe me."

She tapped a finger on her chin, putting on a thoughtful expression. "I'd say that could be put to order…not through a money order, but more along the lines of…something more worthy."

"Other means of…gratification, then," he said with a low voice. "I can live with that."

"You two are so mushy I'm gonna gag," Donna said with a dramatic sigh, then gestured at the television screen. "Even Sean Connery's getting nauseous."

"You started movie night without me?" the Doctor asked petulantly. His tone was the perfect reflection of his facial expression, resembling a little boy left out of some kind of activity.

"You were the one who decided to tinker in the console room," Rose pointed out. "Not our fault you take so long trying to reattach some wires and circuits. I shoulda stayed in there and did it myself."

"Oi!" he cried. "I've had this ship for centuries. That entails that I know what I'm doing when the Old Girl needs a bit of fixin' up."

"Bet it would've gotten done faster had I done it," she teased.

He shook his head and smiled faintly. "With all due respect, Rose, I know you're familiar with the TARDIS' operations and controls, but there's still a lot you've got to learn."

Rose straightened her posture and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah? What was it you were working on exactly?"

"Well…there was a small kink in the psycho-telemeter, more specifically in the genetic sampler that—"

"Uses a psycho-telemetric circuit that allows the TARDIS to track DNA strands of a certain item, including where it came from," Rose supplied as-a-matter-of-factly. "Did you have to reattach the bio-tuners to the samplers?"

Both the Doctor and Donna raised their brows in astonishment, the former blinking rapidly as if he couldn't believe the words that came out of his wife's mouth. "Ehm…yeah, actually."

"Then it shouldn't have taken you so long to do something as simple as that."

Donna couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud. "I think your wife just set you right!"

The Doctor chortled as he moved over towards the sofa. "Not the first time that's happened."

"And it won't be the last," Rose replied with a cheeky grin, moving the popcorn bowl to give him room to sit.

He returned the smile as he plopped down between both women, his eyes lighting up when he caught sight of the film they were watching. "Ooh, _Goldfinger._ Brilliant choice, it's one of the classics."

"I was half expecting you to suggest the _Muppet Movie_ again," Rose said, grabbing the bowl of popcorn and placing it on her lap.

"Is that on the set list?" he asked, a little too hopefully.

"We've seen that far too many times before," Rose groaned.

"The _Muppet_ _Movie_?" Donna asked with an arched eyebrow.

The Doctor grinned. "Oh, yes!"

"It's one of his favorite movies," Rose informed. "He's seen it over a thousand times, and that was way before he met me. Since I've been around it's climbed up five hundred more."

"I wouldn't say it was _that_ many times," the Doctor commented, slipping one of his arms around Rose's shoulders and the other to rest on the back of the sofa. "In fact if my calculations are correct—and they always are—since we've been together, we've watched the _Muppet_ _Movie_ …" he squinted and pressed his tongue to the back of his upper row of teeth. "Only one hundred and thirty-eight times," he calculated.

"Oh, _only_ one hundred and thirty-eight times," Donna snorted.

"Told you before, Donna, he's a little boy," Rose mentioned.

"I'm nine hundred and four!" he cried.

"And you can act like a stubborn toddler at times."

He rolled his eyes. "Still, it's a classic. You can never go wrong with the classics."

"Fanboy," Rose said with a smile.

Donna nudged his shoulder. "Cheer up, alien boy. There's nothing wrong with some spy action."

"No arguments from me," he said. "At least _this_ is something more relevant than some of those other ludicrous choices. Which, to be honest, I've no idea _why_ they're stocked up in the movie library to begin with."

"'Cause your rants and criticism is always much appreciated," she replied as she chewed on some popcorn, moving it over to let him and Donna have some. "And before you say anything, there's only butter and cheese on the popcorn."

"Grated cheese?" the Doctor asked, his eyes lighting up a little.

"Just nacho and butter."

"No grated? Don't suppose you added any cinnamon?"

Rose shook her head. "Couldn't find any. Besides, there's nothin' wrong with this."

"Oh, no no no, I wasn't saying that," he assured as he popped some in his mouth. "This is delicious. Although…the more added toppings means even more flavor. Satisfying those taste buds with a variety of options."

"Sorry to break it to you, love, but you finished all—"

Rose didn't bother to finish her sentence when the Doctor reached into his jacket and pulled out two small bottles with labels printed in some alien language. Popping the lids off he tilted them over the bowl and tapped his fingers on the sides, sprinkling the contents over the popcorn.

"There we go!" he said happily, grabbing a mouthful and shoving it in his mouth. He nodded in satisfaction.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Should've known."

Donna peered over to find out what it was and she raised her brows at him. "You carry bottles of grated cheese and cinnamon in your pockets?"

"Erre egger uh a isside," he spoke, his words indistinguishable as he mumbled over his snack.

"Doctor," Rose muttered, elbowing his side. "Manners."

He turned to her with the most innocent face, his cheeks puffed out from the large intake of popcorn. After a moment he swallowed and nodded, leaning back into the couch and cuddling next to his wife. He turned to Donna. "Anyways, like I was saying, bigger on the inside. Perfect size ratio for carrying the bare essentials needed in any situation."

"And bottles of grated cheese and cinnamon are categorized as 'bare essentials'?" Donna scoffed.

"Those're nothing compared to the other things he carries," Rose said, nestling into her husband's side and patting his chest. "He's got bunches of bananas somewhere in here."

"Why d'you need so many bananas?"

"Why not?" the Doctor retorted. "Bananas are good."

Rose groaned and he clicked his tongue and winked while Donna rolled her eyes. Mad as hatters those two were. But they were made for each other, there was no denying that.

The three continued to watch the film, the Doctor perking their interests by going on lengthy lectures about other various James Bond films and other random topics. Rose had made a comment about the 007 agent, joking that he may be based off of Time Lords because he was supposedly around for a long time, getting involved in certain events over the years and never aged that much. He immediately denied it and said that it was impossible. She then pressed his buttons more by pointing out how there were different appearances of James Bond, much like he himself had different incarnations over the years. He scoffed and said it was irrelevant.

Once _Goldfinger_ ended the Doctor was quick to recommend the original _Muppet Movie,_ much to Rose's slight annoyance. So they ended up watching that anyways, both women laughing when the Doctor began to sing along to every song. Donna couldn't help but notice the tenderness being displayed beside her as the couple held each other close, snuggling in their arms as they watched on. She thought back to what Rose had told her as well as the Doctor had the night before, her mind then backtracking to imagining the suffering they both went through. All of the pain and loss they both dealt with until finally reuniting. But through it all they were still together.

An hour and a half later Rose suggested they watch one of the other Muppet movies, specifically one from the future. "Yes or no on the future Muppet movie?" she asked.

The Doctor shrugged. "Okay. Mind you, nothing will ever surpass the one that started them all."

"So you've seen it before?" Donna asked.

"Nope. Not once."

"You have so many films from the future and you never watched it once?"

"Never occurred to me," he said. "There's a wide selection of films in here that I wasn't even aware were in my collection. Which reminds me, I forgot to do away with some questionable choices."

"Like _Bill and Ted_?" Rose inquired with a silly grin.

The Doctor guffawed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Exactly! That's the first that has to go!"

Both women laughed at that until Donna let out a yawn. "Sorry guys, but I feel like I'm ready to drop. I'm gonna turn in."

"Sure you can't stay up to watch?" the Doctor asked when she stood. "There's probably catchy songs in this one too."

"And then you'll ruin them by singing along," his wife teased.

"Oi!"

"'M kiddin'. You have a beautiful voice…when it doesn't sound like nails on chalkboard on high notes."

He made a grumbling sound and pulled another childish moue.

"Could be worse," Donna remarked. "'Least you don't sound like a dying cat."

"Thanks for that, Donna," the Doctor said with an eye roll.

"Night you two lovebirds," she told them as she exited the room.

The Doctor and Rose remained in their spots on the sofa with her beside him, his arm wrapped around her back as she rested her head on his chest with her legs stretched across his lap. They watched the future Muppets Movie that would come out in a few years. It wasn't bad at all, he had to admit. The opening number was a good one, very catchy and lively. A good set up for the movie. Even during the happy tune he couldn't stop his mind from wandering around something that was nagging at him.

Those words told to them from Ood Sigma replayed themselves in his ears, overlapping with the prophecies said by the Pompeii soothsayers. Two adventures in a row and they gave off eerie effects. What did he mean when he said 'your song has changed?' Something about a lonely tune changing into a lively one because of a howling wolf, and it changed his future. He could surmise what parts of that meant—Rose. Unclear though those words were he knew that was what Sigma was referring to. It was obvious she had changed his life in more ways than one, but what did that mean for their future really? Never would he dare peek to look ahead in their intertwining timelines. Lots of times he stressed that he loved not knowing and that it kept him going and always perked his musings, but he wished he knew what would become of him and his wife down the long and winding road.

Not only did his song change—whatever the exact meaning of that meant—but there were 'additional songs'. What was it he said? One out of tune? Did that infer something bad? Why was it always songs? All of these recondite speculations were buzzing around in his mind much to his dissatisfaction. The very last thing he wanted was to dwell on any of these prognostications. For the second time they were told that songs would rise from the ashes. What the hell did that mean? And why did Sigma look at Rose when he said it? The Doctor held his breath. That couldn't mean what he didn't want it to mean, it just couldn't. Was something going to happen to Rose again? His anxiety washed over him, recalling the events of the past whenever cryptic warnings came their way. The end results were never anything to look forward to. He had enough of those damn terrors lingering inside of him.

He wouldn't allow it. He made a promise to keep her protected for the the entirety of their long lives, and it would never be broken. But who was coming for them?

"Doctor?" said the soft voice of Rose, bringing him out of his musings. Thankfully.

"Hm?"

"I said this was a really good movie," she told him.

He blinked to focus on the television screen to find that the movie was nearing its end and on the last number. "Well, it's the Muppets," he replied. "What more would you expect?"

"You okay?" she asked after a beat.

"'Course I am, why wouldn't I be? Watching a quality film while munching equally quality prepared popcorn with my wife snuggling beside me—how could I not be all right? I'm fantastic. Brilliant."

Rose straightened herself as she raised a hand to press against his cheek. "You know you can always talk to me if something's bothering you," she told him softly.

The Doctor sighed. "Rose, I'm fine." She arched an eyebrow and he nodded once, moving a hand to gently caress her knee. "Really, I'm _fine._ I promise."

She studied him for a moment before accepting his response and kissed the corner of his mouth, patting his cheek then snuggling back in his arms. He placed a kiss to the top of her head just as the number was at its end in the film, performing the same song from the beginning.

"So," Rose said. "What'd you think? Better than the original?"

"Definitely not," the Doctor scoffed. "While this was enjoyable and entertaining, nothing'll be better than the original."

"Fanboy."

He made a happy sound. "What's next on the set list? Back to James Bond or something else? Maybe a Hitchcock film? Monty Python?"

"How 'bout one more viewing of _Bill and Ted_ before you get rid of it?" she added with a teasing grin.

He shot her an incredulous look. "Of all of the many selections and greatest pieces of cinema to grace the big screen, and you wanna watch that abomination of a film?" She giggled and he feigned hurt, placing a hand on his chest. "Rose Tyler, you wound me. Being a time traveller's wife you know better than to find enjoyment out of the myriad of logical errors in that poor excuse of a film. Forget the Master of Suspense, 'cause that's got more horror than _any_ of Hitchcock's works."

Rose burst into laughter at that and he grinned at her, raising his hand off her knee to gently nudge her nose. "So, no to _Bill and Ted_ , then."

The Doctor hummed. "You can put it on if you'd like."

"Come again?" she said in disbelief. "You _actually_ wanna watch it? Is _this_ really how the world ends? 'Cause if so then you owe me an explanation for our first date."

"Oh, no, that's exactly how the world ended," he assured with a chuckle. "The chances of me mucking up our first date were already well known, but still went as I planned. Well, for the most part."

Rose snorted. "Yeah, and _I_ was the one to buy us chips. Classy."

He huffed as a response. "Anyways…you can put it on if you want, but…it wouldn't matter what's playing with what I've got in mind."

"And what would that be?"

"Well…" He took the nearly empty bowl of popcorn and leaned forward to set it on the small table. "The universe is in the palm of our hands…we're watching films…the lights are dim…" His voice, in addition with the lights in the room, lowered as his hand slid along her thigh. "And I may or may not snog you senseless to the point where acts of intimacy come into the picture and make us lose track of the film altogether. What d'you think?"

"Not a bad plan," Rose said ardently. "Although…we could always skip the films."

He waggled his eyebrows. "Done," he told her when she giggled.

The future Muppet movie was ending, and he registered the last chorus while he resumed his activities with his wife: _'Life's a happy song when there's someone by my side to sing along'._ He believed it to be true.


	14. Important Lessons

**A/N:** **As per usual, much love and many thanks to you lovely viewers! Thanks for being patient with me. Sorry I'm dragging these out, still hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13: Important Lessons**_

A couple of weeks had passed, and the trio made the best of adventures by travelling lightly from various planets from various centuries. They've run into trouble in their last stops, and seen some of the horror sides of the universe—and one example of peace in the end—but the Doctor had intentions of taking Rose and Donna to friendlier locations to see some of the other wonders of the universe. After all, trouble was only the bits in between. Everything else was entertainment and enjoyment.

He took the women to the year five billion to a planet dedicated to hyperfilm productions, which were some of the most advanced technology used to produce various films and other strips of entertainment to be broadcast across channels and screens five galaxies away. The Doctor had taken Rose there a couple years ago to see the latest work released by the acclaimed director Zemm Foolini, but the last time they arrived there an usher in the theatre escorted them out when they were caught chewing on bananas during the screening, to which the Doctor was annoyed by that rule and tried to reason with the workers but to no avail.

Luckily this time around they ended up going through and watched an epic science fiction drama which also, in some cases, was a bit of a comedy. The Doctor was sure to give some critical commentary throughout the duration of the film, not to Rose's surprise, but he praised the work for being somewhat accurate to the mechanics of the universe. Even though he said the comedic timing was a little off, but the reviews he said were some of the highest and positive in the country's history, as well as the galaxy's.

When they had got back to the TARDIS, though, Rose felt a little uneasy in her stomach. It had nothing to do with the planet they were on, but she did consume five specific glasses containing blue drinks offered to them during the film to which the Doctor informed wasn't the wisest idea. She knew that right away after she threw up on her husband's suit halfway into the film and right before her sixth glass. It was then the group decided to take their leave and finish watching the film on DVD back in the media room later on. When he took them back to the TARDIS he immediately headed down to the sickbay and fished around for some pills as a treatment for her nausea which, thankfully, also took care of bad breath. Thank God for advanced medications.

Now Rose sat in the galley with a cuppa in her hands and a piece of toast covered in marmalade, thankful that her bilious feelings had passed. Next time she'll be more cautious when it comes to offered drinks.

"How you feelin'?" Donna asked, entering the galley. "Have you finally stopped throwing up Smurfs?"

"'M good now," she replied with a laugh, taking a bite out of her toast then washing it down with her tea. "The Doctor gave me a pill to help my nausea ease faster, now it's gone altogether."

"Good to see you're not hurling at the sight of anything wet," the ginger woman commented as she fixed herself a mug of tea. "Speaking of which, where's that husband of yours at?"

"Probably still wiping off the vomit on his suit," Rose answered as Donna sat across from her. "But knowing him he's probably changing out of his suit altogether. There's a chance I ruined his favorite tie."

Donna snorted. "Seriously? He's got attachments to his _ties_?"

Rose shook her head. "Donna, he's got an attachment to the mole on his back."

"Okay, didn't need to know that bit."

"That's just one of 'em. You should've seen his reaction when he accidentally dropped jam on his jacket once. Almost was like a five year old, but he got over it. And he'll get over this, too. Always does."

"And he's…how old, again?" Donna asked.

"Old," Rose answered with a grin. " _Ancient_ , really. Over nine hundred, but sometimes I think he's a lot older than what he claims, to be honest. He's so vain, even if he won't admit to it."

The ginger snorted again, sipping her tea. "Alien or not, men are all alike. My mum's said that for years. Well, nothing about aliens, but mainly makes similar comments about my granddad." Her smile tightened. "He's been trying to recapture his youth for so long now, doin' all sorts of hobbies."

"He camps out on that hill, right?" Rose asked, recalling the scene when Donna first joined them onboard and requested her first stop.

"Yeah," the other woman said with a nod. "He's been doing that for as long as I can remember…even more now with all these alien threats. He believes in all of it. Just sits out with his telescope and looks up at the sky…"

Rose studied the softened expression on her friend's face when talking about her grandfather. The deep affection she had for him was clear as day. "He sounds wonderful," she told her.

"Oh, he is," Donna said softly. "He's nice to every person he meets, never sees any bad in people no matter the evidence. Well…he'd probably explain that better than me, but he's the sweetest and sees the best in everyone, no matter what they've been through or done in their lifetime."

"Sounds like someone we could be around," Rose said, smiling.

"You both would definitely hit it off," Donna replied. "Both you and the Doctor would get along with him for sure."

"I would guess so; a nice old man with a good heart that can sense the good inside of any living person is definitely a keeper in my book."

"Tell you one thing, though. Getting along with granddad would be a cinch. Wouldn't really take that long. But with my mum…not really smooth sailing with her."

Rose nodded, finishing her tea. "Dunno about that. She hasn't met us yet. We usually make good first impressions."

"There's doubt?" Donna smirked.

"Let's hope not," she replied.

The other woman shook her head, still smiling. "You've actually already met her."

Rose furrowed her brows, then it had clicked. "Oh…right. At the reception."

Recalling the events caught in the middle of the maddening mystery that had come over both she and the Doctor a couple years ago on Christmas Eve when they had first encountered Donna—or when the woman had appeared in the TARDIS while in mid-flight, that was. It was her wedding day when she found herself on the ship. And when they took her back to the reception hall for her to give some kind of explanation for her abrupt absence they realized how the guests decided to go on with the celebration without the bride-to-be. There had been a woman wearing a questionable looking hat at the front of the crowd. She surmised that was Donna's mother.

"You wanna talk about first impressions," Donna spoke up. "I'll bet she hit the nail on the head with what she's like."

"Well…" Rose shrugged.

"It's okay, it's not like it's a sin to not be so keen of her at first," Donna said.

"She's just strict. She's a mother, how else would you expect her to act? I know for a fact my mum would've been the same if I suddenly disappeared on my wedding day."

The redhead arched a brow. "Would your mum keep going along with the reception without you, though?"

Rose bit the inside of her cheek. "She most likely would've got all of Scotland Yard to come looking for me if I wasn't at my own wedding." Donna chuckled. "And then she'd smack the Doctor when she'd find me."

"Your mother sounds amazing," Donna said, still chuckling. "How'd she react at your wedding?"

Rose remained silent, ducking her head a little and staring into her mug. "She wasn't…"

"Oh, my God, I'm sorry," Donna said quickly. "I forgot. You said she was gone."

"She's happy though," Rose assured with a small smile. "Happy and alive. Just in a parallel world with Mickey and my dad."

"I thought you told me your father died," Donna pointed out, confused.

"He did, but the thing is, Donna, there's all these parallel universes out there. Every decision and choice we make in this one changes in another. And in each of them there's different types of people, different versions of yourself and different situations What you see on Earth is a total three-sixty in any of those worlds."

"So it's like those shows on telly, like all those movies."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"In other words…in the parallel world where your mother's in, your father never died."

Rose nodded. "Exactly. The last time I saw her she told me that they were expecting a baby. She had to have had it by now. I'll never know if I've got a little brother or sister." She remained quiet, sipping her tea again, feeling Donna's sympathetic look. She sighed. "Still…just knowing that she's there safe and sound is all that matters. I may not be able to reach them or Mickey, but that's okay. They're alive."

They both were quiet for another moment until Donna spoke up again. "So…you don't have anyone else on Earth? No other family?"

"Not really, no," Rose said, shaking her head. "Was never too close with my cousins. My old friend Shareen moved away. The only home I've got is right here with the Doctor. That's more than enough." She paused, thinking of a way to change the subject a bit. "Oh, and about our wedding, we didn't have the traditional one."

"Then what—" Donna caught herself and nodded. "Oh, hold on. I forgot. Your husband's not human. You're right, sometimes it's hard to forget." Rose grinned. "You both had some sort of…I dunno…alien courting, then?"

Rose chucked. "Kinda. We did things customary to his people. Although he said there was a huge ceremony that would take place—just like a usual wedding on Earth—but he said we didn't have to have one like that. But we renewed it since the first time 'cause we…really didn't follow all of the steps, but still. We didn't need a big, fancy wedding to seal the deal. Most of them are overrated."

"I'll drink to that," Donna snorted, raising her mug. Rose giggled and brought her own up to clink against hers and they each took another swig of tea. "Wise decision not to go with a huge wedding. Lots of them are just too over the top. You saw how that poor excuse of a reception I had went."

"It wasn't poor, Donna," Rose said gently, placing a hand on her forearm. "We had fun. At least until those psychotic robot Santas showed up and…everything else that followed."

"Becoming a widow after missing my own wedding then losing my job all in the same day," Donna said flatly. "That's gonna stick with me for the rest of my life. I would always imagine what I'd be doing had none of that happened—have the posh job and a husband and maybe even a child."

"Oh, come on, you don't need all of that," Rose waved dismissively.

Donna narrowed her eyes. "You're not complaining about being married, though. You're having the time of your life."

"Well, yeah, but that's not what I was saying," Rose assured. "What I mean is that it's just a certain lifestyle. It's the typical domestic approach, but…you don't always have to go by what life tells you and all that. It's your own path, you make your own future and create your own life. You don't always have to follow by the norm, but if it's something you see yourself doing one day…go for it. Live your life."

"Guess so," Donna said with a shrug, looking a bit irresolute.

Rose hated seeing her friend with low self esteem. Whatever her home life was like prior to crossing paths with them—both times—it was definitely unstable. Judging by the implications of her mother along with that brief meeting back at the reception, she seemed like a lot to tackle with.

She reached for one of her friend's hands and squeezed it. "I mean it, Donna. This is your own journey. Live your life the way you want to. Forget about what anyone else says, you're old enough to make your own decisions."

"Yeah," Donna replied with a tight smile. "I will. It just amazes me how that husband of yours just appeared right by your side like that. If only the right man could just swoop down and come to me," she added jokingly.

"Jus' you wait, Donna," Rose said. "One day you'll find the right man. He's out there somewhere."

"Ehh, there's no hurry for me," Donna said with a shrug. "If he's out there then he'd better be ready to deal with me. Although my idea of the perfect man probably doesn't exist."

"Don't say that, I'm sure that there's a great guy out there who would treat you right. I know it."

Donna smiled at her warmly and Rose returned it, releasing her hand to sip the rest of her tea. "Isn't it hard though?" the ginger woman asked. "Not having any family around?"

"Sometimes," Rose replied after a moment, biting into her toast again. "I think about my mum every day, think about how happy she and the baby are, but I know she's in a safer place. And like I said, the Doctor's all the family I could want and have."

"Suppose so," Donna said casually. "And you could always have some little ones of your own."

Rose froze in place for a second with her mug raised from the table before she could press it against her lips to take another sip, surprised by the abrupt change of subject in their conversation. She thawed from her stillness and gulped down the rest of her drink and set the mug back down.

"Yeah…" she drew out slowly. "Not so sure about that."

Donna looked at her curiously and opened her mouth about to respond to that, but Rose was saved by her husband's voice coming from the corridor.

"Right, all fresh and polished and free from any repugnant odors as a result of gastric secretions," the Doctor proclaimed when he entered the galley, brushing down his blue suit jacket as he stood in the doorway.

"Why can't you just say 'throw up'?" Rose asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, like a normal person," Donna chimed in.

"I'll have you know that I'm not your _average_ bloke, Donna," he replied, walking in.

"As if that was hard to figure out, spaceman."

He made a happy sound as he came to stand behind Rose, placing his hands on the back of her neck and tenderly massaging her skin. "How're you feeling?" he asked softly.

"Better now, thanks," Rose answered, leaning her head back to look up at him. "Sorry I ruined your favorite tie."

"Nah, nothing the sonic couldn't handle," the Doctor said dismissively. "Luckily I've got a setting to take care of blue vomit, which would create the worst possible stains."

She snorted. "Can't have you movin' about reeking like blub…whatever those drinks were called."

"Blubuscousbals," he supplied. "And, too right. Don't wanna push you away like that."

"But with my luck I'd have to live with that smell forever if you did," she joked.

The Doctor chuckled and leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Anyway, I've thought about where our next stop would be. And I know for a fact you ladies would enjoy it."

"Where's that then?" Donna asked.

"Sinda Callesta!" Both women stared at him, waiting for him to continue. "It's a planet seven and a half galaxies away and, you'll love this bit, just happens to be a planet where funny and unusual hats are customary."

"There's an actual 'Planet of the Hats'?" Rose laughed.

"Yep! That's what it translates to. Well, more specifically, it means 'terrain of toppers', but the same principle applies. What d'you say? Grab the silliest types of hats you've got and head over to the festival located on its third moon?"

"Sounds good," Donna said, before adding, "Although, before we go off and so that, I've got an even better idea. How 'bout you give me a flying lesson?"

The Doctor blinked once. "Sorry?"

"You heard what she said," Rose cut in, grinning. "She wants to learn how to fly the TARDIS. I think it's a great idea."

"With all due respect, Donna—"

"Oh, don't start with your manly ego," Rose groaned. "C'mon, just let her go for a test run. You taught me how to fly the Old Girl, give Donna a chance."

"What's wrong, don't like women driving your wheels?" Donna asked with a teasing smile.

"Of course not!" the Doctor defended. "I don't have a problem with anyone operating the TARDIS. It's just that…there's a lot to learn and there's always a risk that a hole could be punched into the fabric in reality."

Rose snorted. "Overly dramatic," she muttered. "Just teach her the basics."

"Rose, you know the basics. And besides, I feel a little more at ease knowing my wife controls our ship since you're connected to the Old Girl."

"I'm still right here," Donna cut in irritably.

"Your point?" Rose asked, looking up at him. "You gave in and let me learn how to operate the TARDIS, and I do a pretty damn good job with it. And I know a helluva lot more than just the 'basics'."

"Yeah, your wife's a much better driver than you," Donna cut in. "I've seen how she handles this ship and we don't tumble around as much when she takes control. I'll bet I could be just as good. Hell, I'll bet my grandad could do a better job at driving this and he doesn't even drive a car anymore."

The Doctor sighed, scratching his sideburn. "Alright, alright, fine. Just one lesson. Don't suppose anything could go wrong. Not everyone could be capable of sending the TARDIS underwater."

Rose raised a hand up and lightly smacked his cheek. "That only happened once."

"I think she'd be a much better teacher," Donna said. "Whenever she gets behind the wheel I don't end up flyin' down the ramp."

"That's never happened to you," he pointed out.

"Well, it could one day."

He nodded. "Right. Well, then. Donna Noble, you're in for quite a lesson."

Making their way into the console room the Doctor and Rose showed Donna the controls on the panel, informing her of their operations. He went into detail about each function, only confusing her. Rose, on the other hand, was right by her side and simplifying the explanations. Letting their companion take the lead she and the Doctor promised he wouldn't interfere unless they were on the verge of danger. Donna pulled the lever, causing the ship to lurch. The TARDIS hummed, letting them know everything was okay. Donna laughed as she worked on the pump and the lever, steering them through the vortex. The Doctor watched on nervously, standing close behind with a hand against his chin.

"I can't believe I'm doing this!" the ginger cried.

"No, neither can I," he remarked, cautiously eyeing the monitor then glancing at his wife, who simply smiled wide. The ship jolted violently, more than usual, and he stepped in. "Whoa, careful!" He reached down to retrieve the mallet and began to bang it against the console.

"You know She hates that," Rose remarked, grabbing it from his hands.

He shot her a look before instructing, "Left hand down! Left hand down!" The ship lurched again, tilting to the side. "Getting a bit too close to the 1980s."

"What am I gonna do, put a dent in 'em?" Donna said sarcastically.

"Well, someone did," he muttered, giving Rose a pointed look.

"Oi!" she cried.

He snickered until the sound of a mobile rang throughout the TARDIS.

"Hold on that's a phone!" Donna said as Rose moved over to another section of the console, pulling out a mobile from a black case. She exchanged a look with the Doctor, then stared at the phone. "You've got a mobile? Since when?" Donna asked him.

"It's not mine," he said. "It's not Rose's either, we'd recognize the ringtone."

"Well, this is a police public _call_ box, y'know," Rose remarked, moving around the console with the phone.

"I hardly think that the _police_ would be calling," he muttered.

"Is it that friend of yours?" Donna asked. "Jack?"

"No," the Doctor replied. "He doesn't have _that_ phone's number."

Rose shrugged, leaning against the console as she flipped the phone open and held it to her ear. "Hello?"

 ** _"Rose?"_** came a familiar friend's voice on the end, making her smile. ** _"It's Martha…and I'm bringing you and your husband back to Earth."_**

Her brows shot up. It's been so long since they've seen their old friend. And they did promise that once that phone rang they'd come running. "Can you tell me the time, place, the coordinates?" she asked.

 ** _"You bet I can. Just gimme a second."_**

As her friend gave her the needed information, Rose grinned. "On our way!" she said happily, shutting the phone and placing it back in the case.

The Doctor frowned, coming over to her. "Who was that? What'd they want?"

"We've been summoned back to Earth."

* * *

 **Response to _newboy:_ Thanks again! I like your countdown analogy with the foreshadowing ;) It's ambiguous for so many reasons. I won't give away what each part meant, but yeah, the Daleks were a part of it. I like your idea with the Creator.**


	15. The Sontaran Stratagem Part 1

**_A/N:_** **I'm not too crazy about this two-parter, although it's more watchable than the Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks one from S3.** **Many thanks to all you lovely viewers!**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 14: The Sontaran Stratagem Part 1_**

Martha Jones stood in an alley between two buildings, increasingly anxious as she paced around for a bit and scanned the area, waiting for the familiar blue box to appear. It's been so long since she's seen the Doctor and Rose, so long since she left the TARDIS to move on with her life and work. She had a feeling that a whole lot more time had passed in their zone, mainly because they were in need of some serious healing after the traumatic events from the Year That Never Was. When last she saw them they appeared to be doing okay, but she knew those wounds weren't sealed one hundred percent.

What did they look like now? Before she left they appeared perfectly fine; the Doctor having a haunted look in his eyes and Rose…well, she returned to her normal self and figure, leaving behind the ashen and cadaverous appearance that came as a result of torturing imprisonment. But what if they had relapses? Were they better or did she ring them up in a bad time? With the things that were going on lately, she an her team were running out of options. And she knew the Doctor would be able to help. What if they were completely different from the last time they met? Attitude wise. No, Rose had answered the phone with a convincing cheery voice.

The familiar wheezing sound of a certain ship brought her out of her musings, startling her at first when she turned around to the source. Small piles of leaves spun around in a whirlpool of wind before the blue police box materialized in the empty alley. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for who would be coming out. It was them, and everything would be all right. The door creaked open and Martha smiled when a familiar figure stepped out before the ship was fully solid, one half of the dynamic duo. Rose appeared exactly the same, save for her hair being back to its original length, just what she had hoped. The blonde noticed her and rushed right over, a wide smile on her face.

"Hey, you!" she exclaimed before pulling her in a tight hug. "God, it's so good to see you, Martha!"

"Same here," Martha replied with a grin. "Hope I wasn't interrupting anything—"

"'Course not," Rose said, pulling back. "You gave us that phone for a reason. Look at you, you look great!" she added, gesturing at her. She was ready to hear her say something about her militant style outfit, but she may have caught herself. But her smile faltered a bit at the sight of it like she figured.

"So do you," she said genuinely, glad to see her friend back to her normal self. "Looking amazing."

"Doesn't she always?" came the voice from behind Rose. Looking past her friend she noticed the tall man in blue with the spiky hair standing there with a neutral expression on his face. "Martha Jones," he said fondly.

"Doctor," she replied with the same tone.

They just stared at each other for a moment, approaching each other slowly until a wide grin split his face. Martha then ran over to him, throwing her arms around him then smiled when he picked her off the ground, laughing.

"Ah, yeah!" the Doctor exclaimed, setting her down and releasing her. "Good to see you, Martha. How's the family?"

"You know. Not so bad," she answered with a shrug. "Recovering. Mum's still a bit…ambivalent about you two."

"Figured that," he said with a sigh.

"She still sends you the best, though," Martha told quickly. "If it hadn't been for either of you she'd still be…you know."

Rose came over and slung an arm around her shoulders. "You saved the world, too, Martha. You walked the entire Earth. How many could say that?"

"Probably not your average travellers," she said lightly, earning faint chuckles from the couple.

"What about you?" the Doctor asked. "How've you been?"

"Been all right," Martha assured with a nod, taking in her friends' choices of attire; the Doctor in his blue suit with a light blue dress shirt and red tie, and Rose wearing a similar outfit but with a blue bomber jacket and black cargo trousers. "You two are matching outfits now," she said with a chuckle. "As if the world needed _more_ proof that you two were a couple."

They both looked down at themselves and then at each other with amused looks. "What's life without whimsy?" the Doctor said, lifting one of his feet up at the heel and shaking it.

Martha shook her head and smiled at their quirkiness before noticing another figure exiting the TARDIS—a taller, redheaded woman. "Right. I should have known," she said, still smiling. "Didn't take you both long to replace me."

"Don't say it like that," Rose said, rubbing her shoulder. "There's no replacing you, Martha."

"Too right," the Doctor agreed, turning to the other woman to introduce them to each other. "Donna Noble, Martha Jones. Please…don't start a fight or anything. I can't bear fighting."

Rose snorted. "Seriously? Fight over you?"

He tugged on his earlobe, a sheepish expression on his face. "Well…former companions meeting each other doesn't always start off well."

"What, like how I was with Sarah Jane?"

"Well, yeah."

"That little rivalry didn't even last that long. I love her, she's amazing."

"Well, uh, yeah, it's just that…you know how it is…"

"Blimey, how did you deal with these two?" Donna asked Martha with a dramatic sigh, making her chuckle before they shook hands. "I've heard all about you. These two talk about you all the time."

"I dread to think," Martha said.

"No, no. They've said lots of good things. Really nice things," the redhead assured.

"Did the Doctor ever tell you about the time I had to smack some sense into him to make things right with Rose?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

"No, but I'm sure he deserved it," Donna said with a laugh. "He may be an alien with a big brain and all, but he's gotta be the dumbest genius in the whole wide universe."

"Oi!" the Doctor cried. "I'm standing right here!"

"And I'm surprised you're keeping yourself under control," Donna scoffed, gesturing at him and Rose. "These two can't keep their hands off each other. Honestly, they're worse than a bunch of rabbits."

"Donna!" the married couple cried in unison.

Martha didn't bother stopping the oncoming laughter. "Nothing's changed at all!"

The Doctor tugged on his earlobe, which was becoming a darker shade of pink while Rose cleared her throat, brushing her hair back behind her ear. "I'd much rather have you two fighting after all," he muttered.

"Since we're all catching up," Rose said, desperately trying to change the subject. "Who's the lucky man, Martha?"

"What man?" the Doctor said, bewildered.

"She's engaged, you prawn," Donna told him, rolling her eyes and smiling.

Martha giggled when she brought up her left hand and wiggled her fingers a little to let them see her ring better.

"Oh," the Doctor said. "Well, that makes sense."

"'S beautiful," Rose said with a smile. "Who is he?"

"Tom," Martha answered. "That Tom Milligan. He's in paediatrics working out in Africa right now."

"Hold on…" Rose said, raising a hand to scratch her temple. "I think…yeah, I've heard that name before."

Martha bit her lip, recalling the events of when she came back to shore during the Year That Never Was after travelling the wasteland that the whole Earth had become with the ghost of her friend in the form of the Bad Wolf. What was it that the Doctor said could happen to her? Something that could trigger memories? Ripple effects, she thought. She wondered if Rose had to deal with any visions of those months during their time away. It was probable.

"You remember him?" she asked cautiously, hoping the mentioning wouldn't trigger anything unpleasant for her.

Rose nodded slowly, rubbing her temple while the Doctor reached over and squeezed her opposite hand. "Vaguely," she replied. "I know you fancied him." Martha blushed at that. "And I can understand why, he was gorgeous."

"What?" the Doctor asked, his eyes widening.

"Yeah, he is," Martha said with a chuckle. "It turned out to be mutual, even during…the pandemonium. Hit it off right away."

Rose turned to look at her husband, who was staring at her with that childish pout of his. She nudged his shoulder. "Oh, buck up, you old grump. You know you're gorgeous, too."

He sniffed and tilted his head to the side, his petulance switching to false modesty. "Weeeell…"

"And yes, I know," Martha spoke. "I've got a doctor who disappears off to distant places—tell me about it."

"Well, doctors do make great husbands," Rose said with a grin, looping her arm through her husband's when he made a happy sound.

Both Martha and Donna exchanged a look, rolling their eyes. Still sickeningly sweet.

It was then that the radio attached to Martha's side crackled to life, a woman's voice coming through. **_"Dr. Jones, report to base, please."_**

"Speaking of which…" she said, pulling it out from beneath her jacket and brought it up to her mouth, responding without hesitation. "This is Dr. Jones. Operation Blue Sky is go, go, go. I repeat, this is a go."

She turned and began to walk away, knowing her friends were going to follow her back to the base. As fun as it was catching up, there were serious matters to attend to now.

The trio followed as Martha led them down the empty tarmac, which soon became populated when a large factory was located nearby. Soldiers donning the standard uniform of black gear and red berets poured out from the surrounding buildings, forming two single file lines on either side of designated jeeps and lorries slowly driving down the road.

"Unified Intelligence Taskforce, raise that barrier now!" ordered one of the soldiers as the troops charged into what appeared to be some sort of industrial complex. "Leave your safeties on, lads, it's non-hostiles!"

The Doctor watched on from the sidelines, studying how Martha was carrying herself through the organized and controlled chaos, feeling a strong sense of unease rise up inside of him. He's been around this militant environment many a times in his lifetime, but having to witness the methods each of the young men learned for situations made his skin crawl. But seeing his former companion in such a place with such a neutral attitude was more than he was expecting for sure.

After everything he put her through with…the man whose name he didn't even want to roll off of his tongue anymore, he thought that he owed her a favor for withstanding that hell and trudging through that perilous journey across the Earth. It was because of that reason why he recommended her to UNIT as a medical advisor—a woman like her with time travelling experiences after joining him and Rose for a while made her more than qualified to help with any alien threats.

 ** _"All workers lay down your tools and surrender!"_** said another order over the bullhorn, bringing him back.

"Greyhound Six to Trap One," Martha called into her radio. "B Section, go, go, go! Search the ground floor, grid pattern Delta."

"What are you searching for?" the Doctor asked.

"Illegal aliens," Martha told.

 ** _"This is a UNIT operation!"_** the voice ordered again. **_"All workers lay down your tools and surrender immediately!"_**

The Doctor inhaled a sharp breath when he saw the UNIT soldiers forcing the workers to the ground on their knees, placing their hands over their heads like they were being apprehended as criminals.

 _"I've got a feeling she's not referring to out-of-towners,"_ Rose thought to him as he watched the scene.

 _"Nothing new,"_ he replied. _"Sometimes I wish that was_ _all it could be."_

Sensing her uneasiness he reached for her hand and gave her a gentle squeeze. He knew how uncomfortable she felt around this type of atmosphere, much like himself.

"B Section mobilized! E Section, F Section, on my command!" Martha said into her walkie-talkie before running off to join the others in the task force.

"Is that what you did to her?" Donna asked. "Turned her into a _soldier_?"

The Doctor didn't answer right away. "Not intentionally."

"It wasn't his fault," Rose chimed in. "Someone else did it to her. Remember I told you about Saxon? He did it to her. But…you should've seen what he did to the whole world. And Martha…she had to walk the entire Earth for a year when the world around her was being destroyed because of a maniac."

She closed her eyes briefly, reels of the Year That Never Was coming back to her, flashing images seen through Bad Wolf's eyes when she walked the Earth with Martha as an apparition. Having to witness the destruction and darkness that rained from the skies, the endless battleground bathed in the blood of innocent lives slaughtered. Yes, those slain have been saved thanks to the Doctor stopping the paradox machine and it was erased from time, but the memory of it remained in a handful of minds. And with hers, her reason was more rare than the others considering she was dead for nine months of it. Her eyes opened when she felt her husband squeeze her hand again, sending her reassuring and commiserative waves. She nodded once, noting exactly how Donna was eyeing her curiously, also a little concerned.

"Oh," the ginger said quietly.

"Still," the Doctor said, letting out a deep breath. "The events leading up to it were just…mad. Having her turn into a soldier wasn't what I intended."

They each became silent until Martha strode back over to them, the professional posture still noticeable. For the first time since arriving back to Earth did the Doctor notice her name badge, smiling a little to see what it read. Gently nudging Rose, he nodded at it.

"So, you're qualified now?" he asked. "You're a proper doctor."

"UNIT rushed it through, given my experience in the field," Martha told them.

"Good for you," Rose said genuinely.

Martha nodded. "Thanks. Here we go." She led them across the grounds of the complex. "We're establishing a field base on site. They're dying to meet you."

"Wish I could say the same," the Doctor muttered.

Rose elbowed him in the side. "Don't be like that. You've got a history with this organization."

"Doesn't mean I always like going down memory lane."

"'Scuse me, but who did you call last year after you destroyed the paradox machine?" He was silent and swallowed hard. "You owe them," she said softly. "The least you can do is hear them out and see what's goin' on."

The Doctor glanced down at her, recalling his frantic motives when he made that call in order to get a fleet over to the location where his wife was confined. Even though he would admittedly become annoyed by the organization whenever they hunted him down for his help, he couldn't disagree with what his wife was saying.

He sighed. "You're right."

"Aren't I always?" Rose said with a grin, patting his arm.

They entered the field base from the rear, which was located by the lorry. The interior set up alone took them by surprise—separated sections of glass doors and several rows of desks with state of the art computers, monitors, and communications. Never did they have this type of technology. At least from the last time he was here.

 _"Bit posh,"_ Rose commented through their link. _"They really fixed the place up."_

 _"Must've sent for updated equipment,"_ he replied, observing the top of the line technology. _"They really pulled out all stops to get this stuff."_

 _"Keepin' up with the times. Not everyone's stuck in the past."_

He shot her a brief look and she winked at him.

"Operation Blue Sky complete, sir," Martha reported, walking up to the senior officer by one of the desks. "Thanks for letting me take the lead. And this…this is the Doctor. Doctor, Colonel Mace."

Mace came around and raised his hand in a salute. "Sir."

"Oh, don't salute," the Doctor groaned.

"But it's an honor, sir," the officer said genuinely, dropping his hand but keeping his authoritative stature. "I've read all the files on you. Technically speaking, you're still on staff. You never resigned." He turned to Rose and gave her an respected expression. "And you must be Dame Rose Tyler. It's also an honor to be in your presence as well, ma'am."

"Yeah?" Rose replied with a smile, glancing back at her husband.

"Dame?" Donna asked in surprise.

"Yeah…" the Doctor said with a sniff, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Long time ago when we were in Scotland."

"The recruits did a little bit of research on you, ma'am," Mace mentioned. "Turns out that we were able to dig up some information about you and the Doctor being knighted in 1869."

"Oh, yeah, good ol' Queen Victoria," Rose added, almost tepidly given of everything that came after that escapade with the werewolf and Torchwood.

"I must admit, though, it was a bit difficult to search for that information."

"I should hope so," the Doctor chimed in. "Having those bits of knowledge spread across the interwebs would definitely not end well. So many people could look her up—old mates from school, neighbors, former co-workers, even any of those loony cults running about."

"No need to worry, Doctor," Mace assured. "Everything in the UNIT database is classified, kept under the most inaccessible software system known to man. Nothing could hack into it."

"Well, then, _that's_ reassuring."

"It was made clear by a certain someone to keep things like marital statuses disclosed unless both members are present for safety reasons."

"Oh," the Doctor said, nodding.

Rose crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a look. "And you were worried."

"Only because I wouldn't want anything…" He trailed off and cleared his throat. "Well then, that's good to know."

"You can thank the other man who made that happen," Martha spoke up.

His brows creased. "Who?"

"The Brigadier," she told him. "He was the one responsible for putting Rose on file."

"Sir Alistair was persistent and gave us as much information as he could," Mace continued, looking at Rose. "Said you were such an inspiration to him and the recruits for showing such courage."

Rose grinned, letting out a surprised and humble chuckle. "Really?"

"Of course," the Doctor said proudly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Should've known that would happen. That's your nature, Rose. You're very inspiring. You inspire me every day, don't you?"

Her face was innocent. "I dunno, do I?"

He made a happy sound and pressed a kiss to her hair.

"That's what you're calling it, huh?" Donna snorted from the side, earning herself a pointed look from the Doctor. "So, you used to work for them?"

"Yeah, a long time ago," he replied, dropping his arm from Rose's shoulders. "Back in the 70s—or was it the 80s?" He glanced down at his wife.

"Both decades," she pointed out. "Goin' through a bunch of your old faces in between."

"Seemed like more than a bunch, but never that much different," the Doctor said, taking in the technology around the room. "It was all a bit more homespun back then."

"Times have changed, sir," Mace told him.

"That's enough of the 'sir'," the Doctor reminded. "Speaking of which, where's Alistair at?"

"Moderately retired," the colonel informed, the ghost of a smile appearing on his lips.

The Doctor scoffed at that. "He's said that for years. The day that Doris convinces him enough to permanently walk away will be the end of the world for sure. And we've seen what that looks like," he added, placing a hand on Rose's shoulder.

"I'll bet he's out there on another mission, eh?" Rose asked. "Bein' a top officer, he's always on the call."

"He is, actually. Currently he took leave for an assignment in Peru, but I'm sure that once the situation going on around here is addressed to him he'll visit our base."

They nodded. Despite his ambivalence with the organization the Doctor always looked forward to meeting up with his dear old friend, even more now knowing that he and Rose immediately hit it off and got along with ease. The Brigadier did promise he would meet them again. Maybe it really would come soon enough.

"Now," Mace said. "Back to the matter at hand, sir."

The Doctor stared at him pointedly. "Seriously, it's 'the Doctor'. Just 'the Doctor'." He sighed, shrugging off his coat and throwing it over a chair. "Blimey, not everything's changed."

"Rude," Rose muttered.

"Come on though, Doctor," Martha spoke up, moving to one of the desk monitors. "You've seen it. You've been on board the _Valiant_." The name of that ship came out tense before she continued. "We've got massive funding from the United Nations, all in the name of Homeworld Security."

"A modern UNIT for the modern world," the colonel said proudly.

Both the Doctor and Rose pulled a face at that, taking slight umbrage at that remark.

"What, and that means arresting ordinary workers?" Donna asked, stepping forward. "In the streets? In broad daylight? It's more like Guantanamo Bay out there. Donna, by the way." She added, more scornful. "Donna Noble, since you didn't ask. I'll have a salute."

The Doctor and Rose smirked at their friend, giving the colonel a slight nod when he looked at them, bewildered.

Mace turned to face her and gave her an appropriate salute. "Ma'am."

She nodded in acknowledgement, suppressing a satisfied smile. "Thank you."

"Now then," the Doctor spoke up, moving to take a seat by one of the computers. "We've caught up with recent affairs, tell me what's going on in that factory."

Mace moved over to a computer, punching a few keys and brought up a large map of the world with red dots in various locations. "Yesterday, fifty-two people died in identical circumstances right across the world," he explained. "In eleven different time zones; five a.m in the UK, six a.m in France, eight a.m in Moscow, one p.m in China—"

"You mean they died simultaneously?" the Doctor cut in, getting straight to the point.

The colonel nodded. "Exactly. Fifty-two deaths at the exact same moment worldwide."

"How'd they die?" Rose asked, standing behind her husband.

"They were all inside their cars."

"They were poisoned," Martha added. "But the thing is I've checked the biopsies. No toxins."

"Nothing?" Rose said, confused.

Martha shook her head. "Whatever it is, left the system immediately."

"What have the cars got in common?" the Doctor asked.

"Completely different makes but all fitted with ATMOS. And that is the ATMOS factory."

His brows furrowed. "What's ATMOS?"

Donna scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, come on, even _I_ know that. Everyone's got ATMOS."

"'S been awhile since we've been on Earth for a certain amount of time," Rose pointed out, placing her hands on the Doctor's shoulders.

"Yeah…been doing other things," he said with a sniff. "Never moved around to be familiar with the modern era, apparently."

Martha rolled her eyes. "Yes, we know. You're old-fashioned. Come on, lemme show you."

She led the trio back into the factory along a catwalk, watching as the soldiers continued to pester the factory workers below. The Doctor looked on with distaste, also feeling Rose's uneasiness. He gave her hand a squeeze when she inwardly shuddered.

"ATMOS," Martha explained. "It stands for 'Atmospheric Emission System'. The ATMOS in your car reduces CO2 emissions to zero."

"Zero?" the Doctor asked, surprised. "No carbon? None at all?"

"And you get sat-nav thrown in, plus twenty quid in shopping vouchers if you introduce a friend." Donna told them. "Bargain."

 _"Scam's more like it,"_ Rose inwardly muttered.

 _"False advertising?"_ the Doctor inquired. _"Always a possibility."_

"And this is where they make it, Doctor," Mace said, joining them. "Shipping worldwide. Seventeen factories across the globe but this is the central depot, sending ATMOS to every country on Earth."

"Lemme guess, you think ATMOS is alien?" Rose asked. "That's why you need the Doctor?"

"It's our job to investigate that possibility," Mace sighed. "If you'll both follow me?"

The colonel walked off and the others followed him, heading down to the ground floor. _"You put the colonel on the spot,"_ the Doctor thought to Rose as they uncomfortably passed by some more soldiers in the midst of gathering the factory workers together.

 _"It's true though, innit?"_ she replied with a shrug. _"Whenever somethin' stirs up suspicions who's the first person they call?"_

 _"Well, yes, that's true. It's one of the reasons why I would try to not get any of their attention and be summoned by them, to be honest."_

 _"One way or another, you find your way back here, though,"_ Rose said with a teasing grin.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow at her and shook his head. Coming into the factory Mace led them into a small office area where a metallic ATMOS device was on display.

"And here it is, laid bare," the colonel said. "ATMOS can be threaded through any and every make of car."

"You've must've checked it before it went on sale," the Doctor remarked as he bent down to examine the device on the table. Rose peered over his shoulder, bringing out her specs.

"We did," Martha confirmed. "We found nothing. That's why I thought we needed an expert."

"Really?" the Doctor asked, slipping on his own glasses as he straightened up and examined the equipment and some technical diagrams on the wall. "Who did you get?" There was silence, no one answering him. Turning around he was met with four pairs of eyes staring at him. He blinked once. "Oh, right! Me! Yes! Good."

Rose rolled her eyes while Martha smiled a little before leaving with the colonel.

"Okay, so why would aliens be so keen on cleaning up our atmosphere?" Donna asked.

"Very good question," the Doctor said, turning back around to examine the device along with his wife, turning it over in his hands before handing it over to Rose.

"Maybe they want to help—get rid of pollution and stuff," the ginger woman suggested. "I mean, you've told me stories about all sorts of species out there. The universe is so huge there's gotta be at least one that doesn't have anything against the Earth."

"Heard that so many times before," Rose murmured, knowing there were countless possibilities and reasons for these devices.

"Do you know how many cars there are on planet Earth?" the Doctor asked. "Eight hundred million."

"And if these things could be controllers used by a certain pair of hands…" Rose drew out, handing him the device.

His face was stern. "You'd have eight hundred million weapons."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Rose calculated that twenty minutes had passed by while the Doctor immediately went right to work with the ATMOS device, examining it and pulling it apart. At some point Donna had told them that she was going to wander around a bit—without getting herself into trouble, as she stressed—and leave the married couple do their inspection. A few times the Doctor's sonic seemed to be shortening out, so Rose stepped in and used hers. Definitely handy.

In the back of her mind and in her gut Rose feared of what the purpose of these devices were, especially knowing that every single car across the planet has the system hooked up into their cars. If this was anything like the Archangel Network used by a certain raving lunatic last year, they needed to dissect this gimmick before any more deaths occurred. That wasn't all that made her uneasy though. Her stomach was churning again, but nothing too serious as she continued to help her husband work. Never will she have those blasted blue drinks again. After some further examination both Colonel Mace and Martha came back in the room.

"Ionizing nano-membrane carbon dioxide converter," the Doctor declared, still leaning over the device.

"So this works, then," Rose said.

He nodded. "Does what its properties are made to do—filters the CO2 at a molecular level."

"We know about that," Mace said impatiently, stepping closer to have a better look at the device. "What's its origin? Is it alien?"

"No, but it's decades ahead of its time," the Doctor told him. He paused his actions for a moment and shot an irritated glance at the colonel. "Look, d'you mind? Could you stand back a bit?"

Mace looked around, confused. "Sorry, have I done something wrong?" he asked.

"You're carrying a gun," he snapped. "I don't like people with _guns_ hanging around me, all right?"

"If you insist," the colonel said, exchanging a look with Martha before heading out of the room to converse with a group of soldiers.

Rose let out a deep breath and moved closer to her husband, placing a hand on the back of his neck. His tension was there, but the moment she gently ran her fingers through his hair, he calmed down a bit. She understood his disquietude, even more so since the officer was in close proximity to her with a weapon. That anxiety would never go away.

"Tetchy," Martha commented.

"Well, it's true," the Doctor said, continuing his work.

"He's a good man," she argued.

"People with guns are usually the _enemy_ in my books," he replied thickly, glancing over at Rose and taking a deep breath. He reached over to retrieve the sonic and ran it over the device. "You seem quite at home."

"If anyone got me used to fighting, it's _you_ ," Martha told him.

"Oh, right, so it's _my_ fault," the Doctor snapped.

"Well, you got me the job," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"God, will you two just _stop_?" Rose chimed in irritably, dropping her hand from her husband's head as she stood in the same position her mother would when she would scold. Seemed appropriate since her friend and her husband were bickering like children. "Doctor, look at her," she told him. He reluctantly switched off the sonic and glanced up at Martha over his glasses. "Does she have a gun?"

"Suppose not," he replied.

"And Martha," she continued, turning to her friend. "You know why he hates guns just as much as I do, and why he would feel uneasy around them, right?"

"Yeah," Martha answered. "It's just…it's all right for you. You can just come and go, but some of us have got to stay behind. So I've got to work from the inside and by staying inside, maybe I stand a chance of making them better."

The Doctor lifted his head. "Yeah?" Martha nodded, and he threw her a warm grin. "That's more like Martha Jones," he said.

"I learnt from the best," Martha said with a smile.

"Well…" the Doctor drawled with false modesty.

"Rose really helped me realize a lot when travelling with you two," she added teasingly.

Rose giggled when the Doctor's smugness faltered. She rubbed his shoulder. "You're inspiring too, love."

"Not as much as _you,_ apparently," he grumbled.

Martha snorted. "Daft alien, you know you taught me that too."

"Oh, yes," he said, clicking his tongue and winking at her.

"Oi, you lot!" Donna called as she entered the room, carrying a blue binder. "All your stormtroopers and your sonics—rubbish! Shoulda come with me."

"Where have you been?" the Doctor asked, noting that Colonel Mace had rejoined them.

"Personnel," she said. "That's where the weird stuff's happening—in the paperwork. 'Cause I spent years working as a temp, I can find my way around an office blindfolded, and the first thing I noticed is an empty file."

"Why, what's inside it? Or what's _not_ inside it, rather."

"Sick days," Donna explained, flipping the binder open revealing it was, in fact, empty. "There aren't any. Hundred of people working here, and no one's sick. Not one hangover, man flu, sneaky little shopping trip. Nothing. Not ever. They don't get ill."

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a curious look.

"That can't be right," Mace said with a frown, taking the folder from her.

"You've been checking out the buildings, should've been checking out the workforce."

"I can see why they like you," Martha said with a grin. "You are _good_."

"Brilliant," Rose added with a smile of her own.

"Super Temp," Donna said triumphantly, wiggling her fingers, making the women chuckle.

"Dr. Jones, set up a medical post, start examining the workers," Mace instructed. "I'll get them sent through."

"Yeah, sure, I'll get right on that," Martha said, turning to Donna. "Come on, Donna, give me a hand."

As their friends left the Doctor and Rose followed Mace as he motioned for them to join him. His mind was buzzing, trying to think about, not only about the ATMOS devices, but why no one filed for a sick day. Being immune to diseases was existent, there was no denying that, but even those who claim to never catch the smallest bug even get ill from time to time. Mace led them out of the factory and along the open corridors parallel to the work area. Seeing the soldiers made the Doctor shudder again, but Rose was quick to send him warmth, squeezing his hand a little. He nodded, nudging her mind and brushed his thumb over hers.

"So, this, this ATMOS thing, where'd it come from?" the Doctor asked the colonel out loud, sterling his nerves.

"Luke Rattigan himself," Mace answered.

"Rattigan?" Rose repeated with a snort. "What, like the rat professor from _The Great Mouse Detective_?"

The Doctor let out an exaggerated cough, hiding his suppressed grin behind his hand holding the ATMOS device. _"You didn't just say that,"_ he thought to her.

 _"Couldn't help myself,"_ she replied cheekily.

Even the colonel smiled briefly, still keeping his professional manner. "I'm afraid there's no connection, Miss Tyler."

"Who's himself then?" the Doctor asked when he finally composed himself.

The colonel led them back into the field base, walking over to one of the computers and pulled up the profile of the man himself who looked young, probably only a few years younger than Rose.

 _"Got beady eyes like a rat,"_ she commented.

 _"Hush you,"_ the Doctor thought to her, concealing another smile.

"Child genius," Mace explained. "Invented the Fountain 6 search engine when he was twelve years old. Millionaire overnight. Now runs the Rattigan Academy. A private school educating students handpicked from all over the world."

"A hothouse for geniuses," the Doctor hummed. "Wouldn't mind going there."

"Please," Rose snorted. "You'd probably get bored if you went there."

"Still perks my interest," he said, nodding at the screen. "If we pay this Luke Rattigan a visit, we'll learn more about this ATMOS deal. This thing may not be alien, but if this young man's an alleged genius, anything's possible."

"Two geniuses clashing together?" Rose said. "What could go wrong?"


	16. The Sontaran Stratagem Part 2

**A/N:** **A** **s always, much love to all of you awesome reviewers and followers! You're the best motivation for my lazy self.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 15: The Sontaran Stratagem Part 2**_

Somewhere in another part of the factory Donna and Martha worked in comfortable silence; the former organizing the room by moving the chairs while the latter sifted through medical forms she used for her exams. It wasn't anything different than from what she would do as a temp back home, keeping things in order. And her mother said that it would be useless keeping up with the office duties when she didn't have that type of job anymore. Well, it still played a useful part.

Then a thought came to her while she moved around the room, one she had when they first arrived at this base. These ATMOS gizmos have poisoned many lives, resulting in their deaths all over the world. And knowing that her mother's car is labeled with an ATMOS sticker only made her worry for her safety and put her in an even greater state of fret. With the worry came a yearning feeling for home, to just be around her mother and grandfather. It took her this long to feel a wave so strong come over her which, now that she thought about it, only seemed that much more mad.

She hadn't even been away from home for so long, even though a ton of events happened since that day she began investigating Adipose Industries. She may not know exactly how much time had passed since she became a guest in the TARDIS with the Doctor and Rose, but it couldn't have been more than a month, three weeks tops since she waved at her granddad on that hill, but it felt much longer.

"Do you think I should call my mum?" Donna asked out loud. "About the ATMOS in her car?"

"Better safe than sorry," Martha replied with a shrug, picking up her things and heading over to the flaps leading into the corridor.

"I'll give her a call," Donna decided as she took out her phone and started to make her way to the opposite office exit.

"Donna," Martha called, causing her to stop in place and turn to face the young doctor. "Do they know where you are? Your family—I mean, that you're travelling with the Doctor?"

"Not really," Donna admitted. "Although…my granddad sorta waved us off. I didn't have time to explain."

She thought back to that day, remembering what her granddad said before she headed back out, before she entered this lifestyle for good. He believed in her. But she never got to say goodbye or really explain to him about the wonders out there in the universe and about the couple drifting in the blue box. It was different than when she travelled the world and visited Egypt. That was a planned trip that her mother and grandfather knew about. This, however, was no ordinary bus ride or jaunt.

"You just…left him behind?" Martha asked gently.

"Yeah," Donna replied quietly.

The other woman nodded, showing sympathy. "I didn't tell my family," she said. "Kept it all so secret and it almost destroyed them."

"In what way?" Donna asked cautiously. She recalled what Rose had told her faintly about what happened in the year that was erased from history—the world being ravaged by a raving lunatic and that this young woman walked across the entire Earth.

"They ended up imprisoned," Martha told her after taking a deep breath. "They were tortured—my mum, my dad, my sister…it wasn't the Doctor's fault, it really wasn't. Someone from…his past came back. And he had his own problems to deal with, more specifically with what was happening to Rose—"

"She died," Donna blurted out quietly. Martha glanced up at her. "She…told me that part."

The other woman nodded. "Did she tell you what happened after she died?"

"Sort of. I mean, she told me that she became this-this spirit or ghost, rather. Told me that she saw what the world looked like and's able to remember it."

"Yeah…" Martha breathed out. "To this day I still don't believe it. The whole process, I mean, with how she…became a ghost. But she was with me when we walked the Earth, and…it was rough. That whole year was. And that's the point I'm trying to make, Donna. You need to be careful. 'Cause the Doctor has enemies out there. He doesn't try to make them or travel around to make a fuss, things just…happen. He always makes things better, both him and Rose, but the collateral damage is always there." She paused for a moment. "You have to be careful and be aware of what you could lose. Even Rose lost a lot. She might not admit it or go into detail, but she did. You know the Doctor, he's wonderful, he's brilliant, but he's like fire—stand to close and people get burned."

Donna stood where she was and nodded. Martha offered her another sympathetic smile before leaving. The other woman's words as well as Rose's from earlier repeated in her ears. Being the Doctor's wife she knew that the blonde had lost a lot over the years since they've been together, and hearing it coming from her and then from their friend and former companion only made her realize something.

She glanced down at her phone laying in her palm. A phone call wasn't enough.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"You are _not_ coming with us," the Doctor said for the thousandth time to Colonel Mace as the trio strode along the docking bay of the factory. "I want to talk to this Luke Rattigan, not point a _gun_ at him."

"It's ten miles outside London," Mace told him. "How are you going to get there?"

"Then get me a Jeep!" he shouted, gesturing at the parked vehicles.

"According to the records, you travel by TARDIS."

"Yeah, but, if there is a danger of hostile aliens, I think it best to keep a super-duper time travel machine _away_ from the front lines."

Mace arched an eyebrow at him. "I see. Then you do have weapons but you choose to keep them hidden."

"We don't intend on using Her as a _weapon_ ," Rose cut in sharply. "Besides, the Doctor's been doing this for so long, so obviously he knows what he's talkin' about, right?"

"I wasn't implying that he didn't, ma'am," Mace said, shifting a little uncomfortably.

"Excuse me, sir," called a voice from one of the young soldiers. "It'd be my honor to escort the Doctor and Miss Tyler to their designated location."

The voice sounded familiar to Rose, much like the young man's face. "Hold on," she said. "I know you."

"I would expect you to, ma'am," the young soldier said, stepping closer. "I was the one who found you…in your cell a year ago. I was appointed by the Brigadier himself that day and drove him to the location."

His name tag read his name—Private Ross Jenkins and then it had clicked all the way. No wonder why she recognized him. This young man was the very first friendly face she met in those eighteen months. Surprisingly it was one of the few things she wanted to remember about being locked up in that cell. The very last place she wanted to recall.

"That's right," Rose replied, nodding. "You're Ross. I remember you. Uh, did I ever say thank you that day?"

Ross smiled. "If I recall, you did, miss. More than once."

"S'pose one more wouldn't hurt," she said with a chuckle. "Thank you."

"Was just doing my job," he replied modestly. "It's good to see that you're doing well."

Rose glanced up at the Doctor, a look of respect on his face as he studied the young man. He stepped forward, his hands still in his deep pockets. "Alistair chose well," he said, extending his hand. "Good enough for him, then more than enough for me."

"All in deep regards, Doctor," the young man said, shaking his hand. "For both you and your wife."

The Doctor nodded and wrapped his arm around Rose's shoulders. "So, Colonel," he said, his attention directed towards Mace. "About that jeep."

Mace flitted his eyes between the couple before hesitantly nodding. "Of course. Jenkins, you will accompany the Doctor and Miss Tyler and take orders from them."

"Yes, sir," Ross said, saluting.

"We don't do orders," the Doctor spoke up, raising his brows.

The colonel ignored him. "Any sign of trouble get Jenkins to declare a Code Red. And good luck, sir."

He saluted them again, and once more the Doctor shook his head. "I said no salutes."

"Now you're giving orders," Mace deadpanned as he walked away.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow at the officer. "A bit cheeky, you are," he muttered.

"That must be the standard with UNIT," Rose joked. "Look at the Brig."

He snorted. "Probably wore off on the colonel there."

Ross smiled. "I'll ready the jeep for you both," he informed them before turning and heading over to the group.

"Doctor," they heard Donna call from the ramp.

"Oh, just in time," the Doctor said, whirling around to sprint towards her and grabbing her hand, leading her over to the waiting jeep. "Come on! Come on, we're going to the country. Fresh air, geniuses, what more could you ask?"

"I'm not coming with you," Donna said, pulling herself away from him. He stared at her, perplexed. "I've been thinking. I'm sorry…I'm going home."

He blinked once, appearing crestfallen. "Really?"

"I've got to," Donna said, shrugging a shoulder.

Rose studied the ginger woman. This didn't feel like a permanent goodbye she could tell. She bit her lip, restraining herself from the smile trying to spread across her face when she noticed her friend's own nearly twitching upwards and more when she noted how her husband was falling for her act.

"Well…if that's what you want," the Doctor drew out slowly, glancing briefly at Rose before facing Donna again. "I mean, it's a bit soon. I had so many places I wanted to take you. The Fifteenth Broken Moon of the Medusa Cascade—"

"Uh, Doctor?" Rose cut in gently, trying to stop him from his extraneous rambling.

"—the lightening skies of Cotter Palluni's World—"

"Doctor."

"—the diamond coral reefs of Kaata Flo Ko," he turned to Rose for a moment. "Which happens to be one of the neighboring planet by Kaao'Tilia, don't know why I never mentioned that before."

Rose nodded, pressing her lips together in an attempt to control herself before bursting out into laughter when he continued.

"Thank you," he told Donna, a sad smile on his face. "Thank you, Donna Noble. It's been brilliant."

A noise that was a cross between a chortle and a snort escaped from Rose as she hid her smile behind her hand. The Doctor shot her a look.

"What?" he asked, oblivious to what their friend was doing. Rose opened her mouth to tell him, but she betrayed herself by laughing. Narrowing his eyes at her he turned back to Donna, seeming to finally realize what was happening. "You're…" he trailed. "You're-you're just popping home for a visit. That's what you mean."

Donna shook her head at him. "You dumbo."

"And then you're coming back."

"Do you know what you are? A great, big, outer-space dunce."

The Doctor sheepishly scratched his cheek. "Yeah…" His eyes fell over to his wife in a pointed stare. "You could've stopped me," he muttered, his ears turning a bit pink.

Rose shrugged. "I tried, but you wouldn't listen."

"Ready when you are, sir," Ross called from the jeep.

"What's more, you can give me a lift," Donna said, tugging their arms along. "Come on." The passenger side door was open, so she slid in first next to the young soldier. "Broken moon of what?" she asked the Doctor innocently.

He sighed, taking the other seat. "I know, I know. Please don't remind me."

"You know that's kinda pointless to say," Rose said with a teasing grin.

He rolled his eyes at that and held his hand out for her to grab, helping her into the vehicle by placing her in his lap. "Yet another thing you won't let me live down."

"Adding it to the list," she told him with a grin as she settled herself in.

"Kinda snug," Donna commented, wiggling around a bit.

"It's not so bad," the Doctor said, lightly tapping his fingers on Rose's stomach as Ross pulled the jeep out of the factory. Only when they hit a small bump in the road did he groan a bit, feeling himself…stiffening. "Ehm, Rose…" he ground out.

"Yes, Doctor?" she asked sweetly, leaning into him more.

"You comfortable?"

"Nice and cozy. You?"

He threw her a wicked grin. "Couldn't be better. Best seat in the house."

Rose's brows shot up. She turned her head look at him with widened eyes. He snickered and she arched an eyebrow. _"'M pretty sure that's not either of our sonic screwdrivers,"_ she thought to him. _"At least I know it's not **mine**."_

 _"Now, Rose, you know very well that I don't keep my sonic in my trousers. That's a totally **different** tool."_

She giggled. _"We really need to work on your charm."_

 _"Dunno, it's been quite effective up to date,"_ he said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Oi, you two!" Donna warned, making them both flinch. "There's very little space in here, so save all that for your own personal spaces!"

Mortification washed over them instantly, their faces blushing from being put on the spot by their friend. The Doctor cleared his throat awkwardly and Rose patted his hands encircling her waist.

"God, the pair of ya," Donna said dramatically beside them. "Don't you ever get bored of being ridiculously in love with each other?"

"Never," Rose answered with a grin, while the Doctor made a happy sound.

"It's something nice to see, though," Ross spoke up from the wheel, looking over at them with a small smile. "A married couple completely lost in each other and at peace."

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look, the latter patting his leg. Then they both flashed grins when they heard their friend mutter something about 'randy aliens.' Ridiculously in love, just as she said.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The drive down the streets of Chiswick was smooth, much like the conversations. At first the Doctor began to ask the young soldier about other members of UNIT, people Donna had no idea of who they were but must have been others he had worked with. She still couldn't believe that someone like him—an alien, to boot—used to work for an organization that hunts down aliens. Although he was an exception, obviously.

Keeping the talks animated he then went off babbling about random planets that she couldn't remember the names of that he wanted to take her and Rose to. Speaking of the couple she was sitting in close quarters to, they had managed—surprisingly—to keep their hands to themselves and ease up on their naughty thoughts. She knew they were married and unbelievably in love, so she couldn't blame them for being so…touchy with each other. She just didn't fancy having to witness any type of alien foreplay in a crammed army jeep.

Through the entire ride Donna couldn't help but hear Martha's words from earlier echo in her ears. It's all sunken in by now, and it was the reason why she decided that visiting her family properly was a better alternative than just a measly phone call. But ever since a few weeks when Rose vaguely talked about how she had 'died' and talked about the family members and close friends she had lost, and then Martha also mentioning her own personal experiences, it's made her that much more homesick. Ever since the first day she met her two friends that Christmas Eve and she turned down the offer to travel with them she knew of the kind of life those two had, and yet she was a little overwhelmed by it all.

But it was like they told her—the universe is both wonderful and horrible at the same time. Some days are good, great even, and then there's others that are bad and, in some cases, extremely terrible. She glanced over at the Doctor, seeing him acting neutral and warmly with Rose in his lap. His tension was seen when they first arrived at the factory, being surrounded by all those guns, and now it had eased up. Only now it was gone. Well…it wasn't really _gone,_ it was still there. Just fading away. He said that's what would happen when he was with Rose. She balanced him out, kept him in check. Led him away from the tension.

 _He's wonderful, he's brilliant, but he's like fire—stand too close, and people get burned._

Donna was brought out of her musings when the young soldier pulled up to the corner of her street. She told him to stop. The Doctor opened the door to let Rose slide out first, followed by himself, and held out the door for her to step out.

"I'll walk the rest of the way," she told them. "I'll see you both back at the factory, yeah?"

"Sounds good," Rose said, slipping back into the jeep. "Say hi to your granddad for us."

"I will."

"Bye!" the Doctor said as he got back into the jeep and shut the door.

"And you two be careful!" Donna told them as they waved when the jeep pulled away.

Taking a deep breath she began to slowly walk down the street, taking in the sights and the sounds around her; people casually strolling by, taking out the trash, pushing baby carriages along the pavement, kids playing in the street. It was…normal. Just normal people enjoying their normal human lives.

"Haven't seen you for days," said a woman, one of her neighbors to be exact, passing by with a smile.

"Yeah," Donna replied. "Been away."

That didn't really cover it, though. For everyone here it's only been a few days since anyone's seen her last. A few days since the Adipose incident. But for her it's been about a month, a whole other life basically.

As she continued walking she noticed a young boy playing with a football in the street, kicking it around by a parked car. Almost instantly a flash of reels played back before her eyes—the night she ran into the Doctor and Rose and was hanging off of the cable on the side of the Adipose building, the stone body of the High Priestess of the Sybilline back in Pompeii along with the young boy she tried to save when the volcano was erupting, the song of captivity sung by the enslaved Ood, and finally the tiny baby Adipose floating up in the air as she and the Doctor and Rose waved at it. Every event of her adventures since leaving home coming back to her.

Donna came to a stop in the middle of the street when she saw her grandfather in the driveway taking out the trash. Her hand found its way to her mouth when she stifled a sob. He saw her from where he stood and began to wave his arms at her excitedly, just as he had the night the TARDIS flew above his spot on the hill. Not even hesitating her legs carried her over in his direction in a run as she wrapped her arms around him.

"It's all right, sweetheart," he said, holding her tight and stroking her hair.

"You wouldn't _believe_ the things I've seen, Gramps," she said with a breathless chuckle.

He let out a chuckle of his own. "Oh, you can bet that I will. Come on in, then. I just made some tea. Good thing I made extra!"

Leading her inside their house Donna bit back on another sob when she walked into the kitchen. It looked exactly the same as when she left, which sounded barmy considering that it's only been a few days since she was last home on standard Earth time. But she'd never think she'd walk through the door and be excited to see the usual domestic environment. Sitting herself by the table her grandfather stood by the counter and prepared her with a cuppa then came over to set it in front of her. He brought his own over and took his seat.

"I said so, didn't I?" he began. "Aliens! I said they were real! I just didn't expect them in a little blue box."

"It's bigger on the inside," Donna said, smiling at him.

"Yeah, but is it safe, then?" he asked with seriousness. "This Doctor and his wife, are you safe with them?"

 _It's not always safe._

 _You remember the reasons why you said no that day? They're always there. They always would be._

 _You have to be careful and be aware of what you could lose. You know the Doctor, he's wonderful, he's brilliant, but he's like fire—stand to close and people get burned._

Her friends' words buzzed in her mind, each of them warning her about that lifestyle of whizzing about across the stars. It wasn't always safe and she knew it, whether she was in the TARDIS or back at home. Things always happened in the universe, threats and invasions always popping up.

"They're amazing, Gramps," she said dreamily, pushing away the very words said by the couple that lingered in the back of her mind. "They're just…dazzling. And never tell the Doctor I said that, his ego's big enough as it is."

Her grandfather chuckled then became serious again. "But you're sure that he's safe? Both of them?"

"I'd trust him with my life," she told him honestly. "Both him and Rose, they're reliable."

"Hold up," he said, straightening up in his seat with an affronted expression. "I thought that was my job."

Donna laughed and placed a hand over one of his. "You still come first."

He smiled. "Hope so. Who is this Rose, though? I mean, is she an alien too? Like the Doctor?"

"Not really, no," she replied, then shrugged. "She's mostly human, that's what they always say. But she's pretty alien to me."

"I would guess so," he said with a laugh. "Flying around with her alien husband, it'd be surprising if she were just like the rest of us here."

"She came from Earth, though, Gramps," Donna told him. "She was born in London, even showed me her family. She just…adapted."

His eyes widened. "Oh. Didn't think that would be possible." He snorted. "Then again no one ever believed in aliens back then and oh ho, just about everyone knows now!"

She smiled at him. "She's really nice, much more than her husband. He can be a bit rude at times, but he was born that way. You'd like them."

"For God's sake, don't tell your mother," her grandfather said with a sigh.

Donna crinkled her brows. Her mother, while hysterical, would probably make a comment that she had her head up in the clouds or in the tube when she told her about the many alien invasions that show up in London. Even with the Adipose incident she seemed to be in a state of disbelief and in denial. Still though, if she needed to be safe, she needed to know about current affairs.

"I don't know," she said. "I mean, this is _massive._ It's sort of not fair if she doesn't know."

"Doesn't know what?"

The woman being mentioned came in from the back door carrying a basket of clean laundry at her hip and placing it on the counter.

"And who's 'she', the cat's mother?" her mother continued as she began to fold one of the shirts. Donna glanced over at her grandfather to see him making a face and gestures, causing her to smile for a moment. "And where have you been these past few days, lady, after that silly little trick with the car keys? I phoned Veena and she said she hadn't seen hide nor hair."

"I've been…travelling," Donna replied lamely.

"Oh, hark at her, Michael Palin," her mother remarked. "Are you staying for tea? 'Cause I haven't got anything in. I've been trying to keep your granddad on that macrobiotic diet but he sneaks off and gets pork pies at the petrol station." Her grandfather turned around in his seat to protest, but her mother cut him off. "Don't deny it. I've seen the wrappers in the car. Oh, I don't miss a trick."

He shifted in his seat with his back to his daughter and exchanged a smile with Donna. Yeah, _nothing_ went by her mother at all.

"Now then, what were you gonna tell me?" her mother continued. "What don't I know?"

 _Everything,_ Donna thought. That seemed to be the answer in her mind, and she really wanted to tell her mum that. She bit her lip, debating whether or not she should tell her. Her grandfather held his hands to his mouth in closed fists, his brows raising. She knew what she had to say. "Nothing," she replied. "Just…nothing."

"Good," her mother said as she finished her laundry. "Right then. You can sit there and cut out those coupons. Every penny helps. This new mortgage won't pay for itself. Dad, kettle on."

Her grandfather stood from his seat. "Yeah, kettle on." He threw Donna a wink and she offered a faint smile.

Just being surrounded in the familiar and domestic atmosphere that she knew too well was comforting. For the first time today she felt her homesickness easing up. And that this bit of domesticity felt more alien than anything else she's done in the TARDIS and with her friends. Somewhere in the back of her mind she could still hear what Martha had told her in that room earlier about keeping everything secret to her family. But right now she just wanted to enjoy her family's company.

The ATMOS issue would be brought up to them later.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Driving down the roads the Doctor informed Ross that their destination was this Rattigan Academy, and the young soldier did his duty to bring them to their place of interest. It wasn't too far away from the ATMOS factory, and all they had to do was backtrack down the roads from where they dropped Donna off. Throughout the ride another fleeting wave of nausea came over Rose as she felt her stomach lurch every once in a while. She hasn't had these queasy feelings since earlier when she and the Doctor were examining the ATMOS device, and then it passed moments later. Covering it up was simple as she brushed it off, choosing not to alert her husband of her involuntary urge to hurl and just continue to go along with it until the waves left her altogether. Bloody blue drinks. Why did she have to have five of them?

Only when she made a retching sound did the Doctor notice and immediately turn to her. "Rose? What's wrong?"

"Nothin'," she replied casually, waving it off. "Just a little queasy, 's all."

"Motion sickness?"

She shook her head. "Think it's the blue drinks again. The taste is still lingering in the back of my throat."

He sighed and scratched his sideburn. "Should've known that would happen, really. Side effects are always a given when it comes to consuming blubuscousbals, but so many could lead to extending ones."

"Guess I deserve it," Rose said with a chuckle, leaning back into her seat. "Didn't listen to you when you said not to drink more than two."

"Not the first time you didn't listen to me," the Doctor said with a smirk. He straightened up and began to pat his jacket. "I don't think I've got those pills on me, but maybe by some chance—"

"You don't have to go through the trouble," Rose said gently, brushing a hand over his forearm to stop him from searching. "I'll be fine."

"You sure, Rose?" he asked. "'Cause it's never a pleasant feeling to be nauseous. Could actually make you even sicker. Or worse, could make me sick."

She arched an eyebrow. "Thought you said you're immune to human sicknesses."

"Well, I am. Save for the common cold, that's never fun. But I can still pick up remnants from you since we're bonded. To a certain degree, whatever symptoms you get, could be transferred into me as well."

Rose groaned. "That's all I need. You being sick. You're worse to care for than a child."

"Hey!"

She shook her head and smirked. "'M kidding. Really, I'll be all right. I've suffered through worse. It'll pass." The Doctor arched an eyebrow at her. "Really, 'm okay."

He gave her an empathic look, raising a hand to the back of her neck to tenderly massage her skin. "All right. But the second we get back on the TARDIS after this ATMOS thing's solved I'll head over to the medbay and get you the medicine."

"'Kay."

"Just hang in there and try not to vomit," he told her jokingly. "Don't fancy having to clean up another mess."

Rose laughed. "Yeah, ruining one of your ties was enough for you to deal with."

He chuckled. "Not only that, but it's a bit cramped in here. We wouldn't want to burden Ross with any of that, right?"

The young soldier smiled. "Sometimes it can't be helped. There's probably a sack in the back that you could use if your feelings don't go away as fast, Miss Tyler."

"Thanks for that, Ross, but I'm good," Rose told him, then poked the Doctor in the chest. "And if I wound up throwing up in here UNIT would demand a payment for ruining one of their jeeps."

The Doctor snorted. "Yeah, and I would be the one paying for it."

"And you don't have the money for it, right?"

"Excuse me for interjecting," Ross said as they turned around a corner. "But the Brigadier once said that you've still got an account with us, Doctor."

"Just drive, Ross," the Doctor said, causing his wife and the young man to chuckle.

Their conversations continued on during the drive. Rose had asked Ross about how he became a private for UNIT, and the young man told her that his father used to work for the organization nearly all of his life. The Doctor mentioned that he didn't recall ever hearing of the man, and the private clarified that his father never worked with him. However he was inspired by the stories the other recruits told all of his years in the company. Then they came onto the more serious subject, the main one that is the purpose of their drive.

"So what's the deal with this Rattigan Academy?" Rose asked curiously. "You lot seem pretty interested in it."

"UNIT's been watching the Rattigan Academy for ages," Ross answered. "It's all a bit Hitler Youth; exercise at dawn and classes and special diets."

 ** _"Turn left,"_ ** the computerized voice of the ATMOS device intoned.

The Doctor frowned, eyeing the system programmed into the jeep. "Ross, one question. If UNIT thinks that ATMOS is dodgy—"

"How come we've got it in the Jeeps?" the soldier finished.

"Yeah."

"Kinda risky, ain't it?" Rose asked.

Ross snorted. "Tell me about it. They're fitted as standard on all government vehicles. We can't get rid of them until we can prove there's something wrong."

 ** _"Turn right,"_** the ATMOS told.

"Drives me around the bend," the private continued as he led the jeep onto a driveway.

The Doctor lightly tapped Rose's arm, grinning at the young man. "Oh, nice one."

"Timed that perfectly," Ross said smugly.

"You really did," Rose said with a chuckle then nudged the Doctor's ribs. _"Beat you to it."_

 _"Well, I can't **always** be the one to make the good puns."_

 _"You make **good** puns?"_

 _"Oi."_

 ** _"This is your final destination,"_** the ATMOS declared.

Up ahead was the Rattigan Academy itself, standing proud and tall. It was a private school so its size was meant to be magnificent, and this one was housed in a castle on a vast green ground. Usually owners of lavish edifices had an ego just as large as their property, or even more massive, so they could only imagine the attitude of this eighteen year old.

 _"Compensating much?"_ Rose thought to the Doctor when Ross stopped the jeep.

 _"Quite the set up he's got here,"_ he replied, scanning the building as he exited the vehicle and helped his wife out.

 _"Imagine the funding put into this place."_

 _"The colonel did say that he became a millionaire."_

 _"Another one of those rich, snobby prats. Great."_

The Doctor turned to her. _"Did you wanna stay behind?"_

Rose shrugged. _"Not really, but having to deal with posh, condescending people is never something I look forward to."_

He reached for hand and clasped it in his. Her distaste for the snobby upper class types would never change, and they always seemed to find themselves running into those crowds, but this kid genius was involved with a device that was poisoning drivers, an imperative piece to the puzzle. The trio walked up the gravel path where young students dressed in orange sweat suits ran past them while the young man running the place was standing in the front looking over the grounds, waiting for them.

"Is it P.E?" the Doctor asked brightly, coming to a stop and twirling one of his feet. "I wouldn't mind a kick-around. Got me daps on."

"Always have to be ready for the running," Rose added.

Luke turned around to face them, clamping his hands behind his back. "I suppose you're the Doctor."

"Yup, that's me," he said with a smile. "Hello. And this is my wife Rose."

"Hello," she said with a forced grin, wiggling her fingers a bit.

"And this is Ross," the Doctor continued, nodding at the private. "Say hello, Ross."

"Afternoon, sir," the soldier said in a professional manner.

 _"Giving orders now?"_ Rose thought.

 _"Of course not."_ She inwardly snorted. _"Cheeky woman."_

Luke barely glanced at them, his eyes only locked on the Doctor. The boy—which was what Rose considered him to be—had an expression that she could only describe as the epitome of bumptious, so of course she immediately disliked him. Hell, she wasn't fond of him when she saw the picture of him online and heard his backstory.

"Your commanding officer phoned ahead," he told them.

"Oh, I haven't got a commanding officer," the Doctor said with a frown before arching an eyebrow at the young man. "Have you?"

Luke just stood there silently, a paltry look in his eyes as he observed them. Rose knew what her husband was trying to do, but apparently the young man wasn't going to spill anything out that way.

"Well, since we've been expected," she said, turning to the Doctor. "How 'bout we check this place out?"

"Right you are, love," he said happily, rushing over to the main doors. "Let's have a look, then! I can smell genius…in a good way, that is," he added over his shoulder.

"Is there another way?" Rose snorted.

He made a happy sound and threw her a wink as they entered the building.

* * *

 **Response to _newboy:_ Glad you like the idea! :D Good thinking there, they really would function better by then. Thanks for the creator idea suggestion! When I use it I'll be sure to give you credit for that ;) I agree. We could've seen them more often.**


	17. The Sontaran Stratagem Part 3

**A/N:** **As always, many thanks to you lovely viewers! I adore you all ;)**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 16: The Sontaran Stratagem Part 3_**

They ended up in one of the laboratories, which was impressive to say the least. Inside were some more students working on various projects. The Doctor was right at home with the technology filling the space, resembling a kid in a candy store when all sorts of scientific research and objects caught his eye.

"Oh, now…that's clever!" He reached into his jacket and slipped on his specs, moving around the room to observe the experiments with a wide grin on his face. "Look at this, Rose! Single-molecule fabric. How thin is that? You could pack a tent in a thimble."

"That thin, huh?" Rose asked as she checked out a nearby sphere.

"Oh, yes!" he chirped. "Imagine having this material used for clothing. _Donna wouldn't have needed to bring so many suitcases,"_ he added in her mind.

"Useful invention, then," she chuckled.

"Ooh! Gravity simulators!" He ran over to another table. "Terraforming, biospheres, nano-tech steel construction!" He laughed gleefully. "This is brilliant!" Moving to where the kid genius was the Doctor's enthusiastic voice became more serious. "But y'know with equipment like this, you could, oh, I dunno…move to another planet or something."

Luke didn't respond at first, appearing uncomfortable. "If only that was possible," he said with a false smile.

"If only that _were_ possible," the Doctor corrected, removing his glasses and placing them in his breast pocket with a sniff. "Conditional clause."

The faint smile that was on the young man's face slipped away, his face twisting. Rose couldn't help but grin at her husband's smugness.

"I think you'd better come with me," Luke finally said before turning away and heading out of the room.

 _"Talk about tetchy,"_ Rose thought to the Doctor.

 _"He's hiding something,"_ he replied. _"Let's find out what."_

He raised his brows at both her and Ross, following the young man into the next room. They were brought to a massive reception area with a few desks holding up various works and walls decorated lavishly with paintings and even a large square pool in the center of the room. Rose nudged the Doctor in the side, nodding at a large metallic tunnel-like sculpture located on the other side of the room, the interior bathed in a purple glow. That was definitely not just a regular piece of art.

 _"Bet he didn't make that himself,"_ she told him.

 _"Ooh, that's interesting,"_ he commented, eyeing it. He had a pretty good idea of what it was, and he knew exactly what would come after he observed it more.

"You're smarter than the usual UNIT grunts," Luke derided. "I'll give you that."

"Grunts?" Rose said indignantly. "Don't you dare call Ross a _grunt,_ he's a nice man."

The Doctor turned to the man. "You most certainly are _not_ a grunt, Ross. We like you."

"Yes, we do," she put in, shooting the boy a dirty look.

He only studied her, but gave no further response.

"Look at this place…" the Doctor commented, wandering around the room and surveying the area with an impressed expression.

"What exactly do you want?" Luke snapped.

"For one thing, for you to get a better attitude," Rose shot back, causing the boy to give her an inconsequential look.

"I was just thinking," the Doctor spoke up from the other side of the room. "What a responsible eighteen year old." He trailed his hand across a table, making the contraption laying there make a sound. "Inventing zero-carbon cars, saving the world…"

"It takes a man with vision," the boy replied.

The Doctor hummed. "Blinkered vision, perhaps. 'Cause ATMOS means more people driving, more cars, more petrol, end result: the oil's gonna run out faster than ever. The ATMOS system could make things worse."

"Yeah, well, that's a tautology," the boy told quickly, his explanation coming out rapidly. "You can't say ATMOS 'system' 'cause it stands for Atmospheric Emission System. So you're saying 'Atmospheric Emission System System'. Do you see, Mr. Conditional Clause?" he added with a smirk and air quotes.

Rose exchanged a look with her husband, crossing her arms over her chest and arching an eyebrow at the boy. "Your mother must've been too easy on you to not give you a decent whooping."

"Excuse me?" Luke said, vexed.

"It's been a long time since anyone's said no to you, isn't it?" the Doctor asked evenly, restraining himself from grinning at his wife's comment.

The boy wavered a bit but his complacent mask stayed intact. "I'm still right, though."

"Not easy, is it, being clever?" the Doctor continued, stepping up to look down at the young man. "Even the most cleverest of people are wrong from time to time, even if they won't admit it." Rose ribbed him through their bond and he sent her an accepting wave. "You look at the world and you connect things—random things—and think, 'why can't anyone else see it? The rest of the world is so slow'."

"Yeah."

"And you're on your own."

Luke nodded. "I know."

The Doctor studied the young man, almost out of pity, then brightened his tone. "But not with this." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the ATMOS device he and Rose had been examining. "'Cause there's no way you invented this single-handed. It might be Earth technology, but that's like finding a mobile phone in the Middle Ages." He tossed the device over to Ross and walked over to the tunnel. "No, no, I'll tell you what it's like! It's like finding this in someone's front room. Albeit, a very _big_ front room."

"Why?" Ross asked. "What is it?"

"Yeah, just looks like a thing, doesn't it?" he said with a grin. "People don't question _things._ They just think, 'oh, it's a _thing_ '."

"Leave it alone!" Luke ordered.

"See that's the thing about these things," the Doctor continued, walking inside the tunnel and making wild gestures, still grinning like a madman. "Me, I make these connections. Both me and Rose; got quite the eye for details. And this certainly looks like…" He eyed a large button on a pad.

Rose scrunched her nose when a metallic scent came to her, nearly coating her tongue. That, along with the twitchy feeling she got in her stomach, made her realize what the tunnel was. "It's a teleport," she breathed out.

"Right you are, love!"

He pressed the button and suddenly disappeared. Rose groaned bitterly. She closed her eyes and held a hand by her head when she felt him moving further and further away through their bond. Their connection was there, just becoming distant. Almost like a car radio becoming a little static the further it went through an area surrounded by trees. It was just like when they were separated from each other during a certain lunatic's reign of power, except it wasn't as hindered at the moment as it was during _those_ wonderful times without the TARDIS. She shuddered at the thought.

"Rose?" Ross said, concerned as he walked over to her. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she ground out, giving him a thumbs up. "Fine."

"Who does your husband think he is?" Luke asked angrily. "Touching things that don't concern him."

She whirled around and glared at him. "He's the Doctor, and he can do _whatever_ the hell he _wants._ So keep that trap of yours shut! _Where'd you go?"_ she added in her mind.

 _"Somewhere far away, as it turns out,"_ he replied.

 _"It's straining, too, y'know."_

 _"I know, I'm sorry. Lemme just take a look…"_ He paused. _"Oh."_

 _"What is it? What d'you see?"_ She inwardly groaned when she heard him make another terrible pun. _"Seriously?"_

 _"Sorry. Coming through! Get out of there!"_

 _"Why? What happened?"_

 _"Bringing back company!"_

As soon as he was gone the Doctor returned on the run, his eyes blinking rapidly to adjust to his surroundings. He immediately ran up to both his wife and the soldier.

"Rose, Ross, get out of here! Luke, you'd better come with me!" He tried to move them away, but they remained where they were.

Soon another figure was materializing in the teleport. It was plump and much smaller, Rose noted almost that of a child's height, clad from head to toe in a dark blue armor, concealing its face. In a flash the Doctor whipped out his sonic and aimed it at the teleport. Sparks flew from the control panel as he shortened the circuits.

"Sontaran!" the Doctor shouted at the figure as it began to advance, raising his small staff but froze for a moment. "That's your name, isn't it? How did I know that, eh?" He continued, putting the sonic back in his jacket. "Fascinating, isn't it? Isn't that worth keeping me alive?"

"I order you to surrender in the name of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce," Ross said, aiming his gun at the creature.

"That's not gonna work," the Doctor muttered to him before speaking to the Sontaran again. "Cordalaine signal, am I right?" He turned back to Rose and Ross. "Copper excitation stopping the bullets."

"What a method," Rose commented.

"How do you know so much?" the Sontaran demanded.

He sniffed and tilted his head to the side. "Well…"

"Bit of a genius, he is," Rose remarked as he walked around the room and leaned against a desk.

"Who is he?" the stocky figure asked Luke.

"He didn't give his name," the boy said, barely concealing his fear.

"This isn't typical Sontaran behavior, is it?" the Doctor derided. "Hiding? Using teenagers? Stopping bullets? A Sontaran should face bullets with dignity. Shame on you!"

"You dishonor me, sir!" the Sontaran said scornfully.

"Yeah? Then show yourself," he prompted.

"I will look into my enemy's eyes."

The Sontaran moved his wand to place it beneath his arm, raising his hands to his helmet. It clicked and he began to remove it—and what was revealed underneath wasn't the prettiest of sights. A dome-shaped head that appeared to not be held up by a visible neck with leathery copper colored skin. He had wrinkles creating his face, a dark menacing look as an expression.

"Oh, my God," Ross breathed out in shock.

"And your name?" the Doctor asked.

"General Staal," the Sontaran replied. "Of the Tenth Sontaran Battle Fleet. Staal the Undefeated!"

Rose snorted. "Not really the best choice of a nickname, mate."

The Doctor tsked. "Yeah, what if you _do_ get defeated? Then it would just be pointless. Unless you could change it to something less ironic. What would it be? 'Staal-The-Not-Quite-So-Undefeated-Anymore-But-Never-Mind'?"

Rose grinned and inwardly giggled. _"A bit of a mouthful."_

He raised his brows at her and smirked, nudging her shoulder when he moved to stand beside her.

"He looks like a potato," Ross scoffed. "A baked potato. A _talking_ baked potato."

"Now, Ross, don't be rude," the Doctor said. "You look like a pink weasel to him."

Rose snorted again. "All pink and yellow, right?"

"Exactly," he replied with a grin as he walked over to the side to bend over and pick up a tennis racket and a ball, absent-mindedly bouncing it. "The Sontarans are the finest soldiers in the galaxy," he explained, gently leaning on Rose's shoulder as he caught the ball in his hand and twirled the racket. "Dedicated to a life of warfare. A clone race grown in batches of millions with only one weakness—"

"Sontarans have no weakness!" Staal cut in angrily, his scowl deepening.

"No, it's a _good_ weakness."

"Aren't you meant to be clever?" Luke said. "Only an idiot would provoke him."

"What, like you're actually clever?" Rose challenged.

"Uh…yeah!" Luke responded with widened eyes, spreading his arms out wide to gesture around the room. "Haven't you seen everything in this place? I _am_ a genius."

"Not too bright though if you're workin' for Humpty Dumpty over here."

Luke shot her a black look and Staal continued to scowl at them.

The Doctor slid his arm all the way around Rose's shoulders, pressing his lips together to keep himself from laughing. _"Rose."_

 _"Yeah, yeah, I know. He's a baked potato and I'm a pink and yellow weasel."_

 _"Well, yes, but I forgot to tell you that Sontarans tend to have short fuses. Eh? Short fuses?"_

Rose covered her mouth, concealing her grin and rolled her eyes. _"You're terrible."_

"Who is the female?" Staal ordered. "She is just as dishonorable as the man!"

"They came together, sir," Luke responded.

"Women are futile, just pawns that get in the way."

"Oh, is that so?" Rose said arching an eyebrow at the creature. "Ever have one smack you across the face?"

The Doctor cleared his throat and placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her in her spot. The last thing he wanted was for her to provoke a Sontaran in that way. _"Leave him be,"_ he thought to her.

 _"Bloody chauvinist,"_ she muttered.

"An entertaining way of words," Staal remarked. "Who are you and your man?"

"Oh, we're not talking about us," the Doctor said dismissively in a casual tone, still smiling. "We're talking about _you,_ Staal—about your species and your weakness. A good one, at that, as I already said. Thing is the Sontarans are fed by a probic vent in the back of the neck." He tapped the tennis racket on the back of his own. "That's their weak spot, which means they always have to face their enemy in battle. Isn't that brilliant? They can never turn their backs!"

"We stare into the face of death!" Staal proclaimed.

Any and all enthusiasm that colored the Doctor's face and tone shifted. "Yeah? Well, stare at this!"

He tossed the ball into the air and whacked it with the racket, bouncing off the teleport pod and connecting with the probic vent on Staal's uniform. The Sontaran let out a cry and staggered to the ground, and in that time the Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and pushed Ross with the other towards the exit. The trio bolted for the doors, hearing Luke freaking out in the background. Hurtling down the steps they quickly made it to the jeep, Rose sliding in first followed by the Doctor as Ross drove away from the school and back onto the road to return to the factory.

"So this brat's been working with these Sontarans?" Rose asked. "And you said they're a race of soldiers?"

"Some of the most merciless in the galaxy," the Doctor said, fumbling for the handheld radio. "And if they're returning back to Earth, then it's definitely nothing good."

"Typical invasion, should've known."

"Greyhound Forty to Trap One," he said into the walkie-talkie. "Repeat: can you hear me? Over." He was only met with static and threw it in the back. "Bollocks!"

"Why is it not working?" Ross asked as he continued to break the speed limit down the road.

"Could be the Sontarans," Rose put in. "If they're able to disable guns somehow, then they're probably more than able to interfere with radio signals."

The Doctor nodded. "It's possible. If they can trace that, they can isolate the ATMOS."

 ** _"Turn left,"_** the ATMOS intoned.

"Try going right," the Doctor suggested.

"But it says left," Ross said.

"I know that. So go right."

Ross took his hands off the wheel, noticing that the car was doing the steering without his help. "I've got no control. It's driving itself. It won't stop."

"Why don't you try the doors?" Rose asked, reaching over the Doctor to pull at the handle, only to curse at the result. "It's locked! Sonic?"

"Worth a try," the Doctor said, reaching into his pocket to grab his sonic. He ran it over the ATMOS, only to growl in frustration. "It's deadlocked! I can't stop it!"

 ** _"Turn left."_**

Out of their control the jeep took a sharp swerve to the left, causing the three to jolt. Ross reached over and attempted to pull apart the device, managing to splice a few wires.

"The sat-nav's just a box, wired through the whole car," the Doctor said. "You'd have to pull apart the entire car in order to disable that."

"No time for that," Rose remarked as she reached into her pocket to pull out some kind of object that resembled a hammer. "Try the windows?"

"Where'd you get that?" the Doctor asked, confused.

"Doctor, now's not the time for questions, we've gotta break outta here." She leaned over him again and began to slam it against the window, barely causing the glass to splinter. "What the hell are these made of? Indestructible glass?"

"This is incredibly strong!" he commented, placing a hand on the glass. "Well, then again, UNIT protocols."

"If only we had access to a space hopper."

The Doctor snorted at that. "Please, there's better options for us than to use one of those bloody space hoppers if we had one."

Rose crossed her arms over her chest and arched an eyebrow at him. "Yeah? You've used it as a last resort before."

"Exactly! As a last resort! 'Cause there were no other ways!"

"And what about now? What options have we got now?"

He pressed his lips together. Admittedly he wished for once that they _did_ have one of those dreaded space hoppers in their possession. As much as he degraded those and detested them as real methods of time travel, having one right now would do them some good for sure. The tires screeched across the asphalt before the jeep manually swerved off the road. Three pairs of eyes soon widened when they realized the destination that the vehicle was going to—the river. The same fate that the journalist had met when she entered a car programmed with ATMOS.

"We're heading for the river!" Ross cried.

"ATMOS, are you programmed to contradict my orders?" the Doctor suddenly spoke up.

 ** _"Confirmed,"_** the device answered.

"Doctor," Rose said with a warning tone as the river was approaching closer.

"Anything I say, you'll ignore it?" he continued.

 ** _"Confirmed."_**

"Then drive into the river!"

"What?" Ross said in disbelief.

"I order you to drive into the river!" he continued. "Do it! Drive into the river!"

Holding on tightly the Rose grabbed the Doctor's hand as the jeep's brakes began to squeal when it tried to come to a halt. A few tense seconds later it became still and stopped right at the edge of the river. The locks on the doors began to click and without hesitation the trio jumped out and ran for it.

 ** _"Turn right,"_** the ATMOS device said from behind them, glitching and then becoming high pitched. **_"Left. Right. Left. Right."_**

"Get down!" the Doctor hollered, tugging Rose down on the ground just as Ross dove. Still gripping her hand he covered her like a protective shield and kept their heads low, preparing for the jeep to explode, bracing themselves—Then a soft hissing sound came to their attention. Lifting their heads they turned to see the ATMOS panel sparking and smoking. "Oh, is that it?" he said, both surprised and even a bit disappointed by the result.

" _That_ was the big bang?" Rose replied, then snorted. "Kinda underwhelming, don't you think?"

"At least nobody was hurt," Ross said lightly.

"As it turns out, when in trouble, always turn right," the Doctor muttered.

"Dunno, turning left might always be better," Rose said.

"Maybe in some cases."

Pushing themselves up they each brushed themselves off, the small shavings of grass clinging to their clothes. They took another look at their method of transportation, noting that it was perished.

"Now what?" Rose asked. "Should we head over to Donna's to see how she's doin'? It shouldn't be far away from here."

The Doctor scanned the area. "Bit of a long walk, innit?"

She grabbed his hand, throwing him a sweet smile. "Then we best start moving then."

 ** _xxx_** ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Much like the Doctor had thought the walk to Chiswick was indeed one worthy of a marathon. No, that was a bit of an exaggeration. He was never one to complain about long distances. After all, every act of running that he and Rose had done all across the universe was good cardio and kept them in perfect shape. Walking was not much of a difference, but walking for so long could make one disordered. Even someone like him. One hundred and twenty-seven minutes and thirty-one seconds. That's how long it's been since they finally made it to the town. Good thing too because he was becoming more restless with every second that passed by.

"I think this is the street," Rose declared when they turned a corner. She nodded.

They sauntered down the street, checking the houses to find which one was Donna's. The Doctor nearly went up to the wrong house and Rose grabbed him by the arm and led him further down the road. She knew that he had the address to their companion's home, but he must've left it somewhere in the TARDIS on one of his many sticky notes with Gallifreyan written on them. What would he be doing without her? Coming up to the doorstep Rose pressed the doorbell once, waiting for someone to answer. The Doctor was fidgety, tapping his feet on the ground and looking around the area.

 _"Calm down,"_ she thought to him.

 _"How long does it take to open a door?"_

Seconds later the door Donna answered the door. "What're you lot doing here?" she asked, surprised to see them.

"You would not believe the day we're having," the Doctor said, exasperated, shaking his head.

Donna's expression was neutral. "So I take it you had a blast at that school."

Rose snorted. "Oh, it was a blast all right. Then again what more would you expect from a kid named Rattigan, right?"

"Rattigan…" the ginger woman drew out slowly. "Ain't that in one of the Disney movies?"

"Yeah!" Rose laughed before turning serious. "And as the name implies, he's one of the bad guys. Working with these creatures called Sontarans for whatever reason with these ATMOS things, and almost killed us. So, yeah. A normal day with us."

"Of course it is," Donna commented with a smile. She turned to the Doctor. "You're not saying much."

"Well, we've got a militant race planning to do something with the Earth and poisonous devices programmed into every single car on the planet," he said with seriousness. "Speaking of which, I'll need to check your car." He whirled around and went sprinted over to the blue car parked on the street.

"Go right ahead," Donna said, gesturing at the vehicle. "So…" she said to Rose. "Almost died?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah. Had to walk the rest of the way here 'cause we almost ended up in a river when the ATMOS system took control of the car."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, my God."

"Relax, Donna. The Doctor's gonna stop all this, just like always. Right now we've gotta warn UNIT and catch them up."

They both followed him as he went to the blue car parked by their house. Rose pulled her phone out and punched in Martha's number, hoping there would be a connection with the Sontarans' interference. The Doctor crouched on the ground and peeked underneath, indicating the ATMOS device hooked into it. Tapping it he then stood up and popped the bonnet open to check the engines.

"C'mon," Rose muttered, waiting for their friend to pick up. She shook her head and dropped it from her ear. "Can't get a connection."

"Try again," the Doctor said, slipping his specs on as he examined the car.

She did just that only to get the same result. She sighed in frustration. "Donna, have you got your mobile?"

"Yeah, right here," Donna said, pulling it out of her pocket.

"'Kay, try it out on yours. Maybe you'll be able to patch through."

"But how? If yours couldn't connect, what if mine can't? You have a super outer space brand."

"Actually, it's still an ordinary phone," Rose told her. "Just more advanced."

Donna snorted. "Like yourself?"

She chuckled. "Guess so. We'll promise to do some jiggery-pokery on it later, right Doctor?"

"Yes, 'course we will," he said distractedly. "Tell me when you've connected with UNIT, they need to know about this as soon as possible."

"Got it," Donna said as she stared at the screen of her mobile, looking for a signal.

"I'll requisition us a vehicle," Ross spoke up from the side.

"Make sure you get something without ATMOS," Rose said. "Don't want another river accident."

"And don't point your gun at people," the Doctor added sternly.

The young soldier ran off and Rose stepped closer to have a look at the device with her husband. "Be nice."

He sighed and continued working. "Can't help it."

"Ross is a good man."

"I never said he wasn't," he said quickly, then added softly. "After all…he was the one who brought you back to me."

She raised a hand to gently rub his back as they both examined the device in the car.

"Is it him?" said a voice. "Is it them? Is it the Doctor and Rose?"

Rose glanced over from where she stood to see an old man coming to the car, and her brows shot up. It was the same old man that stood in the newsstand they met that night on Christmas Eve during the _Titanic_ incident.

"Doctor," she murmured, tugging on his sleeve to get his attention.

"Busy," he replied.

"No, seriously, look up for a mo'."

He sighed and lifted his head from under the bonnet. "What is it?"

"Ah, it's you!" the old man exclaimed, flitting his eyes between them and pointing. "It's the both of you!"

The Doctor blinked a few times before recognizing the old man. "Oh…it's you!"

"Hello again," Rose said with a surprised smile as the Doctor straightened up and came to stand by the man.

"What, have you met before?" Donna asked incredulously.

"Yeah, Christmas Eve," the old man informed. "They both just disappeared right in front of me!"

"Sorry about that, by the way," Rose said. "Y'know, in case we frightened you."

"Oh, no need to apologize, my dear. I thought you two looked familiar that night you flew away with Donna."

"And you never said?" Donna demanded, her attention on the man.

"Well, _you_ never said," he said defensively, then turned to the Doctor and Rose, extending his hand. "Wilf, sir. Ma'am. Wilfred Mott. You both must be some of them aliens."

"Well, yeah," the Doctor said with a small smile. "I am, at least. Don't shout it out."

"Mostly human in my case," Rose put in, shaking the man's hand. "'S nice to finally meet you, Wilf. Heard lots of great stories about you."

"Same could be said about you and your gentleman here," Wilf said with a chuckle.

"Oh, someone's been sharing tales," the Doctor said lightly, shaking the old man's hand next. "Nice to meet you properly, Wilf."

"Ah, an alien hand," the old man said in wonder.

Rose smiled at him before joining the Doctor back at the open hood of the car. "Donna, have you got anything through the phone?"

"She's not answering," she said with the phone at her ear. "What's it, 'Sontiruns'?"

"Son _tar_ ans," he corrected, scanning the street to peer at the other cars parked. "But there's got to be more to it. They can't be just remote-controlling cars. That's not enough. Is anyone answering now?" he asked.

Donna held up a finger. "Hold on." She must have finally gone through because her eyes lit up. "Martha, hold on, he's here." She handed the Doctor the phone, to which he spoke into it urgently.

"Martha, tell Colonel Mace it's the Sontarans. They're in the file, Code Red Sontarans. But if they're inside the factory, tell him not to start shooting, UNIT will get massacred. I'll get back as soon as I can. You got that?"

 ** _"Code Red Sontarans,"_ ** she repeated. **_"Gotcha."_**

She hung up and he closed the phone, handing it back to Donna. "Right then, she'll send the word out to the colonel. Now I can get back to this."

He reached inside his jacket and pulled out his sonic and ran it over the device, his face full of concentration.

"We already tried using the sonic on that, Doctor," Rose reminded. "We couldn't find anything."

"Yeah, but now I know it's Sontaran," he said with a nod. "I know what I'm looking for."

"Even though it's human technology?"

He switched the sonic off for a moment to glance up at her. "Mostly, but not all the way. If the Sontarans are involved in this and put their own hands in these devices, they could've integrated it with their own tech, like an extra layer," he added, returning to his work.

"Like a hidden compartment?" Rose supplied.

"Exactly."

"The thing is, Doctor, that Donna is my only grandchild," Wilf interjected, his tone serious. "You gotta promise me you're gonna take care of her."

"Me take care of _her_?" he replied with a smile. "She takes care of _me,_ both her and my wife."

"She's a treasure," Rose added with a grin. "It's nice to have another woman onboard."

"Because heaven forbid if I won't allow myself to be outnumbered," the Doctor muttered, causing Rose to pat his back.

"Oh, yeah, that's my Donna," Wilf laughed. "She was always bossing us around even when she was tiny. 'The Little General' we used to call her."

"Yeah, don't start," Donna said.

Her grandfather then went on a tale about Donna when she was younger and, as much as Rose would love to her some stories about her friend that weren't so embarrassing, she dismissed it for now and moved closer to the Doctor and examined the device beneath the bonnet.

 _"Any ideas?"_ she thought to him.

His eyes were fixed on a particular part of the device, one that had holes in a grid pattern. He tapped the sonic on it, an inquisitive look on his face. _"What d'you think?"_

 _"Looks a bit sketchy."_

 _"Mmhm. Maybe if we increase the pressure on the jugulars…"_ He switched the setting on his sonic and ran it over the part, leaning closer for a better look. It was then rows of spikes shot out the smooth surface of the device. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, jumping back and pulling Rose away. "It's a temporal pocket! I knew there was something else in there. It's hidden just a second out of sync with real time."

"They can do that?" Rose asked, observing the spikes. "Could we do that with our sonics?"

"'Course we can," he sniffed, throwing her a wink. "It's a nifty little trick."

"But what's it hiding?" Donna asked.

"I dunno, men and their cars!" said a female voice that Rose easily identified, having heard it once a year ago. Soon enough she noticed the woman as she stepped into sight. Donna's mother. This wouldn't go as smooth. She was leaning over to examine the engine with the Doctor, trying to block him Rom the woman's view. "Sometimes I think if I was a car…" the woman trailed off, her voice becoming a bit venomous. "Oh, it's you! Doctor—what was it?"

"He's just the Doctor," Rose cut in, giving her a brief wave.

"Yeah, that's me," the Doctor replied, waving at the woman but without glancing up at her.

"And it's you!" the woman said, pointing at Rose.

"Hello again, Mrs. Noble," Rose said.

"Have you met them as well?" Wilf asked, surprised.

"Dad, it's the man from the wedding!" Donna's mother cried. "The man and his girlfriend! When you were laid up with Spanish flu. I'm warning you, last time that man turned up, it was a disaster!"

"And it would've been a helluva lot _worse_ had we _not_ been there!" Rose shot back, straightening up. "You ever think about _that?_ If we didn't stop those robot Santas you probably wouldn't even be standing here right now!"

"Of course _you'd_ say that, you're his girlfriend!" the mother retorted. "To a man who runs about kidnapping women!"

Rose raised her brows as well as her left hand, showing off the ring on her finger. "That's _wife._ And you're damn right I am. And he doesn't kidnap women. He doesn't _kidnap_ anyone."

"Mum, will you stop?" Donna interjected, annoyed. "I told you before, the Doctor didn't kidnap me or Rose. She's his wife, and they're my friends. I trust them with my life."

A hissing sound came from the car as a thick cloud of white smoke shot out from the device. "Get back!" the Doctor yelled, backing away from the car. He quickly took his sonic and aimed it at the device, making it spark. "That'll stop it." Sure enough the smoke cleared.

"I told you!" Donna's mother cried. "He's blown up the car! Who is he anyway? What sort of doctor blows up cars?"

"Not _now,_ Mum!" Donna said irritably.

"Oh, should I make an appointment?" the woman snarked before storming off and back into the house.

Rose rolled her eyes and gave Donna a sympathetic look. She was aware of what her mother was like at the reception last year. No wonder Donna wanted to get away. Run-ins with the mothers always had this effect as it turned out.

The Doctor inhaled a deep breath, taking in the gas. "That wasn't just exhaust fumes," he remarked, rolling his tongue in his mouth, most likely testing the chemical composition.

Rose fought the urge to gag once more. She could practically taste the toxicity and she didn't have superior taste buds like her husband. The wave of nausea came over her again, and she retched.

"Rose?" the Doctor said, placing a hand on her arm.

"'M okay," she told him, holding her stomach. "Just the gas is strong."

"It's definitely strong," he concurred. "It's some sort of artificial gas."

"And it's aliens, is it?" Wilf asked. "Aliens?"

"But if it's poisonous…" Donna said slowly.

"Eight hundred million cars all over the Earth," Rose breathed out.

"Every car on the planet's in danger," the Doctor said.

They both looked around the street at the cars parked, noting that every one of them were labelled with ATMOS stickers in the windows.

"It's not safe," Wilf said. "I'm gonna get it off the street." He slid into the car, but the door automatically shut behind him and locked.

"Don't!" Rose cried. The car started followed by a thick exhaust of smoke pouring out of the tailpipe.

"Turn it off!" Donna yelled, rushing over to the door. "Granddad, get out of there!" She tried the handle, but it wasn't budging.

"I can't! It's locked!" Wilf told her, holding up the keys then pointed upwards. "It's the aliens again!" He started banging on the window.

"It's isolated!" the Doctor shouted, desperately running his sonic over the device. "Bollocks!"

Rose immediately ran over to the door, hearing Donna's mother hollering from the front door for a moment. She whipped out her hammer and started to pound against the window. Just like earlier it proved to be ineffective. She then grabbed her sonic and ran it over the lock.

"It's not opening!"

"He's gonna choke!" Donna cried. "Doctor!"

Soon a chorus of car alarms blared through the street. Looking down the line of vehicles they saw each of them emitting the poisonous gas.

"It's the whole world," the Doctor said, horrified.

Wilf was becoming weaker by the second, his hands losing their strength against the window. The Doctor rushed over to the engine and began to pull out wires, but nothing was working. Smoke billowed around them as it thickened in the air.

The planet was choking and he didn't know what to do.


	18. The Poison Sky Part 1

**A/N: I added a certain someone to make a cameo** **. Hopefully I integrated him well into this episode ^^** **As always, much love and thanks to you lovely viewers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 17: The Poison Sky Part 1**_

"He's gonna choke!" Donna continued to cry as she pounded against the car window, desperately trying to free her grandfather from the poisonous gas flooding through the car. "Doctor! Rose! Do something!"

"We're trying!" Rose cried.

She stood by the bonnet of the car, the hood still up as smoke poured around them. She had her sonic in her hand and ran it over the once smooth surface of the ATMOS device now protruding spikes and emitting gas. She herself continued to gag from the toxic fumes coating her tongue and making her stomach churn. Still she fought the urge and worked to open the car. Seeings as her sonic wasn't accomplishing much she gave up and began to walk around to find something heavy to smash through the windows.

The Doctor was working frantically, lying underneath the car all in a desperate attempt to deactivate the ATMOS device. Destroying the central unit would be all it takes to unlock those doors, but it was useless. "It won't open!" he yelled from underneath. He saw a pair of legs walk past him, causing him to slide out and look up.

Rose found a decent sized rock and tried to hurl it at the car window, but it only bounced off the surface, putting the barest of dents in it. "Nothin's breaking it!"

"Out of the way!"

They both turned to see Donna's mother rushing over to the car carrying what looked to be an axe. She stormed over to the front of the car and slammed the bonnet down then made a swing and smashed the windshield. Wilf ducked to block the shattered glass that rained over him. The other three stood in shock at what probably lasted for two minutes of hysteria.

"Well, don't just stand there!" Donna's mum yelled, bringing them out of their state from the bolt from the blue. "Get him out!"

Without hesitation the trio rushed to the front of the car. The Doctor carefully swept the broken shards of glass on the bonnet onto the ground as they reached their hands out to pull Wilf out of the car. After a few moments of straining to get the old man to his feet Rose pulled back when her head began to throb a bit. Head rush, she thought. Not much longer they managed to get the man out of the car and stood by the curb.

"Thanks!" Wilf coughed out.

"There we go," Rose said, brushing the man's jumper which had small pieces of glass on it. "You alright?"

"Much better now," he breathed out as they all walked up to the front stoop. "Just a little dizzy."

"Yeah, I know how you feel, mate."

"I can't believe you've got an axe!" Donna exclaimed to her mother.

"Burglars!" her mother responded.

Rose coughed, looking around the area to see the air was still underneath a blanket of the gas. "You have to go inside your house," she told them. "'S not safe out here."

"But the gas is getting in the house!" Donna's mother cried.

"Just try and close off the doors and windows," the Doctor instructed. "Seal in every crack, every opening leading to the outside."

An approaching car pulled up behind them. "Doctor!" It was Ross. "This is all I could find that hasn't got ATMOS," the young man said.

The Doctor nodded. "Good enough. Thanks, Ross." He grabbed Rose's hand and rushed over to the black cab. He turned back to Donna's family. "Donna, you coming with?" he shouted.

"Yeah!" she replied.

Her mother didn't approve of her daughter's decision. "Donna! Don't go! Look what happens every time those two appear! Stay with us, please."

Rose rolled her eyes as she slipped inside the cab. "Always the mothers," she muttered.

"Yours was the same," the Doctor replied quietly.

"He's a madman!" Donna's mother continued.

"You go my darling!" Wilf told Donna.

"Dad!" her mother protested.

"Don't listen to her! You go with the Doctor and Rose! That's my girl!"

Donna offered them a small smile before hurrying into the cab, a guilty look on her face as they watched them stand there and wave goodbye. Rose slung an arm around her shoulders and gave it a gentle squeeze. She knew her friend was hesitant and would want nothing more than to stay with her family. But they needed to figure everything out and set it straight before anyone else choked or died.

"They'll be okay, Donna," she assured.

"I know," the ginger woman replied with a nod. "Sorry you had to deal with mum again."

"She's…quite the gem, like I remember."

Donna chuckled at that. "She never got over that day, as you can see."

"Tell you one thing," the Doctor murmured. "Your mother is a lot more terrifying than I remember."

Rose snorted. "More than mine?"

His brows raised. "It's close, but settling on a stalemate."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Ross drove the cab as fast as he could to get the trio back to the ATMOS factory to rejoin with UNIT. Passing along the roads made their trip less demanding since no one else was driving. They finally pulled up at the checkpoint area, the Doctor bolting out before the vehicle could come to a stop. Rose and Donna followed, but not as fast with the gas affecting them.

"Ross, look after yourself," the Doctor told the soldier. "Get inside the building."

"Will do," the young man said with a nod before speaking into the radio. "Greyhound Forty to Trap One, I have just returned the Doctor to base safe and sound, over."

He drove further into the complex, leaving the others standing about. "The air is disgusting!" Donna gasped out.

"It's not so bad for me," the Doctor remarked, looking around.

"How?"

"He's got a respiratory bypass," Rose answered. "Poisonous air and stuff like that doesn't affect him."

Donna snorted. "Throwing it in our faces then?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Of course not. It's thickening with every second. Go back to the TARDIS, She'll be able to filter the air and keep it clean." He glanced over at Rose just as she made another heaving sound and cupped her shoulder. "What about you?"

"'M fine, really," she told him, stifling another gag.

He arched an eyebrow, his face soft. "You've been sick nearly all day, love, and this gas isn't helping."

"Maybe not, but 'm not leaving you by yourself with these Sontarans. I'm staying with you. That's it."

The Doctor took a deep breath, debating whether or not he should continue to be persistent and insist that his wife take safety precautions and get away from the toxic fumes, but he knew it would only lead into another argument. But if she were staying with him she needed some kind of protective layer to help her with the gas. He opened his mouth to speak but Rose cut him off with a raised hand.

"Don't say anything, I can hold myself up, alright."

The Doctor sighed. "Fine." He turned to Donna who was still coughing. "Donna, head over to the TARDIS. She'll keep you safe 'til we get back. Oh! I just realized. Never given you a key!" He reached into his jacket and pulled out a silver key attached to a necklace. "Keep that! Go on, that's yours! Quite a big moment really."

"Frequent flier's privilege," Rose said with a grin.

"Yeah, maybe we can get sentimental after the world's finished choking to death!" Donna remarked, grabbing the key.

"Good idea!" the Doctor exclaimed, grabbing Rose's hand and heading for the factory.

"Where are you both going?" Donna asked from behind.

"To stop a war!" he replied while their companion headed in the direction of the TARDIS.

Both he and his wife ducked beneath the barrier and rushed into the field base. Rose covered her face with her free hand to shield her from inhaling the smoke. The bitter taste of the gas lingered in their mouths even when they made it into the plant floor. Whatever this unknown element that was spiraling through the air made them sick. They burst into the command center, causing nearly everyone's head to turn. People were running around with papers and clipboards while phones rang wildly. On the display screen was the global map covered with spasmodic readings of the exponential increase of the gas percentage. The minute they entered Rose shuddered. Something in the room seemed…off. She couldn't put her finger on it or describe it, but it made her insides shake and her skin crawl.

"Right then!" the Doctor proclaimed. "Here I am, good." He walked over to the colonel who had been communicating through a walkie-talkie. "Whatever you do, Colonel Mace, do _not_ engage the Sontarans in battle. There is nothing they like better than a war. Just leave this to me."

"For a man who doesn't give orders, you're certainly throwing them out."

The Doctor and Rose whirled around at the familiar gruff sound of another man's voice, wide smiles splitting their faces when they saw the man's face.

"Alistair!" the Doctor exclaimed, extending his hand. The man himself was in his usual commanding uniform, looking the same as he did the last time they met.

"Doctor, it's nice to see you again, as always," the Brigadier responded, shaking his hand. "I'm a little surprised that you haven't changed again. It seems that every time we encounter each other the odds are that you've become another man."

"Well, I try not to make a habit out of that. When did you get here?"

"Not too long ago, actually. My mission in Peru was put on halt at the moment the second I heard about the current situation going on here. Since it was happening around the world I thought it was time I took my leave from that base and come here."

"Thought Doris finally got you to retire after all these years, but, once again, that was rhetorical."

Alistair returned the smile. "Can't stay away from the action, you know that. This is part of my life. As much as she doesn't agree with most of it, she understands."

"That's what wives do; support their man even if they do the most ridiculous things." He turned to his own and winked. She rolled her eyes.

"And then give our input, and only worry about their well-being 'cause that's what _they_ do best," Rose put in.

"Not intentionally, I would imagine," the Brigadier said, releasing the Doctor's hand to turn to her with a softened expression. "And Miss Tyler." He took her hand and shook it. "Good to see you again," he said genuinely.

"Likewise," she replied with a tongue-touched grin.

"Even better seeing that you and your husband are both doing well after…" he trailed off.

Rose took a deep breath and nodded, recalling the last time she first met the Brigadier after being rescued from captivity. She wasn't in the greatest shape. In fact, she was in the worst possible shape. "Yeah, doing a whole lot better now," she told him. She glanced at the Doctor and reached for his hand, squeezing it. "Both of us are."

Alistair flitted his eyes between them and nodded once. "Good. I hate to break up the chat, but back to the matter at hand. You said we're dealing with the Sontarans."

"Yes," the Doctor said. "So it would be really helpful if you wouldn't engage in warfare. You know what they're like, Alistair."

The Brigadier took a deep breath, grimacing a bit. "That I do. As far as what protocols are to be taken, I'm unsure, Doctor. UNIT's changed over the years, and I'm only here as an advisor, not to command. This is Mace's mission."

"You can't just open fire on 'em," Rose said, looking at the colonel. "Your defenses won't work against them."

"Thank you for the voice of confidence, Miss Tyler," Mace said thick with sarcasm and impatience as he stepped around the command deal to stand before them. "The troops are set and ready for action at my command."

"Colonel, that's not what's gonna happen," the Doctor told him firmly. "Not with me being in charge now."

"And what are you gonna do?" Mace asked.

"I've got the TARDIS, I'm gonna get onboard their ship."

Rose cleared her throat. " _We_ are, that is."

The Doctor turned to her with a frown and she arched an eyebrow at him. "Right. _We_ are gonna get onboard their ship, yes."

Mace looked as if he were about to protest but sighed and moved back behind the command desk. Alistair nodded at them and moved over to the side to check on one of the other workers by the computers. Rose found Martha sitting at one of them, her eyes locked on the screen while she held papers in her hands. Her insides shuddered again. Something didn't sit right with her, she could feel it. When the Doctor rushed over to her the sensation only grew. He placed a hand on Martha's shoulder, startling her.

"Come on."

He turned and grabbed Rose's hand and headed out of the building. He patted both the Brigadier and the colonel on the back as they left the room. Rose felt her nose twitch when a faint smell invaded her nostrils when they exited the complex. A peculiarly miasmic one. It came to her when they first returned to the base and entered the command central. For some reason, it increased when they came within Martha's presence.

 _"Doctor,"_ she alerted through their bond. _"What's—"_

She cut herself off when they made it to the alley where the TARDIS was parked—or where it _had_ been parked. Thick clouds of white smoke were swirling around the empty space where the Old Girl once stood. Both she and the Doctor just stared at the spot, feeling their connection with their ship fading a bit. It was still present, thankfully, just far away. He released Rose's hand for a moment and rushed over at the empty space, craning his neck to look up at the sky.

"But…where's the TARDIS?" Martha asked.

"Taste that, in the air," he said, smacking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Yecch." He walked over to Rose and raised his brows. "You taste that, that sort of metal tang?"

Rose stuck her tongue out then pulled it back in her mouth with a grimace. "Yeah, wish I didn't. Teleport again."

"Exactly! Teleport exchange. It's the Sontarans, they've taken it. I'm stuck, on Earth like-like an ordinary person. Like a _human_! How rubbish is that! Sorry, no offense, but come on! Not again!"

"So what do we do?" Martha asked, sounding a little too pushy.

"We'll get Her back, Doctor," Rose said, rubbing his arm. "She'll be alright."

"'Course She will be," he said, his eyes far away as he stared ahead. "Thing is, though, how did they manage to find Her? I mean She's shielded, they could never detect it. Not unless they were given coordinates…"

He trailed off and casted a suspicious look upon Martha, causing her to give him a pointed one. "What?" she demanded.

"I'm just wondering, have you phoned your family and Tom?" he asked.

She blinked at him, looking flustered. "No, what for?"

Rose caught on to what the Doctor was thinking and went along with it. "You know, with the poison gas everywhere," she told her, gesturing around them. "Don't you wanna check on them and make sure they're inside their homes and they stay there?"

Martha let out a nervous chuckle and forced a smile. Rose narrowed her eyes at her. "'Course I will, yeah," she replied, trying to sound casual, but they weren't buying it. "But, what about Donna? I mean, where's she?"

"Oh, she's gone home," the Doctor lied, tilting his head a bit. "She's not like you, she's not a soldier."

Martha smiled as a response, and that was the clincher. Whoever this person was definitely wasn't the Martha Jones they knew so well. Yes, it looked like her and sounded like her—save for the couple comments with unusual snarkiness—but this wasn't _her._ Their Martha wouldn't have taken being called a soldier as a compliment at all, nor would she ever hesitate to get into contact with her family to make sure they were safe and sound.

"Right," the Doctor said, grabbing Rose's hand again and jerking his head in the other direction. "So, avanti!" They took off again back to the factory, Martha following them without another word.

"Avanti?" Rose inquired with an arched eyebrow.

"Italian for 'forward'," he replied casually. "Nice little switch from allons-y, don't you think? 'Course I'm not parting ways from that, I love that phrase."

She inwardly snorted before turning serious. _"Doctor, what's up with Martha? She's not acting like herself. 'S not like she's possessed or anything, it's just…weird. She feels off like it isn't be her."_

 _"That's because it's **not** Martha,"_ he told her. _"Well, it's still **a** Martha, perhaps. Just not **ours**."_

 _"What happened to her?"_

 _"The Sontarans. You know that smell, that repugnant smell that increases when in close proximity to her?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"That's the work of a Sontaran. They've cloned Martha. They're a clone race. Every Sontaran is a clone of another which is why they all look alike. Mostly, at least. They're a bit hypnotic as well, able to lure people into their influences or just force it onto someone. And with them being a militant species…"_

 _"They do it against their will,"_ Rose answered.

The Doctor nodded imperceptibly. _"Exactly. And they've taken the TARDIS, which no one could just be able to teleport without knowing the coordinates. They needed someone with intelligence and experience to be their double agent. Someone who would be close to us and be able to give them access to our information."_

 _"And they chose Martha."_

No wonder why they chose their old companion. She was the only one who knew of the TARDIS' location from when they first arrived at her call. Martha met them here, led them inside the UNIT base where the operations were beginning, having access to all of the files and information. She was perfectly normal when they first came here, so she must have been experimented with not long after they dropped Donna home and headed over to Rattigan Academy.

 _"Where is she then?"_ Rose asked. _"Where's **our** Martha?"_

 _"That's what we need to find out,"_ the Doctor told her. _"She's conscious because otherwise that clone wouldn't be walking about."_

 _"How come?"_

 _"The clone's feeding off of Martha's memories, keeping her alive."_

 _"Oh, my God."_

 _"Don't worry, we'll find her. We'll get our Martha back along with the TARDIS."_

 _"I know we will. This ain't another 1969 situation."_

He snorted. _"Let's hope not. Even though I happen to like that year now."_

Rose inwardly giggled and he smiled at her. Then it just occurred to her that their other friend was gone. Donna was in the TARDIS, and it's now in the Sontarans' possession. Hopefully she remained calm the moment she realizes that she's no longer on Earth and trapped somewhere far away. They'll be able to figure out everything and sort it all out. Only in a matter of time.

The UNIT base was in their sights and the Doctor burst through the doors once again. "Change of plan!" he said, shrugging off his coat and throwing it over the command central cubicle.

"Good to have you fighting alongside us, Doctor," Mace commented. The Brigadier stood off to the side and rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"I'm not fighting, I'm _not-fighting,_ as in 'not hyphen fighting', got it?" the Doctor said as he moved around the panel where the colonel was standing, pressing a few buttons before whirling away to look at a sample of the contained gas. "Now, does anyone know what this gas is yet?"

"We're working on it," Martha—or the Martha clone, rather—said, tapping a worker on the shoulder to take their spot by a computer. Rose contained herself when she shuddered again and moved over to stand by the Brigadier.

"It's harmful, but not lethal until it reaches eighty percent density," a woman officer explained. "We're having the first reports of deaths from the centre of Tokyo City."

The Doctor moved to the row of computers to the woman. "And who are you?"

"Captain Marion Price, sir," she answered, standing from her seat to give him a salute.

"Oh, put your hand down, don't salute," he grumbled, moving back behind the command desk to press controls.

"Jodrell Bank's traced a signal, Doctor, coming from five thousand miles above the Earth," Mace explained. On the main screen a red dot appeared far beyond the Earth, blipping. "We're guessing that's what triggered the cars."

"The Sontaran ship."

"NATO has gone to Defcon One, we're preparing a strike."

"You can't do that!" the Doctor said urgently, glancing between the colonel and the Brigadier. "Nuclear missiles won't even scratch the surface, I'm telling you." He pulled out his sonic and placed it over a control port. "Let me talk to the Sontarans."

"You're not authorized to speak on behalf of the Earth," Mace told him, his voice authoritative.

Rose was about to tell off the man but the Brigadier beat her to it.

"Actually, he is," he said firmly. "He's earned that authority a long time ago."

"Yeah, he's only managed to save the world a few _thousand times_ over the years," Rose added sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning her hip on the edge of the panel. "But then again, what's he know about authority? He's helped you lot with so many threats in the past, helped you with things far beyond your knowledge so you could actually know what you were dealing with. So yeah, guess he doesn't know what he's doing then, right?"

Mace shifted uncomfortably while both the Doctor and Alistair smirked. "Of course," the colonel said, stepping aside.

"Thank you," the Doctor replied brightly before switching to his serious mask as he used his sonic on the controls, connecting with the Sontaran ship. "Calling the Sontaran Command Ship under Jurisdiction Two of the Intergalactic Rules of Engagement. This is the Doctor."

The display screen flickered to life when the transmission was received, showing the Sontarans inside of their ship. **" _Doctor,"_ ** Staal sneered. ** _"Breathing your last?"_**

"My God, they're like trolls," Mace breathed out from beside him.

Rose grinned when she saw the Brigadier holding his forehead. She nudged him gently. "Not as experienced," she whispered.

"Guess not," he replied.

"Yeah, loving the diplomacy, thanks," the Doctor remarked in a low voice before taking an empty front row seat and leaning back casually, propping his legs up. "So, tell me, General Staal, since when did you lot become cowards?"

 ** _"How dare you!"_ ** Staal barked angrily.

"Oh, _that's_ diplomacy?" Mace remarked.

"Let him be," Alistair told him.

 ** _"Doctor, you impugn my honor!"_ ** the Sontaran cried. _ **"Both you and your female companion!"**_

"Yeah, I'm really glad you didn't say _belittle_ 'cause then we'd have a field day," the Doctor replied, concealing his grin.

"You were right about the _short_ fuses," Rose commented as she walked over to stand behind him, leaning against the wall.

He made a happy sound and threw a grin at her. He turned back to the screen, any and all traces of mirth fading. "But, seriously though, poison gas? That's the weapon of a coward and you know it. Staal, you could blast this planet out of the sky, and yet you're sitting up above watching it die. Where's the fight in that? Where's the honor? Or…are you lot planning something else? 'Cause this isn't normal Sontaran warfare. What are you up to?"

 ** _"A general would be unwise to reveal his strategy to the opposing forces,"_ ** Staal said stiffly.

The Doctor leaned back further and swayed in his seat. "Aaah, the war's not going so well, then?" he derided. "Losing, are we?"

 ** _"Such a suggestion is impossible!"_ ** Staal blustered.

"What war?" Mace asked from the side.

"The war between the Sontarans and the Rutans," the Doctor replied. "It's been raging, far out in the stars for fifty thousand years. _Fifty thousand years_ of bloodshed, and for what?"

 ** _"For victory,"_ ** the general answered smugly before beating his hands together to chant. _ **"Sontar-ha!"**_ The other Sontarans joined in their leader's mantra, but the Doctor could care less and wasn't in the mood to hear the old spiel.

Rolling his eyes, he reached into his jacket with a sigh. "Give me a break," he muttered, using the sonic to change the channel on the screen to a cartoon boy wearing a superhero cape with a large 'Z' imprinted on his chest sitting in a theatre with a dog.

Rose arched an eyebrow when she pushed herself off the wall to stand behind her husband, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Really? Tommy Zoom?"

"I enjoy some of the plots," he said with an impassive expression.

"And you say you're not a child."

He threw her a smile.

"Sir Alistair," Mace said to the Brigadier. "I would seriously recommend that this dialogue is handled by _official_ Earth representation."

"The Doctor _is_ a certified representative of this planet," Alistair replied firmly. "I've worked with that man for many a years, and you know very well his contributions to this organization. He knows what he's doing. Why else would I recommend him for the job?"

Rose couldn't help but smile warmly at the Brigadier sticking up for the Doctor. He's always been a dear friend to her husband over the years through many of his different incarnations. And with every one he remained his loyalty as they helped each other along the way. That man was honorable for sure, and it was never hard to miss the deep respect they had for each other. Nothing changed.

She massaged the Doctor's shoulders, feeling him tense up a bit before relaxing. He raised the hand not holding the sonic and tapped her hand gently before bringing the sonic back up to change the channel back to the Sontaran ship.

"Finished?" he asked.

 ** _"You will not be so quick to ridicule when you'll see our prize,"_** Staal said, gesturing behind him. The camera panned over to reveal the TARDIS standing in the corner. **_"Behold! We are the first Sontarans in history to capture a TARDIS."_**

 _"Donna's in there,"_ Rose thought to him.

 _"I know,"_ he replied. "Well…" he drawled. "As prizes go, that's…noble."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

 _ **"As they say in Latin: Donna Nobis Pacem."**_

Donna nodded, her eyes glued onto the screen as she watched from inside the TARDIS, still bemused by how she ended up somewhere else. "That's me!" she said, remembering that he couldn't hear her. "I'm here!"

 ** _"Did you never wonder about its design?"_** he continued. **_"It's a phone box. It contains a phone—a telephonic device for communication. Sort of symbolic, really. Like if only we could communicate."_** The camera zoomed in on his face, his seriousness clear making it look like he was looking her dead in the eye. He made a gesture at the camera and at himself. **_"You and I."_**

 ** _"All you have communicated is your distress, Doctor,"_ ** a Sontaran said off-screen.

Donna shook her head, studying the look the Doctor was showing on the monitor as he made the gesture again. It was a code. His babbling always got them out of situations. He needed her to do something. "Oh, my God." She looked around and found the phone Rose had answered earlier from the console and opened it.

 ** _"Big mistake though,"_ ** the Doctor said. _**"Showing it to me."**_

"But who do I phone?" Donna asked no one in particular.

 _ **"'Cause I've got remote control,"** _ he went on, lifting his sonic screwdriver and shaking it between his fingers.

 ** _"Cease transmission!"_** the Sontaran barked.

"Doctor, what number are you on?" she shouted at the screen until his image faded to black. She looked back at Martha's phone, searching for the Doctor's number programmed into it. "You haven't even _got_ a number! What do you want me to do?" she shouted with frustration.

If only she were able to speak with her mind like Rose. That was so useful and handy. What good would she be? She was lucky she could put a toaster on without causing a fire. Her balance was knocked off when it felt like the TARDIS was being moved like a shipping haul. She didn't know what she needed to do for him.

"What do I do?" She asked the empty room. The TARDIS hummed sympathetically, but that was it. Donna stared at the phone, figuring out how to contact the Doctor.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The Doctor sat up once the transmission was cut off. His message was sent out to Donna back up in the TARDIS. Now it was up to her. Hopefully she received it well.

"Oh, well," he sighed, standing from his seat.

"That's achieved nothing," Mace snapped.

"C'mon, colonel," Rose said. "Where's your faith? You'd be surprised to see just how helpful that was."

"With all due respect, Miss Tyler, I know for a fact that antagonizing the enemy would only add _more_ to the problem rather than _solve_ it."

The Doctor sighed dramatically. "Blimey, this is why I would always recommend the Brigadier," he muttered. "Come on, Rose. Let's do some more examining. Alistair…look after the colonel."

From behind them, Alistair told Mace, "He may not always be the easiest person to work with, but he always manages to get the job done with his approaches."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Donna sat on the floor gratings of the console room, the black phone still in her palms as she impatiently tapped it. Both of her friends weren't around and she had no idea what she was going to do. It wasn't like she could drive the TARDIS back to Earth, she only knew a few basic controls to operate. Even if she could, these Sontarans might prevent it from happening thanks to the Doctor's threats. She stopped tapping the phone in her hands and steeled her nerves. She had an outer space phone here. Dialing a number, she held the device up to her ear. With nothing else she could do at the moment she needed to hear something reassuring right now. Where else would she call?

"Mum?" she said softly when she connected. "You all right?"

 _ **"Donna!"**_ came the relieved sound of her mother's voice, making her smile. _ **"Where are you sweetheart?"**_ She paused for a moment, and Donna could faintly hear her granddad in the background. **_"Oh, just finish the job,"_ ** her mum said to him. _ **"Your granddad's sealing us in. He's sealing the windows. Our own house, and we're sealed in! All those things they said about pollution and ozone and carbon, they're really happening aren't they?"**_

"There's people working on it, Mum," Donna replied evenly. "They're gonna fix it, I promise."

 ** _"Oh, like you'd know, you're so clever?"_** her mum replied with a hint of snarkiness.

Donna rolled her eyes. She didn't want to deal with her mother's attitude. Not now. "Oh, don't start. Please, don't."

Her mother paused for a second. _ **"I'm sorry. I wish you were here."**_

There was brushing around on the other end, followed by her grandad's far away voice. _ **"That doesn't help."**_ His voice became clearer and her heart warmed up. **_"Donna? Where are you?"_**

 _Far away. On another spaceship. Surrounded by the military version of the Lollipop Guild._ "It's…sort of hard to say," Donna answered, looking around the console room. "You all right?"

 ** _"Yeah, fighting fit, yeah,"_** he said. _ **"Are they with you, the Doctor and Rose?"**_

She rolled her eyes when she heard her mother making another comment about the couple in the background. "No. I'm all on my own," she said quietly, feeling her eyes misting over.

 ** _"Look, you promised they were were gonna look after you,"_** he replied firmly. **_"You told me that they would take care of you."_**

"They _will,_ Gramps," she assured. "There's…something the Doctor needs me to do. I just don't know what."

 ** _"Well, I mean, the whole place is covered, the whole of London they're saying and the whole, the whole world. It's the scale of it, Donna. I mean, how can one man stop all that?"_**

A single tear streaked down Donna's face when she smiled faintly. "Trust me. He can do it. Both him and Rose, they can stop it from happening."

 ** _"Yeah, well, if he doesn't, you tell him he'll have to answer to me. Which would probably be after his wife has it out on him first."_**

She smiled widely that time, picturing that scene in her mind. If that were to happen, her granddad wouldn't be able to get a piece of the Doctor once Rose took care of him first. "I will," she told him. "Just as soon as I see him, I'll tell him."

Donna ended the call and flipped the phone down, staring at that almost helplessly. The TARDIS hummed comfortingly around her and she sighed. The Doctor and Rose believed in her so much, but she didn't know what either of them needed her for and what she was supposed to do.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The Doctor and Rose headed out into the corridor, watching as UNIT workers were still running around in the midst of the chaos. Small traces of the gas were wafting from the opened areas, but not too bad. To prevent herself from inhaling more and causing her to gag, Rose pulled out a purple handkerchief and tied it around her face. Even while still indoors the taste of the gas was on their tongues, bitter and bland. At this point he wished for a banana to rid himself of the acerbic tang in his mouth.

"Eurgh," he grimaced, sticking his tongue out in a futile attempt to get the taste out of his mouth. "It's getting worse. Worse than waking up to a normal San Francisco fog."

"What's in this stuff?" Rose asked. "'Cause if you said it's artificial, then it's gotta have some kinda odd components."

"I've an idea for what its purpose could be, but I'm not entirely sure. There's a number of theories that could be relevant."

"Such as?"

He took a deep breath, eyeing a particular young soldier passing by, mechanical and stiff, almost as if he were hypnotized. Then again it was the work of the Sontarans. Who knew how many of these troops were turned into clones. Judging by that repugnant stench that radiated off of Martha and a few other areas in the base, there were a couple at minimum.

 _"He's another clone, isn't he?"_ Rose asked mentally.

 _"Can smell him from a mile away,"_ the Doctor replied. _"His scent's a lot stronger though. Must have been one of the first to be used in the cloning process."_

 _"He's probably the one who teleported the TARDIS up to those eggheads. And the one Martha gave the coordinates of Her location to."_

 _"Undoubtedly."_

Rose turned to him and placed a hand on his forearm. _"Donna got your message, Doctor. She'll know what to do."_

 _"I know she will. She's brilliant. As of right now, though, we need to figure out what's in this gas and get rid of it as carefully as possible. Come on, let's head back in."_

He grabbed her hand when they sped-walked through the factory to make it back to the field base. They stopped by the open doors and Rose removed her handkerchief then pocketed it. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Martha standing off to the side carrying a clipboard with papers, but she seemed to be concealing something else.

 _"Martha's hiding something,_ " she thought to the Doctor.

 _"Then let's have a look, and let her share with the class,"_ he replied. Sauntering over he snatched the clipboard from her hands and looked over the results it displayed. He could feel her glare as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"There's carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides but ten percent unidentified," 'Martha' explained. "Some sort of artificial heavy element we can't trace. You ever seen anything like it?"

The Doctor turned to a sample of the mysterious gas swirling in a glass tube. "Must be something the Sontarans invented," he said. "This isn't just poison, they need this gas for something else." He straightened up and turned to Martha, studying her. "What could that be?"

 _"Something to help the clones?"_ Rose suggested in thought.

"Launch grid online and active," Captain Price announced loudly.

"Positions ladies and gentlemen," Mace said. "Defcon One initiatives in progress."

"What?!" the Doctor cried as he stormed over to where the colonel was standing behind the command desk. "I told you not to launch!"

"The gas is at sixty percent density, eighty percent and people start dying, Doctor," Mace replied evenly. "We've got no choice."

"And what about the Sontarans?" Rose asked, coming to stand beside her husband, who was running his hands through his hair frantically. "Did you not think about what their response would be like?"

"Miss Tyler, I know how to do my job," the colonel told her.

"Then you should know better than to provoke a race that was bred for battle!"

"She raises an important point, colonel," Alistair spoke up, entering the room. "If the Doctor says that nuclear weapons won't be able to put a dent in their ship, then by all means listen to him."

Colonel Mace remained silent, his eyes fixed on the readings in front of him displayed on the main screen. Rose slapped her thighs in frustration and moved over to the Doctor. He was still ready to tear his hair out strand by strand, but she reached up and lowered his hands, gently squeezing them.

"Worldwide nuclear grid now coordinating," Price announced. "54, 53…"

"You're making a mistake, Colonel," the Doctor ground out both angrily and desperately. "For once, I hope the Sontarans are ahead of you."

"Alistair," Rose said, turning to the older man. "There has to be _something_ you can do."

The Brigadier shook his head repentantly. "I'm sorry, Rose, but I'm only here as an advisor. I can't interfere with the colonel's orders. I have to follow them."

"But you're a higher rank, you have the authority to stop him," she stressed. "You can't agree with this."

"I don't, not at all. Having dealt with the Sontarans, I know exactly how they'd respond. It would become a war that the human race could never fathom. But we have no other options and little patience."

Beeping sounds followed by red dots appeared on the global map, noting specific nuclear plants. "North America, online," Price went on. "United Kingdom, online. France, online. India, online. Pakistan, online. China, online. North Korea, online. All systems locked and coordinated."

The Doctor's hands made their way to the back of his neck, the seconds ticking away. His teeth were bared, his eyes widened and fixed on the screen as the countdown continued.

"God save us," Mace breathed out.

Rose reached over and grabbed one of his hands, squeezing it. She may not have known exactly what these Sontarans were like, but going by her husband's explanations they were one of the most heartless and ruthless species to ever live. Almost as bad as a Dalek.

The captain continued the countdown until the nukes went off. "5…4…3…2…1…"

It was then, once again in the corner of Rose's eye, she saw Martha shifting and hiding something in her hands.

0.

Every person in the room held their breaths when the countdown reached its end. But nothing happened. The screen flickered then turned off completely, becoming black. The Doctor blinked rapidly and lowered his hand from the back of his neck and glanced over at Rose. The launch was aborted.


	19. The Poison Sky Part 2

_**A/N:**_ **As per usual, much love and thanks to you awesome viewers! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated :D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 18: The Poison Sky Part 2**_

"What is it? What happened?" Mace demanded, stepping around the command desk to round the computers. "Did we launch?"

"Negative, sir," Price replied. "The launch codes have been wiped, sir. It must be the Sontarans." The Doctor exchanged a look with Rose before casually moving to stand near the Martha clone.

"Can we override it?" the colonel asked.

"Trying it now, sir," Price told him.

"What the hell's the matter with you people?" Rose spoke up. "Your defenses are useless against them, nothing's gonna hit them."

"Once again, thank you for the confidence, Miss Tyler," Mace said irritably.

"She's right," the Doctor snapped. "Missiles wouldn't even dent that ship, so why are the Sontarans so keen to stop you?" He turned to Martha, arching an eyebrow at her. "Any ideas?"

She frowned and shrugged her shoulder. "How should I know?"

Suddenly a radio crackled to life, gaining everyone's attention. **_"Enemy within! At arms!"_ ** Both the Doctor and Rose's eyes widened at the voice and moved closer to the comms. It was Ross. _ **"Greyhound Forty declaring absolute emergency. Sontarans within factory grounds, east corridor grid six."**_

Mace rushed over to his radio and gave out orders. "Absolute emergency, declaring Code Red. All troops, Code Red!"

"What?" Rose demanded.

"Get them out of there," the Doctor ground out in a scarily low voice.

Mace flitted his eyes between them, his jaw stiff. He opened his mouth to make another order, but he was cut off when Rose took over the communicators.

"Ross, get everyone out of there!" She yelled into the radio. "Just retreat! Leave the factory right now!"

"Miss Tyler, you're not authorized—"

"She has all the authority in the universe," the Doctor interjected, blocking the colonel from interfering. "She's my _wife._ And you need to listen to us when we say to get them out of there!"

The colonel remained silent, his imperious manner still intact.

"Your guns are as good as _sticks_ against them," Rose said. "The Sontarans are a race of warriors, their only purpose being to fight in a battle. You really wanna send your men out there on a suicide mission?"

"Colonel Mace, listen to them," Alistair spoke up.

"Sir Alistair, you know there are protocols—"

"They raise an imperative point, it's a suicide mission to send the troops out there unprotected."

 ** _"The guns aren't working,"_** Ross said over the radio. ** _"Rose, Doctor, it's the Cordolaine signal again. The weapons are defenseless."_**

In the distance they heard lasers being shot followed by painful cries of young men. The Doctor's breath hitched and his insides turned into ice, voice taking on a dangerous tone tapping into the Oncoming Storm. "Colonel…listen to us…and _get them out of there_!"

The colonel was beside him, not saying a word. His face was grim and he took a deep breath. "Trap One to all stations: retreat," he finally ordered. "Order imperative, immediate retreat!"

Ross kept his radio on, letting the people in the command center hear the carnage raging around them. Young men were dying at the hands of merciless beings and the worst of it all they couldn't put up a fight. Their weapons were rendered useless by the Cordelaine signal. Not even the black padded uniform they wore could shield them. The sounds echoed across the walls and through the radio. Inside the command center officers began running amok and frantically trying to bring the controls back up.

The Doctor slung an arm around Rose's shoulders and brought her close to his chest. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the sounds. None of those men deserved to die. She wanted to smack some sense into the colonel for taking so long to tell the troops to leave. Even the Brigadier thought it was best to leave them out of there. He should know since he's been with the organization for decades. Maybe now the people running this place would listen to them.

 ** _"Exited the factory, sir,"_ ** came the breathless sound of Ross' voice on the radio. **_"There was an escape route by the west side, the fire exit. We're huddled outside."_**

"How many of you made it out, Private?" the Brigadier asked.

 ** _"I'm not sure, sir,"_ ** the young man replied. _**"Not too many, I would guess. We went hundreds…"** _ He paused. **_"I would guess that about forty have been taken out."_**

The Doctor swallowed hard. Forty innocent lives of young men in gear were taken away. Rose squeezed his hand. It would have been much worse, he was thankful for that. But even then, those deaths were merciless.

 _ **"It's been apprehended,"**_ Ross called in. ** _"The Sontarans sealed themselves in."_**

"They've taken the factory," Mace breathed out.

"But why?" the Doctor asked, releasing Rose to pace around in front of the desk, his hand going into his hair once more. "They don't need it. Why attack now? What are they up to?"

"Breaching from the inside, perhaps?" Alistair suggested.

The Doctor tilted his head. "Could be, yes. Good thinking, Alistair."

Rose bit her lip. _"We know they've got an inside person, Doctor,"_ she thought to him, moving her eyes over to where Martha was standing.

 _"Yes, but there's more to it. Something more involving the gas and what it's used for."_

"Launch grid back online," Price announced. The computer screen flickered back on displaying the global map again, but no sooner after it came back to life it went black again. "They're inside the system, sir," the captain said with a frown. "It's coming from within UNIT itself."

"Trace it," Mace replied. "Find out where it's coming from, and quickly. Gas levels?"

"Sixty-six percent in major population areas. And rising."

Mace's expression was austere, stony and rigid the only way a commanding officer could look. He turned to the Doctor and Rose. "Come with me." He led them into his office off to the side. The Brigadier followed them and stood by the entrance. "Doctor, you're a man with remarkable knowledge," Mace said.

"So I've been told," the Doctor answered.

"And your wife is right up to par with you."

"Someone has to keep up with this one over here," Rose said, patting her husband's shoulder.

"That being said," the colonel continued. "You two seem to have a pretty good idea of what's going on."

"Well, it's only educated guesses, really," the Doctor said, reaching for his specs and slipping them on as he picked up some papers off the man's desk.

"Why are they defending the factory only after we were inside?" the colonel asked.

"'Cause you lot gave them something they might need," Rose answered, leaning against the wall.

The Doctor's brows shot up. "Exactly! They _wanted_ UNIT here. Whatever's inside of the that factory could be something they need. Something hidden…something precious."

"Then we've got to recover it," Mace replied.

"Colonel, I reckon that won't be as easy as it may sound," Alistair spoke up. "Not when the Sontarans have activated the Cordolaine signal."

"What exactly is that? How does it work?"

"It's the bullets," the Doctor answered, setting the papers down on the table. "It causes expansion of the copper shell and prevents the guns from firing."

"Excellent," Mace said with a decisive nod. "I'm on it."

He nodded at the Brigadier, who moved out of the way as the colonel left.

"For the billionth time, you can't fight Sontarans!" the Doctor shouted after him.

"Lost cause, he is," Rose snorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He's doing his job, Miss Tyler," Alistair pointed out gently. "And it's the only option we've got right now."

"Alistair, no," the Doctor said, shaking his head. "You can't go in that factory, you know what could happen."

The Brigadier took a deep breath, grounding himself. "Like you said, Doctor, they've got access to something that could be an even greater danger for the Earth more than what's already threatening it. We need to recover it before they use it against our will."

"By what exactly?" he disputed. "Weapons won't work on them, you know that. And even if you could get them to function properly the Sontarans have lasers! If you enter that factory you might not even come back alive!"

"It's a risk always worth taking," Alistair said firmly, straightening up.

"But if you send in those soldiers, they'll die!" Rose cut in. "You can't let them go in there like bait."

"UNIT soldiers aren't bait, Miss Tyler," the Brigadier said. "Never underestimate them. We just have to handle this as delicately as possible."

"Alistair, please," the Doctor said, slipping his glasses off and pocketing them. "You've dealt with the Sontarans before, you know what they're like. Engaging in warfare will only make matters worse on both ends—especially this one here, on Earth. Billions of people all over the planet are in danger and we've gotta stop it from becoming worse."

Rose bit her lip, watching the exchange of words between the two men. She was aware that, even though they were very good friends, they would come to disagreements when put in the middle of an epidemic.

The Brigadier studied him. "You've known me for many years, Doctor. You know what I would do in situations like this. When the world is at stake we do whatever we can to keep it safe. And today is no exception."

"But you can't _fight_ them," the Doctor stressed.

"Have you any other ideas?" Alistair replied decisively. "You haven't given us any more. Now, we may not be able to use nuclear air strike attacks or anything of that matter to them, but we can still try and retrieve the very thing the Sontarans want."

"Alright, fine," the Doctor responded, holding his hands up. "Don't listen to me, I know nothing. I dunno what I'm talking about as it seems. Send people to their _death_ because that's what's gonna happen."

"Doctor," Rose cut in, placing a hand on his arm. He glanced down at her, his eyes looking a bit haunted. "Just let him go."

"Rose, they—"

"I know, it's dangerous, but…just let them try. The Brigadier knows what he's doing. He's got the most experience in this whole base, more than all of them combined, yeah?"

"Thank you, Miss Tyler," Alistair said, bowing a bit. He turned to the Doctor. "See, Doctor? Have a little faith just like your wife. Besides…with the plan I've got in mind, I think you'll be proud of it. One part of it for sure." With that, the Brigadier turned on his heel and went over to start the preparations for their next move.

"Not much has changed," the Doctor mumbled.

"He's trying," Rose said softly. "This may not be his mission, but he knows what to do. Like you said, he's dealt with them before. He knows how to handle them."

"People are dying, Rose," he replied, scrubbing a hand down his face. "And if they send more troops in there, they'll die. They wouldn't have much of a chance."

She rubbed her forehead. That was always a possibility, especially with these savage aliens they were dealing with. Getting inside was their best option to know their true motives. "Just _give_ them a chance."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"We've still got Donna though, right?" she added lightly. "She got your message…which now that I think about it, seems a bit ridiculous."

The Doctor frowned. "How so?"

Rose reached a hand into her jacket and pulled out her phone, holding it up with a wide grin. "We could've given her a ring instead."

"Oh!" he exclaimed, pressing the heels of his palms on his forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

"'Cause the thought got away from you again?"

"You brilliant woman," he said warmly, cupping her face to drop a quick kiss to her lips. "I'm so glad you're here."

Rose made a happy sound. "Like I said, someone has to keep up with you and set you straight."

"Not arguing with that. Now we'll be able to use our secret weapon in all of this."

"Remember to do some jiggery-pokery to her own phone when this is over, though," she said, dialling the number then bringing it up to her ear. "That way she'll have your actual number programmed."

He scratched his sideburn. "Will do."

His eyes briefly fell over to the Martha clone as she was sitting by the computer desk, focused on whatever it was she was doing. They needed to be discreet with phone call so they moved to the corner of the office away from view.

"It's ringing," Rose whispered.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Donna was seated on the jump seat in the console room, staring blankly at the coral struts. She didn't really have anything to do with herself other than this and to think. About her friends, her family, and the world below her suffocating from the gas. And yet here she was like a sitting duck. That was when she heard something ringing, something like a phone. She immediately sprang from the chair and looked around. The black phone that she had used to phone her mother was seated in its placement by the port in the console. She reached for it without hesitation and answered it.

"Rose?"

 _ **"Donna, it's me,"** _ came the voice of the blonde.

"Oh, it's so good to hear from you," Donna said with relief. Now maybe they could get her out of this pickle she found herself in.

 ** _"Hold on, here's the Doctor."_**

There was some movement on the other end before the man himself took over. _**"Donna—"**_

"Where are you?" she demanded, cutting him off. "Why didn't you tell me you have a phone? Or a number? I could've called you sooner!"

 _ **"I know, I know, I'm sorry,"**_ he said quickly. **_"I'll program the number into your mobile when this is all over. And what d'you mean? We travel around the universe in a ship that's bigger on the inside and travels through time and space that looks like a phone box. Of course there's a phone."_**

"Oi, don't get snappy," she told him. "And that message from earlier was rubbish, by the way."

He sighed. _ **"Yeah…it was worth a shot. Also, to your answer your first question, we're still on Earth. But don't worry, I've got my secret weapon."**_

Relief bloomed inside of her. "What's that?"

 ** _"You."_**

And now that relief faded almost instantly.

"Somehow that's not making me happy." She shook her head. Her? What good would she be doing? Keeping the TARDIS company while being surrounded by mini men? Then something had occurred to her. "Can't you just zap us down to Earth with that remote thing?"

 ** _"Yeah,"_** he drew out slowly. _ **"I haven't got a remote, though I really should. Either you or Rose—or both of you, whichever—remind me to make a pit stop at a junkyard or asteroid bazaar to find one. I have a guy who handles—ow!"**_

Donna furrowed her brows at how his sentence ended, but guessed that Rose had elbowed him in the side or something to stop him from his usual babbling.

 _ **"Okay, okay,"**_ he was saying, sounding hushed and distant before becoming clearer. _**"Anyway, it's okay. We need you on that ship up there. That's why I made them move the TARDIS."** _ He took a deep breath. **_"I'm sorry, but you've got to go outside."_**

"But there's Sonterruns out there," she reminded him, feeling herself pale at the sound of his idea.

 ** _"Son-TAR-ans,"_** he corrected, stressing the 'ah' sound and she rolled her eyes. _ **"But they'll all be on battle stations right now. They don't walk around having coffee. I can talk you through it."**_

Though she was standing Donna felt herself shaking inside, becoming a bit numb from fear. Yes, she's been in dangerous situations with her friends before, but being on her own without them by her side was too much of a worry for her to deal with. She bit her lip. "But what if they find me?" she asked, masking up her apprehension.

 ** _"I know, and I wouldn't ask, but there's nothing else I can do,"_ ** the Doctor replied gently. _**"The whole planet is choking, Donna."**_

She took a deep breath and let it out as she straightened her posture, slowly letting her feet carry her towards the TARDIS doors. "What d'you need me to do?"

 ** _"The Sontarans are inside the factory which means they've got a teleport link with the ship, but they'll have deadlocked it,"_ ** he explained. _**"I need you to reopen the link."**_

That made _perfect_ sense. "But…I can't even mend a fuse," she said.

 _ **"Donna! Stop talking about yourself like that,"** _ he told her sternly. ** _"You can do this. I promise."_**

There was more shifting around until she heard Rose's voice coming through, sounding stern as well, but a little softer. _ **"Don't think so little of yourself, Donna. You can do this, we know you can. You're brilliant."**_

With every word being said to her by her friends Donna felt more at ease as her anxiety began to fade away at an increasing rate. It was with their added encouragement that made her cautiously move closer to the doors. She lowered the phone from her ear and reached a shaky hand out to open one of the doors slowly, peeking through to find one of the armored men a few feet away from the entrance with his back to her. She moved back inside and shut the door silently.

"There's a Sonterrun," she said quietly. She shook her head, catching herself. "Sontaran."

 ** _"Did he see you?"_ ** the Doctor asked, taking over the phone once again.

"No, he's got his back to me."

 _ **"Right, Donna, listen, on the back of his neck on his collar there's a sort of plug, like a hole. The Probic Vent, their greatest weakness. One blow to the Probic Vent knocks 'em out."**_

She swallowed hard. Her nerves were steeled before she opened the door, but it was creeping back into her voice. "But he's gonna kill me," she whispered fearfully.

 _ **"It'll work, Donna, I promise,"** _ the Doctor told her. ** _"I'm so sorry, but you've got to try."_**

Still shaking Donna bit her lip again. There were so many parts of this plan she wasn't crazy about, and having to go out in the open on these creatures' ship was on the top of the list. But she needed to do this. If she didn't, then the world would be in even greater danger than it already was. Heading back up the ramp, she looked around the room for some sort of weapon to aid her. Her eyes locked on the mallet the Doctor would use so happily when he would pilot the TARDIS, which was also the one Rose would pry out of his hands. Grabbing it, she made it back down the ramp and opened the door again. As sneakily as she could she took heedful steps behind the Sontaran then took a swing with the mallet and connected with the vent on the back of his neck. He gasped and fell to the ground, stunned and knocked out.

 ** _"Donna?"_** came the concerned sound of the Doctor's voice. ** _"What happened, you all right?"_**

Donna grinned. "Back of the neck!" she whispered triumphantly.

 ** _"Ooh, brilliant!"_**

 _ **"Way to go!"**_ Rose cheered into the phone before her husband came back on to direct.

 ** _"Okay, good. Now then, you gotta find the external junction feed to the teleport."_**

Her eyes widened. As if she actually knew what the hell that was. "The what? What's it look like?"

 ** _"A circular panel on the wall,"_** he supplied as she began to tentatively walk forward. _**"Big symbol on the front, like a-like a letter T with a horizontal line through it. Or-or two Fs back to back."**_

"Well, there's a door."

 ** _"Should be a switch by the side."_**

Sure enough there was a circular panel to the side. "Yeah, there is." She frowned when she saw its design. "But it's Sontaran-shaped, you need three fingers."

There was a brief pause. **_"You've got three fingers."_**

"Oh, yeah," she replied, shaking her head in embarrassment. Switching the phone to her other hand, she made her finger form the 'live long and prosper' symbol and placed her hand into the pattern. It made an affirmative beeping sound before allowing the door to slide open.

"I'm through," she reported.

She could practically hear the grin in the Doctor's voice. _**"Oh, you are brilliant, you are!"** _ he praised.

"Shut up," she said with an eye roll. "Save the sweet talking for later. Right. So, T with a line through it, right?"

 _ **xxxxxxxxx**_ _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Back at the UNIT Base Rose leaned against the frame of the door while the Doctor held the phone to his ear in the corner of Mace's office. In the corner of her eye she noticed the colonel himself returning. She tugged on his sleeve and he glanced up to see the man striding back into the command center.

"Got to go," he told Donna through the phone. "Keep the line open!"

He snapped the phone shut and handed it back to Rose. "She's gonna be okay, Doctor," she told him, pocketing the mobile device.

"I know she will," he replied as they both exited the office.

"Positions," Mace called out to everyone. His attention was drawn to both the Doctor and Rose. "That means everyone!"

He tossed gas masks to both of them, feeling a small flashback from the last time they saw these items. "Where's the Brigadier?" the Doctor asked. "Where's he gone?"

"You'll find out soon enough, Doctor," the colonel responded. "Come with me."

"You're not going without me!" the Martha clone demanded.

"'Course not," Rose said with a shrug. "What would we do without you?"

Heading outside of the base each person from UNIT along with the Doctor and Rose put on their gas masks as the thick white gas whirled around them. She smiled when she saw how disarray her husband's hair had become as a result of wearing the item. As if it wasn't spiky enough. The visibility scale was dramatic when they gathered around, barely able to see a person a few feet away, and the bitter taste still lingered in their mouths. Martha remained close by at their heels, making Rose's skin crawl even more. They were going to save their friend, that much she was sure about.

Colonel Mace led them over to a weapons cart and held up a gun and showed it to them. "Latest firing stock, what do you think, Doctor?"

"Are you my mummy?" he replied innocently, nudging Rose's shoulder.

Rose snorted. "You've been waiting all this time to say that, haven't you?"

He shrugged and she could see his smile behind the gas mask. "Guilty."

"If you two could concentrate," Mace said irritably.

"Sorry, just a little inside joke," Rose told him. _"Jack would love to see this,"_ she commented through their link. _"Next I suppose you'll whip out a banana from your pocket."_

 _"Always carrying the spares, me,"_ he said.

 _"Could always do something a little Spock, too."_

He shot her a look through his mask and she smiled widely.

Mace took out a box filled with bullets and lifted one to show them. "Bullets with a rad-steel coating, no copper surface," he explained as the Doctor took it from his fingers to examine. "Should overcome the Cordolaine signal."

"That's…handy," Rose said, reaching for the box. Like her husband she was wary with guns, but what if there were no other options to break into the factory and reclaim what they've locked themselves with?

"But the Sontarans have got _lasers_!" the Doctor cried before gesturing around them. "You can't even _see_ in this fog, the night-vision doesn't work."

Rose elbowed him in the side after he threw the bullet back on the cart only to have it ricochet and fall to the floor. "Rude."

"Thank you, Doctor," Mace said with a calm voice, but kept his tone firm. "Thank you for your lack of faith. But this time, I'm not listening." He pulled off his gas mask, trading it for his command hat and walked over to where some of the other soldiers were gathered.

"Not the first time he ignored my words today," the Doctor muttered.

"They're trying to help, Doctor," Rose told him. "Hear them out."

"Attention all troops!" Mace addressed the soldiers. "Sontarans might think of us as primitive. As does every passing species with an axe to grind."

 _"Not good,"_ the Doctor thought, shaking his head and placing his hands in his pockets.

Rose rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest as the colonel continued.

"They make a mockery of our weapons, our soldiers, our ideals. But no more! From this point on, it stops. From this point on, the people of Earth fight back and we show them! We show the warriors of Sontar what the human race can do!" He brought the comm attached to his chest up to his mouth. "Trap One to Hawk Major and Greyhound One! Go, go, go!"

A deep growling roar of engines came from the sky, prompting everyone to crane their necks up towards the sky. The ground shook slightly, causing most of the soldiers to lose their balance momentarily. A massive dark object lowered down and became more visible once whipping winds cleared the thick fog in the area.

"It's working!" Mace exclaimed. "The area's clearing. Engines to maximum!"

A shiver passed through both the Doctor and Rose once they recognized it. "It's the _Valiant_ ," he breathed out.

He shut his eyes out of reflex once his mind became inundated with the flashbacks once again from the cold, lonely nights of torture he endured while a prisoner aboard that ship. A year of anguish, pain, and borderline hopelessness that were imbedded in the crevices of his memory, never to be forgotten completely but to be triggered every once in a while as a reminder. The chaos that came along with that ship.

Beside him Rose inwardly gasped, her mind becoming filled to the brim with visions, the same ones that came to her in her past nightmares. She saw through her husband's eyes as well as the entity of familiarity that was a part of her, seeing the madman's face and hearing his maniacal laughter echo in her ears. Her insides shook and her ears rang, her head feeling like a balloon for a brief moment. Concurrently they reached for each other's hands and gave reassuring squeezes. They each removed their gas masks and he slung an arm around her waist to give her another comforting squeeze.

"UNIT Carrier Ship Valiant reporting for duty, Doctor," Mace said proudly, stepping over to them.

"How'd you manage to get a hold of that ship?" the Doctor asked curiously, his eyes still locked on the vessel.

"We were able to require it after your reports from the mysterious Prime Minister Harold Saxon incident," the colonel explained. "It has an abundance of alien tech that we felt that we retrieve it in case of emergencies."

"Well, always good to have a massive aircraft handy," Rose said lightly. She briefly glanced over at Martha, who wasn't reacting much to the sight of the ship. As if they needed more proof to notice that this was a clone and not their friend.

"With engines strong enough to clear away the fog," Mace said. "You can thank the Brigadier for that idea to bring the ship in to vent out the gas."

The Doctor beamed at that, running a hand through his hair as he craned his neck back up at the Valiant. "Good ol' Alistair! That's brilliant!"

"Getting a taste for it, Doctor?" the colonel inquired.

His smile faltered as he lowered his head. "No, not at all. Not me. Just giving credit where it's due."

Rose rolled her eyes. She knew he was enjoying that clever use of that ship, especially if his old friend had thought about it. Knowing her husband as well as she did he didn't want to admit that the colonel had been right and that he was wrong.

Mace arched an eyebrow at him and spoke into his communicator. " _Valiant_ , fire at will!"

At the colonel's order four green beams united as one and shot out from the ship and fired at the ATMOS factory. The Doctor swallowed hard at the first blast. It was the same action that Harriet Jones ordered Torchwood on Christmas Day a couple years back to destroy the fleeting Sycorax ship. Having that type of technology so soon was wrong, especially if it meant it was going to be used as an arbitrary notice displaying an abuse of power. Still, he trusted Alistair. Out of all the officers of UNIT he's encountered over the years he's been the one he was always comfortable around. And even though he was getting up there in age he still tried to do everything he could for the organization, even when he wasn't much of a commander anymore after UNIT's changes.

He felt Rose slip her hand into his, breaking his thoughts. "Don't dwell on it," she told him softly. "They needed to get inside of there."

"I know," he said thickly, watching as the young UNIT soldiers barged their way inside and began to open fire, the Cordolaine signal now a futile method on the Sontarans' behalf. "It's just…"

She raised her opposite hand to rub his arm. "We'll stop them, Doctor. It's what we do, yeah?"

The Doctor sucked in a breath and glanced down at her. "Yeah. 'Course we will."

Soon a bunch of soldiers ushered them inside of the factory once the path was clear for them to enter. The Doctor sent Rose a mental note in regards to contacting Donna on the phone. "East and north secure," Mace announced. "Doctor?"

He turned to him and they both gave each other a nod before the colonel rushed away down one way of the corridor with the soldiers towards the sound of the laser fire.

"Donna," Rose spoke quietly into her phone. "Donna, just hold on. We're coming for you." She snapped it shut and quickly pocketed it. _"It's done,"_ she thought to her husband.

 _"Good,"_ he replied as he whipped out the sonic and flashed it in various directions to find a signal he was looking for.

The Martha clone suddenly appeared from the entrance way. "Shouldn't we follow the colonel?" she said, gesturing in the opposite direction where the others went.

"Nah, he's perfectly fine on his end," the Doctor said casually, squinting one of his eyes as he stopped in place, the sonic pointed towards the darkened end of the corridor. "You, me and Rose, Martha Jones. Just like old times!"

Rose took out her own sonic and scanned the area. "With some added technology, that is," she said, throwing him a tongue-touched grin. Though her back was to the clone she noticed her doing something. Most likely something involving her phone again. Her sonic whirred a specific setting. "Got something."

"Same here," the Doctor said, taking the lead. "Alien technology, this way!"


	20. The Poison Sky Part 3

_**A/N:**_ **Much love and thanks to you awesome reviewers and followers! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated ;D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 19: The Poison Sky Part 3**_

Having dual sonic technology was a great advantage on the Doctor and Rose's part since they were being led in the right direction. The firings occurring in other parts of the factory were interfering with their own signals, but it was drowned out with every step they took through the labyrinth of corridors. From behind them the Martha clone was close, following them down the path. Rose tried to keep her distance since her skin was crawling within an arm's length of the imposter. Coming into another darkened corridor which was soon illuminated the Doctor scanned one way while Rose stared down the other with hers. It was empty and quiet, the only sounds being the double whirring of their sonics, which went up at higher pitches.

"No Sontarans down here," he said, his eyes fixed on his device. "They can't resist a battle."

"Kinda like throwing a pork chop at a bunch of lions," Rose commented.

"That's one way to put it." They switched positions, their backs to each other as they spun in a circle.

The Martha clone wasn't amused and rolled her eyes. "What are you doing?" she snapped.

"Finding the correct wavelength," Rose explained. Their sonics made another sound and their faces lit up.

"Here we go," he said as they started to walk down the corridor.

At the other end of the hall was a room with a strange greenish light shining in the window, and judging by the frequencies emitting from the sonic screwdrivers, their destination was right here. The Doctor switched his sonic off once they came up to it and turned his attention to the keypad to the side. Seconds later it beeped and the door slid open. He raised his brows at Rose before entering, pushing past the rubber flaps. Various advanced machinery filled sections of the room and more specifically placed in the center was a pod of some sorts with an unconscious Martha Jones in a white dressing gown strapped into it.

"Oh, my God," Rose gasped out as she and the Doctor rushed over to their friend.

"Oh, Martha, I'm so sorry," he said quietly as they studied her state.

Rose reached over and placed two fingers on Martha's neck to check her pulse. "She's still alive," she reported.

"Just like I said," the Doctor commented, studying Martha's hypnotic stated figure. The sound of a gun cocking behind them phased him, but he hardly looked back. "Am I supposed to be impressed?"

"Wish you carried a gun now?" the Martha clone challenged.

"Not at all," he replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Don't really see the point in guns. They seem to only cause more trouble, really."

"Just like when they killed your wife?" she sneered. He turned to her with a nasty glare and she nodded, a tight smirk on her face. "That's right. How much of a coward you are—"

"He's got morals," Rose growled, turning to face the clone. "Unlike the lot of play-doh lumps that created you."

The Doctor's expression was stonily and stern as his eyes locked with the barrel of the gun being aimed at them, more specifically at his wife. Visions barely stopped themselves from swarming around his mind, but much like he had during the times of their recovery period, he pushed them aside into the cages lodged deep inside of him.

"I've been stopping the nuclear launch all this time," the clone said with a complacent smile.

"Doing exactly what I wanted," the Doctor replied casually. "I needed to stop the missiles, just as much as the Sontarans. I'm not having Earth start an interstellar war. Well done. You're a triple agent."

"When did you know?"

"Right off the bat," Rose answered, leaning against the machine.

"What, you noticed too?" the clone said incredulously.

"Advanced human, enhanced traits," the Doctor said proudly, placing his hands in his pockets as he walked around the clone, her gun following his movements when he came to a stop. "Not hard to miss all the signs. Reduced iris contraction, slight thinning of the hair follicles on the left temple. And, frankly, you smell."

"Not only that, but Martha Jones cares about her family," Rose added. "She would've called them to check on them to warn them about the gas and to make sure they were safe. That, and by the way you reacted when you saw the _Valiant._ She may be better now after what happened the last time we saw that thing, but she wouldn't have stared at it normally. You stuck out like a sore thumb."

"Exactly," the Doctor said with a nod, moving around the machine to stand behind Martha's head and beside Rose. "You might as well have worn a t-shirt saying 'clone'. Although, maybe not in front of Captain Jack." Rose snorted at that when he continued, staring intently at the clone who kept the gun trained on them. "You remember him, don't you? 'Cause you've got all her memories. That's why the Sontarans had to protect her—to keep you inside UNIT. Martha Jones is keeping you alive."

Suddenly he pulled a thick chord from the machine and yanked the device a way from Martha's head. The clone gasped in agony, letting the gun slip from her fingers to clutch her chest and slowly fall to the ground. The real Martha awoke with a scream and opened her eyes, her body shooting straight up.

"Rose!" she cried when the Doctor rushed over to kick the fallen gun away towards the other end of the room.

"Hey, hey, you're okay now," Rose said soothingly, removing the rest of the straps binding her wrists before giving her friend a hug. "We've got you, we're here. The Doctor's fixed it, you're okay now."

"Doctor," she breathed out when he came over next to give her a hug as well. "It's so good to see you both again."

"Welcome back to the waking world," he said with a small smile, pulling back.

"There was this thing, this alien, with this head—"

Her sentence was cut off when Rose's phone rang in her pocket. "Oh, blimey," the Doctor said with an eye roll. "What is it now? We're busy."

"Who else would it be?" Rose said as she quickly reached for it and flipped it up, putting it to her ear. "Hello?"

 ** _"Yeah, hello, Rose, would you and your better half care to hurry up?"_** Donna said on the other end, sounding surprisingly sweet.

She nodded. "One sec, here he is." She handed him the phone. "Spy in action," she whispered to him.

The Doctor pressed it to his ear. "What've you got?"

 _ **"No patience, that's for sure,"**_ the ginger woman snapped. ** _"I've spent God knows how long in a corner hiding from these bloody Sontarans waiting for you to tell me what to do next. I'm over playing the Anne Frank card right now."_**

"Yes, I know," he said, rubbing his eyes with his opposite hand. "Take off the covering. All the blue switches inside, flick them up like a fuse box. And that should get the teleport working."

He moved away, still instructing Donna what to do next while Rose comforted Martha, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to keep her steady. She glanced around until she came to find the clone of herself seated on the ground by a pole taking gasping breaths.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, my God," she breathed out. "That's _me_."

"That's a clone, Martha," Rose said softly, rubbing her shoulder. "The Sontarans created her to use her as a spy to get inside of UNIT."

"So, she…all this time, she's been pretending to be me?"

"Yeah. She had all of your memories, but we knew she wasn't you. There could never be another Martha Jones like you." When Martha settled down Rose stood up and helped her to her feet. Her friend shivered since the only apparel she donned was a thin white gown in a freezing basement.

Off to the side the Doctor still conversing on the phone with Donna. She walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. "What is it?" he asked quietly.

"Gimme your coat," she told him.

He looked at her, confused. "What?"

"Martha's cold. She wasn't given much of a clothing choice and it's freezing down here."

"Oh, right," he said with a nod, pinning the phone between his ear and shoulder as he shrugged his coat off and handed it to her.

Taking it Rose walked back over to Martha and slung it on her, warming her up. The Doctor snapped the phone shut before dashing over to the Sontaran teleport pod at the back of the room. He made a few comments in his native language as he began to rip parts of it off manually before splicing wires and running the sonic the panels. Martha held the Doctor's coat close to her as she took a hesitant step towards her clone, who was still panting on the ground. Kneeling down she tentatively reached a hand out towards her, but the clone pulled away.

"Don't touch me!" she hissed.

"It's not my fault," Martha said. "The Sontarans created you. But…you had all my memories."

The clone struggled to keep herself upright, anchoring herself on the pole she was leaning against. Rose couldn't help but take pity on the poor creature. It wasn't like she asked to be created, it just happened. She was given a job to do which, ironically, was expedient since she kept preventing UNIT from engaging in nuclear warfare with the Sontarans.

"You've got a brother…sister…mother and father," the clone said after a moment.

Martha nodded, showing sympathy. "If you don't help me, they're gonna die."

"You love them."

"Yes. Remember that?"

"The gas!" the Doctor shouted from inside the teleport before pushing himself out with a thick chord wrapped around his neck. "Tell us about the gas!"

 _"Easy,"_ Rose thought to him. He shot her a look and she shot one back at him. She knew he was impatient and a little hot under the collar with these creatures, but his approach wouldn't get them the answers any quicker.

"He's the enemy!" the clone snapped, jutting her chin weakly in his direction.

"Then tell me," Martha said gently. "It's not just poison, what's it for?" The clone was silent. "Martha, _please_!"

The clone took a deep breath. "Caesofine concentrate," she breathed out with a soft voice. "It's one part of Bosteen, two parts Probic 5."

"Clonefeed!" the Doctor yelled in realization, smacking his forehead. "Of course, it's clonefeed!"

"Oh, no," Rose commented.

"What's clonefeed?" Martha asked.

"Like amniotic fluid for Sontarans," he explained quickly. "That's why they're not invading, they're converting the atmosphere. Changing the planet into a clone world. Earth becomes a great big hatchery."

"'Cause they're a clone race," Rose said. "And that's how they reproduce, with the gas and the people."

"Exactly. Give 'em a planet this big, they'll create billions of new soldiers. That gas isn't poison, it's food! It's volatile!"

The Doctor dashed back to the teleport to continue working on it while Rose shook her head. Why was this becoming a popular trend as of recently?

"My heart…" the clone gasped out. "It's getting slower."

"There's nothing I can do," Martha replied sadly.

A look of wonder crossed the clone's face. "In your mind, you've got so many plans. There's so much that you wanna do."

"And I will," Martha stressed. "'Never do tomorrow what you can do today', my mum says. 'Cause—"

"'Cause you never know how long you've got," the doppelganger finished, staring deep in her eyes, a reflective image. "Martha Jones…all that life…"

Her last breath escaped from the clone as her body slumped, now lifeless. Martha looked on sadly, hesitantly reaching over to take the creature's hand and carefully removed her engagement ring and slid it back on its place on her own finger. Rose knelt down and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Getting better," Martha replied. "It's just…weird. I mean, what would it be like if she…weren't the way she was."

Rose gave her an unreadable look. "I…dunno. She was a clone, Martha. There was nothing we could do."

"I know."

Rose held a hand out for Martha to help her up to her feet but her friend chose to remain by the clone. She assumed that she must've still been in shock from waking up to find a mirror image of herself. On the other side of the room the Doctor continued working on the teleport, running the sonic over the wires and the panel. Joining him, Rose stood in the entrance of the machine and leaned against it, watching him.

"Need any help?" she offered.

"Should be finished," he answered, glancing up at her briefly. "How's she doing?"

"Shock value, but she's settling. Not every day you wake up after bein' kidnapped from the handiwork of hypnotic potatoes and see yourself standing beside you."

 **" _Doctor,"_** came the quiet undertone of Donna on the phone's loudspeaker. Stopping what he was doing the Doctor reached over and picked it up. _**"Blue switches done."**_ There was a pause and the sound of doors sliding open followed by synchronized marches. **_"But they've found me!"_**

The Doctor jumped to his feet and brought Rose out of the way as he stepped out of the pod, handing her the phone. "Now!" he yelled.

He whipped out the sonic and aimed it at the teleport panel, activating it. The interior glowed a bright white light until the figure of Donna appeared. She gasped and ran over to give him a hug, the mallet from the console room still in her hand. "Have I ever told you how much I hate you?" she said, her voice a cross between relieved and berated.

The Doctor returned the hug quickly. "Hold on, hold on. Get off me. Gotta bring the TARDIS down." He gently pushed her away before rushing back inside the pod to fiddle with controls. He stuck the sonic into a port and it made a humming sound. Wide grins spread across both on his and Rose's face when they felt the Old Girl's presence flowing back into their minds. "There we go," he said, looking up. "Coming ladies?"

Rose entered the pod and stood beside her husband, her nose scrunching up a bit at the metallic tang that resulted from the exchange through the teleport. Donna remained outside of the machine while Martha was still on the other side of the room.

"Martha, you coming?" the Doctor called out.

"What about this nuclear launch thing?" she asked as she stood from he position and came over to join the others, her phone in hand.

"Just keep pressing 'N', we want to keep those missiles on the ground," he told her.

"Yeah, can't really afford this lot to engage in nuclear war," Rose added. "Although the Brigadier wouldn't accept that."

"Let's hope not. But, knowing Alistair like I do, he wouldn't go against his promise."

"The Brigadier's here?" Martha asked, holding the Doctor's coat closer to her body. "Blimey, I missed a lot."

From the side Donna stared wide-eyed at something in the far corner from where the young doctor came from. They knew what caught her attention—the lifeless clone. "But there's…two of them," she said slowly.

"Yeah, long story," the Doctor said as he worked on the panel.

The redhead sighed. "What else is new?"

"Long story short, Martha was kidnapped by these soldiers that the Sontarans got a hold of and cloned them," Rose replied as the woman herself entered the chamber.

Donna's brows shot up. "So…not so much of a long story, then. That's a bit of a shock coming from you two."

The Doctor raised his head and arched a brow as he ran the sonic over the panel. "I suppose. Anyway, here we go. The old team, back together! Well, the new team."

"We're not going back on that ship!" Donna cried.

"No, no, no," he assured quickly. "No. I needed to get the teleport working so that we could get to—" He pressed a button on the control panel, causing a white light to surround them until they found themselves in another location. A familiar one. "—here! The Rattigan Academy, owned by—"

"Don't tell anyone what I did!" cried the very person he was about to refer to. Luke came up to the teleport pod and pointed a gun at them, his hands shaking a bit much like his voice. "It wasn't my fault, the Sontarans lied to me, they—"

The brat was cut off when the Doctor came forward casually and grabbed the gun. "If I see one more gun…" he ground out, tossing the weapon off to the side.

Donna and Martha exchanged a look for a moment then turned to Rose, who pressed her lips together and shrugged. She stepped out first and studied Luke's face, his accustomed mask of pomposity replaced with one of petulance. Rose crossed her arms over her chest as she walked out of the teleport, arching an eyebrow and tsking at him as she passed by. The other women joined her, barely acknowledging the boy's presence.

"You know, that coat sort of works," Donna commented, noticing that Martha was donning the Doctor's trench coat.

"Feel like a kid in my dad's clothes," the young doctor said.

"Yeah?" Rose asked, an inquisitive look on her face. "Never feels that way with me."

Martha snorted and shook her head. "Figured that." Her eyes widened a bit, a look of horror. "Hold on…should I be concerned if you two have… _done things_ with this coat?" Rose bit her lip and offered a shy smile. "Oh, God, I'm gonna change outta this the second I find _clothes!_ "

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The Doctor moved around the academy's lab with ease, assembling some sort of device from random bits and bobs lying about in the room. With Rose's help they were able to work fast. She had no idea what sort of contraption her husband was creating but it always marveled her how skillful he was with his hands, constructing gadgets out of scraps while following the mental schematics creating themselves with expertise and explaining it verbally.

"That's why the Sontarans had to stop the missiles, they were holding back," he was saying, grabbing a large cylinder piece of material over a funnel-like tube while Rose soniced a few wires. "Because caesofine gas is volatile, that's why they had to use you to stop the nuclear attack. Ground-to-air engagement could've sparked off the whole thing."

"What, like set fire to the atmosphere?" Martha asked from the side.

"Yeah," the Doctor said with a nod, grabbing the mallet from Donna to whack the device. "They need all the gas intact to breed their clone army."

"And Luke boy over here was lost in his own little fantasies," Rose added, attaching wires on the device.

"His own little dream factory. Planning a little trip, were we?"

"They promised me a new world," Luke grumbled, the sour look on his face resembling that of a child's who lost their favorite toy.

"Y'know, you should really be careful," Rose spoke up.

The boy frowned. "Why?"

"You keep makin' that face, it'll get stuck that way." His pout deepened as a result and the Doctor fought back on a snort.

"You were building equipment, ready to terraform El Mondo Luko so that humans could live there and breathe the air with this!" He moved away from his invention and grinned, waggling his brows at his wife. "Brilliant piece of work," he praised.

"What is that?" Donna asked.

"An atmospheric converter," he chirped, slinging a cable around his neck and grabbing the end of the device and hauling it up to rest on his shoulder.

Taking the lead he rushed outside with the others following suit, coming to set up on the patio in the academy's front lawn. The scene outside was desolate and bare, the smog so thick one could cut through it with a strong enough knife if in their possession. The countryside was barely perceptible, covered beneath the blanket that blocked out the sun. The Doctor placed the device down on the ground and went to his knees to fiddle with it.

"That's London," Donna gasped out quietly, the air getting to her right away from exposure. "You can't even see it. My family's in there."

"If I can get this on the right setting…" the Doctor muttered, messing with one of the controls.

"Try turning the knob to the left," Rose suggested, kneeling down on the other side of the contraption.

"Hold on," Martha spoke up. "Doctor, you said that if you set that off, the atmosphere would ignite."

"Oh, yeah," he answered, rising to his feet. "I did say that, didn't I?"

Helping Rose up, he moved them away from the converter, the control panel in his hands. He pressed a button and a ball of fire shot straight up into the sky, through the curtain of smoke until it was gone from their sight. An explosion rocked from above, causing them to duck briefly. The flame spread across the horizon, engulfing it with an orange drape.

"Please, please, please, please, please, please, please…" the Doctor muttered to himself, crossing his fingers while Rose held onto his arm, waiting for the machine to do what it was meant to do. And it did. The white fog swirled around, moving about until the sky was completely ignited. Soon the gas dispersed as the sky cleared, rolling until the bright blue shade came through along with the sun, shining down on the hills and on the entire planet.

"We did it!" Rose cheered, pulling her husband into a tight hug as he lifted her off the ground.

"He's a genius!" Luke exclaimed in awe.

"Just brilliant," Martha said with a grin.

"We're not done just yet," the Doctor said with seriousness, setting Rose down. "Now we're in trouble." He moved forward to pick up the converter and rushed back into the building.

Rose rolled her eyes. Nothing would ever end that easily for them, but she had a bad feeling about what would be the next move. Sontarans were a species bred for battle and now that they sky had returned to normal and their clonefeed was gone, they wouldn't just take this without another fight. The Doctor was the one to step in and try to stop them, but he was going to do something more, something she was dreading but knew he was thinking. He was going to give them another chance. Not on her watch would she let him do anything alone.

They made it back to the lab and the Doctor quickly rushed into the teleport pod with the atmospheric converter. His expression remained normal, but Rose could feel his true emotions through their bond and she wasted no time in entering the chamber with him.

"Rose, what're you—"

"Don't even start," she said firmly. "You're not gonna go up there by yourself and get yourself killed."

He pressed his lips together in annoyance. "I've gotta give them a choice."

"So that gives you the right to go an' do _another_ one of your suicidal methods?" She snorted derisively. "Not bloody likely you're not."

The Doctor made a grumbling sound and set the converter on the ground, his hands making their way to her upper arms as he gently led both of them out of the pod. "Listen, I know you wanna stop me from going up there with a device that will ignite an entire ship, but there's no other way. We're dealing with Sontarans, Rose. Sontarans are never defeated. They'll be getting ready for war. I've recalibrated the converter for Sontaran air, so—"

"You wanna blow it up along with _yourself_?" She laughed, but there was no humor in it whatsoever. "What else is new? This is Satellite 5 all over again, just goin' off on a suicide mission and just leaving me asi—"

Her sentence was cut off when he raised both of his hands to cup her face, kissing her soundly. There was no way he was going to act all sweet about the current situation. _"Trust me,"_ he told her through their link. _"I love you."_

Before she could controvert he pushed himself away in the swiftest of movements to run back into the teleport. "Oh, no you don't!"

She ran back up to the pod was too late. He, along with the converter, disappeared from view. She closed her eyes when she felt their bond straining a bit from the long distance between them once again. His end was relatively blocked, which wasn't surprising since he knew he would get quite an earful of her opinions. Her fists clenched at her sides.

"I'm _so_ gonna kill him," she ground out through gritted teeth.

"What the hell did he just do?" Donna asked from behind, her voice bordering surprise and anger.

"Couldn't he just have…I dunno, put a delay on it or something?" Martha asked.

"Too late now," Luke spoke up.

"No, it's not," Rose said.

"But…he would never do that," Donna said. "He would never just leave like that."

"No, he would," Rose said firmly. "But he isn't doing this again, it was a heat of the moment thing."

"The Sontarans are up there," the boy said with a trembling voice. "There's no way he could survive anything up there."

"And as always I have to get him out of yet another one of his ridiculous plans involving explosions and death," she muttered. Good thing she was a step ahead. She reached into her pocket to retrieve her sonic screwdriver as she ran into the pod.

"You can't bring him back," Luke told her, stepping closer. "The teleport's disabled."

"Oh, c'mon, Luke, where's your faith?" Rose said, kneeling down beneath the control panel. She held up her sonic and wiggled it between her fingers. "All it needs is a little jiggery-pokery. Good thing I know him so well."

She had a back-up plan if this didn't work, but one thing was sure. She was getting his skinny arse back to Earth.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

He was in for it now, he could feel it radiating from his wife through their bond, waves of frustration and anger. If he wasn't afraid of the wrath that Rose was capable of unleashing on him—which was damn near impossible since she was a Tyler—he would've allowed himself to communicate with her to reassure her that his plan would work. Even though it involved little chance of survival which was always a tactic that he was accustomed to, but not by intention. Hopefully this wouldn't go awry like lots of his did.

The Doctor found himself onboard the Sontaran ship, standing on the teleport pad with the converter's detonator in his hands. A sense of déjà vu came over him, recalling other incidents where it had unfortunately come to this level. By all means he was praying that the Sontarans would take his second chance and leave without any threats or worries since he never wanted things to come to this. Basically despised this. But, going by his mind and gut, he knew that they wouldn't accept it. Still, it didn't hurt to try.

The Sontarans finally acknowledged his presence and turned around. "Oh, excellent!" Staal exclaimed with a grin.

"General Staal, you know what this is," the Doctor said, the controls held firmly in his hands, his voice keeping a steady authoritative tone while his hearts pounded in his chest. "But there's one more option. You can go; just leave. Sontaran High Command need never know what happened here."

"Your stratagem would be wise if Sontarans feared death," Staal said. "But we do not. At arms!"

At his command the rest of the fleet cocked their guns, but he kept his guard up and brought the controls closer to him.

"I'll do it, Staal," he threatened. "If it saves the Earth, I'll do it."

"A warrior doesn't talk, he acts!"

"I am giving you the chance to leave."

"And miss the glory of this moment?"

 _ **"**_ I'm warning you!" the Doctor yelled.

"And I salute you!" Staal shouted. "Take aim!"

The Sontarans raised their guns and kept them trained on him.

"Shoot me, I'm still gonna press this! You'll die, Staal."

"Knowing that _you_ die, too."

 _ **"Firing in 15."**_

The Doctor swallowed hard, his hand pressed against the button. All it would take is one swift slam and it would go off. His nerves were trembling, but his hand remained steady as he stared hard at the surrounding him.

"For the glory of Sontar!" Staal hollered, proceeding to beat his hands together to perform their chant. "Sontar-ha! Sontar-ha! Sontar-ha!"

The others joined their leader in his mantra, but the Doctor kept his authority. "I'll do it!" he shouted.

"Then do it!" Staal challenged, returning to the chanting.

His breathing increased, his finger tapping against the button. The countdown continued, barely audible over the continuous rallying. _**"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5—"**_

 _"NOW!"_

The Doctor inwardly grinned at the desperate sound of his wife's voice echoing in his mind. His brilliant Rose. Without any hesitation he slammed his palm down hard on the control panel and dropped it just as he was bathed in a blinding white light.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Seconds later the Doctor found himself landing back in the teleport pod at the Rattigan Academy, breathing heavily as he was sprawled on the ground. He shook his head and blinked rapidly, fighting past the spots before his eyes. Typical reaction to sudden teleportation, but he was expecting it despite the small dramatic sense of impending death. Always a step ahead. He slowly climbed forward and sat at the edge of the pod, his hearts calming down from the hysteria. The first person that came over to him was Martha, who smiled at him. Donna followed suit, a little slower, and gave him a hard whack on the arm. He worried them too much, and that seemed to be a bad habit of his. The ginger woman then knelt down beside him and grasped his arm, relieved that he was alive.

In the far distance he could hear an explosion coming from above, miles and miles away. His brows furrowed for a moment while his mind worked. Then he realized exactly what had happened. There was a timer attached to the converter, thus putting the device on a delay so he could have enough time to make an escape. How had he not thought about that? Simple. His wife was clever. More than that, she was brilliant.

Glancing up he smiled faintly at the very person who saved his life yet again, but it soon faltered when he took in her appearance. Rose was standing a few feet away from the pod, her arms crossed over her chest with her sonic in one of her hands, her lips curled and a nasty glare in her eyes locked onto him. Through their bond he could feel it all multiplied by a hefty amount. He audibly gulped. That was never a good sign.

"R-Rose?" he asked.

She gave no answer and remained silent. _Really_ not good. He stood to his feet and brushed himself off, feeling his wife's heated gaze burning through him. He slowly strode over to where she stood, hoping to make her cool down.

"Rose…" He tried again, his hands raised a little to show calmness. "About that plan—"

He was cut off when Rose finally responded to him. With a clear hard slap across the face.

The force made him inwardly wince at the crack, his eyes shutting. From behind him he heard the other women gasping quietly. He took a deep breath, feeling his cheek already stinging but didn't bother to place a hand to his burning skin. It's been a while since he received one of those infamous Tyler slaps, but they were never something he looked forward to. Still, he expected that too.

"Okay," the Doctor said, nodding acceptingly. "I deserved that. But—"

"Don't even say it," she said with a hard voice, coinciding with her expression.

"But it was a part of my—"

"Nuh-uh," she interrupted, gesturing with a single finger. "How many times do we have to go over this? Just when I think that your 'superior Time Lord head' of yours can't get any _thicker,_ you go off and throw yourself out there like as a sacrifice a _gain_!" She dangled her sonic between her fingers. "What would've happened if I didn't have this to mess with the teleport? Or thought ahead to put a delay on the converter? What would you have done, then? Come up with another one of your brilliant plans that involves suicide and with me being left aside? Goddammit, I swear…"

The Doctor barely attempted to get a word in as his wife went on a semi-long ramble, chastising him for being a monumentally daft alien with a thick head, even going as far as to vituperate him with a few vulgar Gallifreyan phrases that made him blush. Thankfully they were the only two people in the room that could understand the language.

"Okay, okay, okay," he spoke up gently, lightly gripping her wrists to calm her down. "I know, Rose. Believe me, you've got every right to be upset with me, but it's over now. I'm back thanks to you. I knew you'd come up with something, you're brilliant like that. You know I would never leave you aside like that, it was just…" he tilted his head briefly and sighed. "I'm sorry. I know you wanted to come with me, but I needed you to stay here 'cause I knew you'd come for me. Well, get me back, I should say. Besides, you were convincing enough to ask for a sonic. If I hadn't made you one so soon you'd find a way back up there to get me somehow. Most definitely to smack some more sense into me."

A small smile spread across Rose's lips and he did the same as he pulled her into a hug, calming her down. After another moment they both pulled back and Rose reached a hand up to grasp his chin.

"If you go and do something like that again, be prepared, 'cause I'll smack you hard into your next regeneration."

"Yes, sir," he replied. She brought him in for a lingering kiss. "And I wouldn't doubt that you could," he said, rubbing his cheek where his wife's handiwork left its mark. "You _are_ your mother's daughter, after all."

"Damn right," Rose said with a tongue-touched grin.

The Doctor turned to both Donna and Martha, offering them apologetic looks. "Ehm, sorry about…worrying you like that. I really didn't mean to do that, really."

"Heard that before," Martha replied.

"God, it's a good thing Rose is here," Donna said. "She keeps you in line from killin' yourself. Nice way to freak out your wife."

"She knew what she was coming into when she agreed to marry me," the Doctor said with a teasing smile, wrapping his arm around Rose's waist. She stuck her tongue out at him and he made a happy sound.

"Are you going to arrest me for what I did?" came the small voice of Luke, who was standing by his desk with a regretful look across his face.

"Weeell," the Doctor drawled. "Just because I travel around in a police box that doesn't mean I go around the universe arresting people."

"But…I sided with the enemy," the boy said sadly, his shoulders sagging. "Nobody could ever trust me for that."

Rose exchanged a look with her husband. As much as this kid was spoiled, she felt pity for him. He didn't have anything else in his life other than his genius and his labs. He fell into the wrong crowd and was deceived by a species who promised him something worthy for his life. She released herself from the Doctor to walk over to the boy.

"It wasn't your fault," she told him softly, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "You were promised something amazing by a hypnotic species. The Sontarans tricked you into working for them, you just didn't know it."

Luke shook his head sadly. "Anyone could've noticed that. Everyone probably did. Except for me." He chuckled mirthlessly. "And I go around thinking that _I'm_ clever."

"That's because you _are,_ Luke," the Doctor cut in, gesturing around the room. "Look at everything you've got here. You've accomplished all of this at such a young age. A mind like yours is worthy for Einstein."

The boy smiled faintly. "Still…I'm nowhere near as clever as you, Doctor. Both you and your wife, you two are the real geniuses."

"You're a smart kid, Luke," Rose said. "You could make something great with your life. Just keep your head up, 'kay?"

Luke flitted his eyes between them, then nodded. "I wanna make things right," he said evenly. "After what I saw and what I did, I wanna make up for my mistakes."

She looked over at the Doctor who had a meaningful expression on his face. She turned back to the boy. "Y'know, UNIT has a science division," she suggested. "You know a thing or two about these kind of things."

"You think they would hire me after this?" Luke asked.

"Reckon I can put out a good word through for you," the Doctor said. He moved up to the boy and clamped a hand on his shoulder. "You've got a brilliant mind, Luke Rattigan. Use it for the right reasons and do something clever with your life."

The boy smiled at them. Even though he may have been involved in a catastrophic epidemic, he still deserved a second chance. There's always a choice.


	21. Unscheduled Detour

**A/N: A** **short chapter that ends the Sontaran episodes. As always much love to all of you lovely viewers! Thanks for your patience! :D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 20: Unscheduled Detour**_

Martha made a quick call to UNIT and the company sent a jeep to pick them up, a larger one since there were more passengers. Private Ross Jenkins was the driver and both the Doctor and Rose were relieved to see the young man alive. While she was unconscious and keeping her clone alive the colonel made orders for the soldiers to wander around the ATMOS factory while the Sontarans were invading it. As it turned out her friends along with the Brigadier convinced the officer to let them retreat. The drive back to the UNIT base took a detour when Donna requested to stop by her home to check on her mother and grandfather. The Doctor told her that they would pick her up in a few hours to let her be with her family and make sure they would be okay.

After dropping her off, the atmosphere in the jeep seemed tense at first. Rose was still upset with the Doctor after his near-suicidal approach at stopping the Sontarans from raging a war on the planet, sitting in the back of the vehicle with Martha while he sat up front. But she was calmed down from her furious diatribe after his return and still takes calmly. In Gallifreyan, to boot, it sounded like earlier when she scolded him. Rose was _really_ becoming the Doctor's wife if she began to speak in his native language now. It made Martha's insides warm up. Seeing her friends acting like their gushy selves was always a nice picture to witness.

She still hoped that her current relationship and future marriage would be at least a fraction of what those two shared. One could only hope for it. She called her family back at home to check in on them as well and promised that she would see them shortly. She missed travelling in the TARDIS with her best friends, missed all of the great adventures they would have, but she was building a career and another life here on Earth that she couldn't turn her back on.

"Who's gonna be the one to explain what happened?" Martha asked when they were almost at the base. "I know you're not one to deal with the clean-up."

"Leave it to us," the Doctor said with a sigh. "They'll be expecting a report, and I'm guessing they'd love it if it were to come from me."

"Who better to explain than their own scientific advisor," Rose teased.

They could practically hear him rolling his eyes in the front seat. The base was in their sights and Ross pulled them inside. It wasn't chaos anymore and everything seemed to be returning to normal, the workers doing their jobs and moving around the building with ease.

"Here we are then," the Doctor proclaimed. "Back to your job. Although…you could always come along with us," he added with a lopsided grin.

Martha shook her head and gently pushed him. "No thanks. As much as I miss life on the TARDIS with you two, I've got a job to do here on Earth." She gave them both pointed stares and pointed a finger at them. "But don't think you can get out of visiting every once in a while."

"We promise to come back when we get the chance," Rose told her with a smile.

"Whenever you two keep your hands off each other, you mean," Martha said jokingly, making them blush. "Speaking of which…" She peeled off the Doctor's coat and held the collar gingerly between her fingers. "I'm gonna change out of this and get some clothes. Ones that I know exactly _where_ they've been what they've been through since I last saw them."

The Doctor frowned and retrieved his coat, his opposite hand moving to scratch the back of his neck bashfully. Martha shook her head and made her way down to her office. Luckily she had another outfit to change into before she went to visit her mother.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Searching through the base the Doctor and Rose finally found the Brigadier located in another office close to the command center sifting through some papers on his desk. "So," the Doctor said casually, leaning against the door frame. "Operating the _Valiant_ now, huh?"

"Only for emergency purposes," Alistair replied, organizing his desk. "Like I told you, Doctor, I had a plan. And I'm sure you appreciated it afterwards despite your opposition."

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. It was a brilliant idea, I would've never come up with that."

The other man hummed. "Don't always know everything, eh?"

"I see where the colonel gets his cheekiness from," the Doctor said with an arched eyebrow. "All in a day's work, eh, Alistair?"

"Pretty much sums up every time we meet, Doctor," the older man said, straightening up. "I can't ever seem to get away from you."

"He could say the same for you too, Brigadier," Rose teased. "'S not like he's a burden though, right?"

Alistair smiled. "Most certainly not. Catching up with old friends are always a pleasure in my books."

"Until Doris has a say in it," the Doctor put in.

The other man chuckled and moved away from his desk to stand before them. "So, I suppose you want to give us a report now."

Both the Doctor and Rose explained the situation thoroughly to the Brigadier, informing him of the Sontarans and what had become of their plans and about Luke Rattigan's involvement with the situation. The older man stood with his hand to his chin and listened intently to their elucidating, nodding understandably.

"I see," he said when they finished. "So it turns out that the young man himself was working as a cohort to the Sontarans this whole time. To my understanding that's what many have suspected since the start of this case."

"It wasn't really his fault, though," Rose said. "You've dealt with those potatoes before, Brigadier, yeah? You know how hypnotic they are."

He nodded. "That I do. From what I recall though, the last time that I was appointed to dealing with them they were kidnapping scientists."

"Ah, right," the Doctor said with a nod. "Blimey, that was a long time ago. Actually happened not too long after I became affiliated with you lot. I've run into them a bunch of times since then, though."

"Back in the old days of when you began working for them," Rose said, crossing her arms.

" _With_ them, yes," he corrected.

"Doctor, you've got files. Even Alistair says you still work _for_ them."

"Well…"

The Brigadier chuckled. "Why else would you be in our classified section?"

"Now that you mention it," Rose spoke up. "About Luke Rattigan…he's got experience with alien life now, wouldn't you think he'd fit in around here?"

"He helped an alien race try to conquer the planet which contributed to the deaths of hundreds of people, Miss Tyler," Alistair reminded.

"Yeah, he did," Rose said with a nod. "And that was every level of wrong for what he did and should be punished for that. But he's still clever. He's got a good mind, he just needs some direction. It's been a long time since anyone's told him 'no' and he can be a bit of the bratty type, but if you trained him he could become someone special here. After all, your chief scientific advisor isn't always around," she added, looking back at her husband who slung his arm around her shoulders. "Could be useful having another brilliant mind working here."

The Brigadier seemed to consider her suggestion and was lost in thought. "I suppose we could use another man working around here," he finally said after a moment. "Sometimes people deserve a second chance after their actions."

"Too right," the Doctor agreed, rubbing Rose's shoulder.

"I'll look into it and put it through to the colonel," Alistair told them. "It would be more than convenient to know that they're close by and around the area. Can't always say the same for you, Doctor."

He shrugged. "Busy life," he replied. "You know that all too well, Brigadier. And you," he added. "You kept your promise when you said you'd see us again sooner than we'd probably think. You didn't happen to be shown the future now, were you?"

"Of course not," Alistair laughed. "It's just like I said, Doctor—I can never get away from you or this life. One way or another we always end up running into each other again."

"Hence the 'moderately retired', right?"

"It's a vacillating decision."

"As I could imagine." The Doctor extended his hand and the other man shook it. "Always good to meet you, Alistair."

"And you, Doctor," the Brigadier said. "Until we meet again."

"Think it'll be soon enough again?" Rose inquired with a smile.

He turned to her and offered her his hand and she shook it. "It's always a possibility. It was nice to see you again, Miss Tyler. Or should I say 'Dame' Tyler?"

Rose giggled. "No need for formalities, you know you can always call me Rose. You really dug up the information for that, didn't you?"

The Brigadier looked a bit sheepish. "I did my homework on you, yes. Being labelled as the Doctor's wife, while pertaining to a superior authority as that is, apparently deserved some more background. So I was sure to make your file top status, and including being knighted by Queen Victoria herself seemed appropriate. Any UNIT base will be able to recognize you."

"Thanks, Alistair," she told him, stepping closer to kiss his cheek. "For everything."

He smiled at her. "Always a pleasure, Rose. I would say to keep that husband of yours straight but your devotion to him, much like his to you, is greatly implied."

"His stubbornness can be too, you know," Rose added jokingly.

" _He_ is still standing here," the Doctor spoke up from behind, waving a hand. Both Rose and the Brigadier laughed at him while he raised a hand to his cheek. "And, believe me, she keeps me grounded in more ways than one."

Alistair arched a brow and studied him for a moment before turning back to Rose. "Let me guess, he tried to handle the situation his way?"

"Yup," Rose replied.

"And it was by another sacrifice, yes?"

"Yup."

The Doctor groaned. "Oh, don't start, Alistair. I've already been hit once already today."

"I wouldn't dream of doing it now," the Brigadier assured. "After all, Rose can handle you all to herself."

Rose threw her husband a teasing grin and poked him in the chest. He arched an eyebrow at her and chortled through his nose. "Give Doris our best," he told the Brigadier.

"I'll do just that," the other man said then shook his head. "I wish I could say that she'll do the same for you since she knows you're one of the reasons why I keep coming out of retirement."

The Doctor's mouth twisted a bit. "Yeah…I might be the last person she'll wanna see. She might actually make me cook dinner again."

"What?" Rose said with a surprised laugh.

"Or let you do some yard work," Alistair said with a grin. "There's always work to be done in our garden. She'd take a liking to Rose, I should think."

"Not surprising," the Doctor said warmly, dropping a kiss to the top of his wife's head. "She has that effect on many."

"That she does," the Brigadier said with a nod. "Until next time, old friend."

The Doctor gave the man a lazy salute before he and his wife walked out of his office, his arm still around her shoulders. They passed by a few soldiers who saluted them on the way out and he waved them off dismissively, saying they didn't have to do so. Rose giggled.

"Takes you back, huh?"

"Not everything changed around here," he replied.

"Yeah, you're giving orders now."

He shot her a look and shook his head as they made their way back to the TARDIS. "How you feeling, by the way? Still sick?"

"Nah, 'm better now," Rose answered. "All this excitement chased it all away."

"That so?" he snorted.

"Or my aggravation with you must've cancelled it out."

"'In sickness and in health'," the Doctor reminded with his brows raised. She playfully swatted his chest and he made a happy sound. "Still, I'll stock up on those pills just in case. Who knows when one would need them."

"Good thing you're a walking travel bag."

"That's all I'm good for?" he asked with a laugh.

"Nope."

Up ahead they noticed Ross chatting with some fellow soldiers. He looked over and saw them approaching and nodded at the comrades, sprinting over to them.

"Ross, me boy," the Doctor proclaimed. "Good to see you doing well."

"Same goes for you two," the young man said with a grateful smile. "You saved the world, sir, and my life. You're both true inspirations for each and every member of UNIT."

He threw them honorable salutes and the Doctor shook his head. "Please, don't salute. There's been far too many of those today, you don't have to go to the trouble."

"It's no trouble at all," Ross assured, lowering his hand as the Doctor extended his and shook it.

"Take care of yourself, Ross," he said.

"It was nice to see you again, Ross," Rose said. She stepped up and gave the man a kiss to the cheek. "And thanks for everything."

"Just doing my job, ma'am."

They gave the young man grins before he joined his group again.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Donna sat in the kitchen with her grandfather, sipping tea and waiting for her mother to come back with the groceries. She finally was in a good mood after the Doctor fixed everything with the gas, but she had a feeling she was still cross with him. Still, both she and granddad were safe now. In the time that she had been back on Earth with her family she kept thinking about what she would do from this point on. As much as she wanted to spend some time here at home with her grandfather, especially since he hasn't got so many years left despite his usual chipper attitude, but having talked to him for a while, he wanted her to go back out there, to fly across the stars. Just like he wanted her to.

"The streets are half-empty," her mother said as she came in with bags. "People still aren't driving. There's kids on bikes all over the place, it's wonderful. Unpack that lot, I'm gonna see if Suzette's all right." She set the bags down on the counter and left the room.

"I won't tell her," her grandfather told her. "Best not. Just keep it as our little secret, eh?"

Donna nodded. "Yeah."

"And you go with those wonderful people, the Doctor and Rose. You go and see the stars." He smiled warmly at her, tears brimming his eyes. "And then bring a bit of 'em back, for your old Gramps."

She nodded again, and stood from her seat to give him a hug. All she wanted was for him to be happy, and he knew how much she always wanted to see bigger and brighter things. And with the universe being so massive, that's all he wished for her to do.

She kissed the top of his head. "Love you," she whispered, pulling back to leave her home.

She fought back the tears threatening to fall as she left them behind again. Life with the Doctor and Rose was dangerous for sure and it wasn't safe. But looking at the bigger picture, it wasn't safe anywhere. Her family wasn't safe either way, whether she stayed or went. But she was going back to her friends, to her life as she knew it now.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Now changed into clean clothes Martha headed out of her house and walked up to the TARDIS parked in her mum's garden, taking a deep breath. It's been a long time since she stepped foot into this magnificent ship. She kept her key with her at all times just in case because knowing her friends like she did, they could pop back at any random point in time so she would make sure to keep it close to her. She placed a hand on the door and pushed it open, smiling at the familiar creaking sound as she came inside. Both the Doctor and Rose were standing at the console.

"Still looks the same inside too, I see," she remarked, shutting the door behind her.

"Of course it does!" the Doctor cried happily, running his hand up the glowing time rotor. "Why mess with perfection?"

Rose chuckled. "Attachment."

"Oi, you know you're fond of the coral theme, too."

"How could I not be?" Rose said with a smile, running a hand along the console. "She's beautiful no matter what design." The blonde turned to Martha. "How were they? Your family okay?"

Martha nodded as she came up the ramp to join them. "They're doing good. It affected Leo a little with his breathing, but he's fine now."

"What about this man of yours, Tim?" the Doctor asked.

" _Tom,_ " Martha corrected at the same time Rose rolled her eyes. "He's fine, too. Still ways away from here, but where he's at there's not many roads or vehicles so it wasn't much of a problem for him. What about you two? You okay?"

"Couldn't be better," the Doctor replied.

Martha watched with amusement as the he and Rose moved around with ease, checking to make sure the Old Girl was in tip-top shape. The former was babbling about some of the controls that seemed off while the latter disagreed with him and said it was a different set. In a way it felt as if she had never left them and they were picking up from where the three of them left off. Of course there were a number of changes since she last saw them. For one thing Rose now held her very own sonic screwdriver and psychic paper after persuading her husband to share some of his toys with her. Not only that but she also learned how to fly the TARDIS, a great deal of his home language, and some other random bits of knowledge that perked her interest.

One thing that didn't change was their obvious love for each other, and Martha was glad none of that changed one bit. If anything, it grew impossibly more than it already had since she last saw them. Last time they were beginning their healing after living through a year of Hell, and now they were back to themselves. And it was beautiful. Just seeing their twinkling looks they gave each other was enough to make Martha smile. This was the Doctor and Rose that she knew all too well.

The TARDIS doors creaked open and Donna entered. "How were they?" Martha asked.

"Oh, same old stuff," the redhead answered, trying to sound casual as she wiped away a tear. "They were a bit shaken up, but they're fine."

"You're sure that your mum won't come after us?" the Doctor asked warily. "'Cause I can't deal with mothers, most of the time."

Rose snorted. "That's sayin' a lot. Donna, your mother scares him just as much as mine."

"It's very close to the top spot," he said.

"I'll be sure to let her know that," the ginger said before turning her attention to Martha. "So! You gonna come with us? We're not exactly short of space."

She smiled, her eyes moving up the time rotor. "Oh, I have missed all this, I really have…but, you know, I'm good here. Back at home. And I'm better for having been away. Besides, someone needs me," she added, flashing her engagement ring. "Never mind the universe, I've got a great big world of my own now!"

"Well, you know you can always give us a ring whenever you wanna see us," Rose said, pulling her into a hug. "That phone of yours is always on."

"It better be," Martha laughed, moving to the Doctor.

He smiled and gave her a hug as well. "Always nice to see you Martha," he told her. "Take care of yourself."

"Same goes for you two. I'll see you guys later." Pulling back she then turned to Donna and gave her a hug. "And Donna, it was really nice to meet you. Just make sure you keep those two in line."

"You bet I will," the redhead said. "It's harder trying to keep their hands off each other when others are within close quarters."

Martha chuckled. "Married couples, what more could they be doing with themselves?"

Pulling back she nodded at them and made her way down the ramp…only to be puzzled when the doors suddenly slammed shut, followed by a violent jolt that rocked through the TARDIS. Martha and Donna each grabbed onto a coral strut while the Doctor and Rose anchored themselves on the console.

"What?" he cried, his eyes widened. "What!?"

"What's happening?" Rose hollered over the Old Girl's rumbling.

"Doctor, don't you dare!" Martha warned. She just said that she missed this life, but that didn't mean she wanted to go on a trip unannounced and without alerting her mother.

"No no no, I didn't touch anything!" he yelled, bringing the monitor around to look at the readings. He shook his head frantically. "We're in-flight, it's not me! Rose?"

"Don't look at me, I didn't touch anything!" she cried, grabbing onto the edge of the console. "Why are you doin' this?" she asked the ship, but there was no clear response.

"Where are we going?" Donna asked.

"I don't know, it's out of control!" the Doctor replied.

"What?" she demanded.

"It's the TARDIS, She's flying herself!" Rose said in shock. "We can't do anything!"

"Doctor, just listen to me!" Martha shouted with seriousness. "You take me home, _right now_!"

The Doctor just continued to stare at the monitor in disbelief. All they could do was hold on for the ride and find out where their destination was.

* * *

 **Oh boy.**


	22. Jenny-rated Anomaly Part 1

**A/N: Taking** **a necessary two day break away from writing anything and having movie marathons was something I needed to collect my thoughts, sorry I didn't alert anyone about that sooner.** **As always, many thanks and much love to you lovely reviewers and followers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 21: Jenny-rated Anomaly**_ _ **Part 1**_

It was complete mayhem inside of the TARDIS as everyone held on for dear life while they were being driven to an unknown destination. The Doctor looked on with deep concern, gripping onto the edge of the console while at the same time trying to regain control of his ship, but any efforts proved to be useless. Rose was beside him performing the same actions and also ending up with the same results. On the other side of the panel Martha and Donna screamed when sparks flew from the console from the rough turbulence.

"What the hell's it doing?" Donna shouted over the madness.

"Controls aren't working!" he growled. He reached over to try pulling the lever but the console blew sparks and caused him to fall to the floor.

"Wrong one!" Rose hollered as she stepped over him in an attempt to take control but a small fire broke out a few inches from her hand, making her yelp from the burn.

"Rose!" the Doctor yelled, moving up to one knee to pull her away.

"'M fine!" she told him. "It'll heal. Why's She doing this?"

"No idea!" Another violent jolt sent both of them to the floor, giving them both a view of the Doctor's severed hand in the jar bubbling wildly with a glowing blue light behind it beneath the console.

"Well, your old hand seems pretty excited about it!" Rose remarked.

"It is!" he said. "But why?"

"What are you on about, old hand?" Donna cried, staring at him as he helped Rose up and anchored himself on the lever. "I thought that was just some freaky alien thing! Like a relic or something you got from another planet! You telling me it's _yours_?"

"Well…" was all the response he gave as he propped a foot on the edge of the console and tugged with all his might.

"It got cut off," Martha informed her from the other side. "He grew a new one!"

Donna's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. "What?!"

"A few Christmases ago he lost it in a sword fight," Rose told her, her hands gripping various controls and switches. "And then it grew back."

"Oh, my God, you lot are bonkers!" the redhead shouted. "Like a bunch of worms, you chop somethin' off and it just grows back!"

"Only during the first fifteen hours of regeneration," the Doctor protested with an indignant look on his face. "It's not like I intentionally go around cutting my appendages off!"

"And you keep them as _souvenirs_?!"

"But it _did_ come in handy," Rose added lightly, throwing her husband a teasing grin. He clicked his tongue and winked at her in response.

Donna, on the other hand, was not amused by the joke. "You are completely…impossible! Both of you!"

"Not _impossible_ ," he replied, pulling on the lever. "Just…a bit unlikely!"

"That's a new one," Rose muttered.

The TARDIS made one last rebellious explosion, causing the women to shriek and fall backwards from the force. The Doctor fell directly into the jump seat, his hands keeping Rose steady as she found her way sprawled on top of him. About a moment later they came to a halt and landed.

"Everyone alright?" the Doctor called out. The other companions gave him a thumbs up and made it known that they were in fact okay, just still shocked. He returned his attention to his wife laying on top of him. "You okay?"

"I'll let you know in a second," Rose replied, pushing herself upright. Her eyes were closed as she inhaled a deep breath. Bile began to rise up in the back of her throat again. "Pills," she ground out.

His brows shot up. "Hold on."

Gently lifting her off of his lap he quickly stuffed a hand in his jacket searching for the right medicine while she knelt down in front of the jump seat, her hand covering her mouth. Her bouts of nausea had relatively eased up prior to boarding the TARDIS, but after being tossed around like a piece of laundry in a washing machine her stomach was making its way back into her throat. Finding the medicine the Doctor gave her one of the pills. She took it right away and felt it dissolving on her tongue, its properties already beginning to work their magic.

"What's wrong?" Martha asked, concerned. "Are you sick?"

"Bad case of nausea," the Doctor answered, sliding down beside his wife to rub her back gently. "She had it before we got your call to come back to Earth, and that little round of turbulence triggered it."

"That's never anything pretty," Donna commented. "Especially if you've got food poisoning from Silas', that lingers for days. You better now?"

Rose nodded in response then made a gesture at her mouth, facing the Doctor. "Water?"

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a bottle of water, which was helpful since her mouth felt like a desert. Swishing the liquid around she felt herself returning to normal and swallowed. Rose wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve.

"Ta," she said, closing the bottle and placing it inside her jacket.

"Good now?" the Doctor asked sympathetically.

She gave him a thumbs up for confirmation. "Jus' a little dizzy, but it's passing."

He nodded and helped her to her feet. "The pills can take care of that, too. Hang in there."

"Where are we?" Donna asked.

"Dunno," he replied, still looking concerned. "Must be somewhere important that the Old Girl took us here." He looked up at the ceiling in an attempt to communicate with the ship via their link for an explanation, but She gave no response.

"Don't suppose it's not another one of our magical mystery tours," Rose commented.

"Only one way to find out."

Without another word the Doctor bolted down the ramp, grabbing his coat from the coral strut along the way and shrugging it on as he thrust the doors open with the women following close behind. He noted that they landed in some sort of underground tunnel, various scraps and junk and old equipment littering the area. The dampness in the air made Rose shiver a bit, but she coped, slipping her hand into one of his. Her insides twitched when an odd feeling sat in her stomach.

"Not really a vacation spot," she remarked, moving her eyes along the equipment.

"Why would the TARDIS bring us here?" he asked, perplexed.

"Oh, I love this bit," Martha breathed out from behind.

"Thought you wanted to go home," Donna said.

"I know, but all the same…it's that feeling you get…"

"Like you swallowed a hamster?"

Rose grinned, not only at the strange yet seemingly accurate analogy said by their current companion, but by their other friend's dreamy voice. She knew Martha couldn't resist adventure to see new worlds. She returned her attention to the Doctor as they both wandered around the area, examining their surroundings. He let go of her hand to run his other across a metal barrier off to the side. His brows were furrowed as he stopped a black scuff mark. He pinched the substance between his finger and brought it up to his nose to sniff. And Rose knew exactly where this was going.

 _"Don't you—"_ Her mental warning finished with a groan when he licked his fingertips, tasting the compound. _"Y'know, if you keep that up and I'm **never** snogging you again, an_ _d I stand by that promise. I'm dead serious."_

The Doctor turned to her with widened eyes. _"What?"_ She raised her brows at him and he nodded, realizing what she was talking about. _"Oh. Come on, Rose, it's not **that** bad. It's a harmless method. How else can I figure out the compositions of a mysterious and unknown substance?"_

 _"Gee, I dunno. How 'bout by using your **bloody sonic** instead of your **tongue**?"_

He tilted his head, considering her suggestion, humming. _"Never thought about that, really."_ He leaned over and winked. _"Besides, we wouldn't want to start prohibiting snogging. Don't think either one of us could give any of that up."_ He wiped his fingers on his coat and smacked his tongue around in his mouth. He made another humming sound. "Gunpowder residue," he said out loud with a quiet voice, his confusion growing even more.

"Did we land in an army bunker?" Rose asked, looking around again. "Looks like a shelter or a hideout."

"Could be," he mused. But why would the TARDIS bring them to _this_ place? What was so important about it?

It was then a loud noise echoed through the caves, gaining their attention. Looking around for the source of the commotion they noticed soldiers approaching, large guns in their grasp. "Don't move, stay where you are!" one of them shouted. "Drop your weapons!" Each of the men raised their guns and aimed them at the group.

"We're not armed!" the Doctor told them, raising his arms up by his head. The women followed suit as he flipped his hands over to prove they were in fact unarmed. "Look, no weapons. Never any weapons. We're safe."

Dark smudges of dirt or some other substance stained the soldiers' faces and clothes. They didn't look much older than any of the women, possibly in their twenties. "Look at their hands," one of them said. "They're clean."

Rose felt an odd shiver pass through her system. Something about this place was making her stomach feel…loopy. She felt the Doctor send her mental reassurances that they would be okay despite being held at gunpoint again. Would there ever be a time where they wouldn't run into any guns?

Another soldier—presumably the leader—eyed them carefully. "Alright, process them!" he ordered, his eyes trained on Rose along with his gun. "The blonde woman first."

"No no no, wait," the Doctor said quickly, moving to stand in front of his wife. "What's wrong with clean hands?"

"We told you to stay where you are and not to move!" a soldier yelled.

"We're following orders," he assured. "We'll listen to you and do as you say, but whatever it is that you're doing, I volunteer to go first."

"Doctor," Rose warned quietly from behind.

The leader considered his words for a moment. "Fine. But it doesn't matter since all of you have clean hands, but if you say so." He turned to the other soldiers. "You both look compatible. Take him first."

Lowering their guns the other two soldiers that accompanied the man came forward and grabbed the Doctor by the arms roughly, twisting them behind his back.

"Oi, oi!" the Doctor protested. "No reason to be so hostile!"

"Get away from him!" Rose yelled, stepping forward. "Leave him alone!"

She stopped when the lead soldier lifted his gun to her. "You've got your turn, too." He then reached over and grabbed her. "Come on."

"Get off me!" she yelled, fighting in her grasp.

"I told you there's no reason to be so rough!" the Doctor said darkly. "Leave my wife alone!"

"Wife, huh?" one of the soldiers said. "That's all the compatibility we'll need."

"Why?" Martha asked. "What're you doing to them?"

They were both being lead to a strange machine off to the side and worked into the wall. "Processing," the man said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Donna asked.

The Doctor was brought to a port and had his right hand shoved into the deep opening, his entire arm disappearing inside. Rose was brought to an opposite one on the other side and had her own forced inside. He sensed her trying to fight her way out but he sent her a mental note to stay calm. Antagonizing men with loaded weapons was _never_ a wise decision. Before either of them could ask what the hell was going on they felt the interior walls of the chamber tighten around their limbs, keeping them in place.

"What is this?" the Doctor asked.

Then he let out a yell of pain when the machine whizzed to life and began to cut into his skin with something sharp and hot.

"What're you doing to us?" Rose demanded before letting out a yell of her own.

He turned to look at his wife with widened eyes. "Something tells me this isn't about to check our blood pressure—AAGGGH!"

"Stop it!" Martha hollered.

"What're you doing to them?" Donna asked angrily.

"Everyone gets processed," the leader replied casually.

Rose bit down on her lip, fighting the pain shooting into her skin. She glared at the man who forced her over to the machine then at the others who did the same to her husband. "Doctor, what's it doing?" she asked before cursing at the sharpness shooting up her arm. "Ow!"

"It's taken a tissue sample," he noted, wincing when the sharp object burned hotter into his skin. "Ow ow ow ow ow! And extrapolated it!" He glanced around, observing the larger machine hooked up into the port. "Some kind of accelerator?"

A moment later the machine released both of them and they pulled themselves away, staggering back and bumping into the other women. "You alright?" Donna asked.

"For the most part," Rose murmured, glancing at the Doctor who had his eyes locked onto the processor. "Just feel like a had a knife carving into my skin 's all, but I guess we shouldn't complain too much."

Martha came over and took their hands carefully into hers as she examined them. On the back of their hands were a y-shaped graze mark covering their skin as a result from the processing. Other than that they seemed perfectly fine. Rose eyed the scar curiously, recalling that the shape seemed familiar when they ended up in the Blitz.

 _"Doctor,"_ she thought to him. _"This mark. Those patients had them during the Blitz, remember?"_

 _"Ohhh, you're right,"_ he replied, glancing down at his hand. _"Thought it looked a little familiar."_

 _"We **did** wear gas masks and you said 'are you my mummy?' as a joke earlier."_

 _"I don't think we're dealing with that again, Rose. They can't be connected. No…this is something else."_

 _"I figured, but…why?"_

The machine before them suddenly groaned, a pale blue light glowing from the opaque windows before the doors slid open with smoke billowing everywhere.

"What the hell?" Rose murmured.

"That's just…" the Doctor breathed out.

From behind the mist was a figure of a young woman. Once it cleared her appearance was more visible; a slim young woman wearing a green shirt, tight black trousers, and combat boots. Her style seemed a bit commando, like a militant type, Rose thought. Actually resembling her own attire, minus a bomber jacket. The girl stepped out of the machine to look around the bunker curiously. Her hair was straight and blonde like hers, though a little longer and pulled back into a ponytail, and had baby blue eyes. The Doctor and Rose stared at her in bewilderment and complete shock.

"Arm yourself," said one of the young soldiers as he handed the girl a gun.

She eyed it, looking confused at what to do with the object. Appearance wise she looked far too young to be able to know how to handle a weapon…or to even be holding one in the first place. Then she took it without saying a word and handled it naturally like she was already trained with it, loading it and keeping it upright in front of her. Like she had been born with it.

"Where did she come from?" Martha asked.

"From us," the Doctor replied, his voice as faraway as his stare, the shock on his face as clear as day almost as if he couldn't believe what was in front of him. And he really couldn't. "She came from us."

"From you two?" Donna repeated incredulously. "How? Who is she?"

"Well…she's…well…she's our daughter."

Rose was surprised that her eyes remained in her sockets after his answer. "Wait a minute, _what_?" she cried in disbelief.

The young girl finished arming herself with her gun and kept it at her hip. She finally noticed their presence and grinned widely at them. "Hello Dad," she said to the Doctor then turned to Rose. "Hello Mum."

He didn't speak. He couldn't speak. His massive Time Lord brain forgot how to function at the sound—no, not just that—at the very _sight_ of the young woman standing before them. His…daughter. Somewhat. He glanced over at Rose, whose eyes were as wide as a deer's when caught in headlights. Through their bond he could feel her mind was buzzing as much, if not more, than his at the moment. This was _their_ daughter. _Daughter._ Just repeating it seemed too disbelieving.

The girl stepped off of the platform of the machine and joined the other soldiers. "You're primed to take orders, ready to fight?" one of the soldiers asked her, standing behind a barricade of junk.

"Instant mental download of all strategic and military protocols, sir," the girl responded. "Generation 5000 soldier primed and in peak physical health. Oh, I'm ready."

Rose blinked, her jaw somehow remaining intact and not dropping to the ground. If she didn't know any better she would surmise that this was all a dream or that her slight hangover was getting to here. She pinched her side just in case. This was real and she didn't know what to say. When she woke up this morning she didn't think she'd end up becoming a mother. A _mother._ She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to the side. For some reason she swore she saw a slight resemblance of her husband's fifth incarnation in the girl.

"I'm sorry," Donna spoke up. "Did you just say, 'daughter'?"

The Doctor didn't take his eyes off the girl and made an affirmative hum. "Technically," he replied.

"Technically how?" Martha asked curiously.

"Progenation," he explained, briefly glancing at the machine. "Reproduction from a single organism. Meaning that one parent is biological mother and father. You take a sample of diploid cells, split them into haploids, then recombine them in a different arrangement, and grow."

Rose snorted at that. "What a growth spurt. But she came from both of us. It didn't just take a single organism, it took one from each of us and merged them. They said we were compatible."

"Turns out that advanced physiologies and strong relationships between a couple could create another individual," he added. "Making them seem more advanced than others."

Off in the distance were heavy footsteps and shadows running down the corridor. "Something's coming!" the girl shouted, aiming her gun.

The Doctor held his hands out to shield the women. If this was about to become an all-out battle, he didn't want any of them to end up in the middle of it. They just prevented a raging war on Earth from a militant race, and he didn't feel like dealing with another. Shots were being fired as the shadows came closer and the species were visible. The creatures appeared humanoid with traits resembling a fish; purple and orange scaly skin with small headcrests running along the top of their heads and some kind of tank filled with a green liquid attached to their mouth, allowing them to breathe.

"It's the Hath!" the lead soldier yelled, as he along with the other soldiers began to shoot back. Including the girl.

"Get down!" she hollered, imprisoning behind her at the four travellers to take cover.

Martha ducked down and crawled behind a piece of debris as did Donna. The Doctor brought himself and Rose down behind another for shelter. He held her close, tucking her head in his chest as the ripping sounds of bullets shot through the air above them. The Hath were coming closer. They could easily barge their way through considering that the humans were outnumbered. One of the soldiers fell down with a scream and then another just by their hiding spot, leaving the leader and the girl the only ones left. This was spiralling out of control. They needed to get out of here right away, and it didn't sit right in his gut. And he could easily feel the same feelings emanating from Rose.

"We have to blow the tunnel!" the leader shouted. "Get the detonator!"

"I'm not detonating anything!" the Doctor yelled, moving to check on the man that had fallen.

Rose peeked over their hiding spot to see the girl kicking one of the Hath, using a set of fighting skills she never saw in person before. She still couldn't wrap her head around that. Then a muffled sound came to her attention as she noticed one of the creatures ha broken through the barricade and was pulling Martha away.

"Martha!" she cried. Aware that bullets were still ripping through the air Rose rushed out from their shelter spot and tried to make her way over to her friend. She then felt her arms being grabbed from behind, stopping her. "No, get off me!"

"Let go of my wife!" the Doctor hollered from the side.

"Blow that thing!" the soldier cried, looking over at the girl as he held Rose. "Blow the thing!"

"No, don't!" the Doctor yelled, moving over in an attempt to get his wife back and to stop the girl from activating the detonator. He achieved one of the two, but wished it were both.

She slammed her hand down on the button and the discs placed on the tunnel's walls lit up. Seconds later the walls exploded. They ran away from the blast to find cover again, the Doctor keeping Rose close to him, his hand up against her head to shield her from any falling debris nearby. Her ears began to ring from the eruption and her head felt heavy, but the sensation soon passed when the rumbling beneath their feet stopped.

The Doctor stroked her hair back. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, fighting the spots before her eyes. "'M fine, but what about Martha?"

Pulling themselves out from behind their spot, they were about to rush over to where their friend and the Hath last were only to freeze in place to see the tunnel sealed in with rubble. Not only was the TARDIS trapped behind the wall but Martha was stuck on the other side, but that was the more hopeful thought and possibility. What if she and the creature didn't run away from the blast fast enough? What if she was buried underneath the rubble? What if she were dead? She had her family and a life back home. The last thing they wanted was to be responsible for their friends' death, especially when this trip was unplanned. Martha had to be alive, she just had to be.

"You've sealed off the tunnel," the Doctor breathed out, then whipped around to face the girl. "Why did you do that?" he demanded.

"They were trying to kill us!" their 'daughter' replied defensively.

"But they've got our friend! And our ship's on the other side!"

The girl shrugged. "Collateral damage," she replied evenly. "At least you've still got each other and her." She nodded at both of them and then over at Donna, then to the soldier. "He lost both his men. I'd say you came out ahead."

Rose arched an eyebrow at the girl and crossed her arms over her chest. "Collateral?" she repeated. "She's _not_ collateral damage!"

"Her _name's_ Martha, and she's not collateral damage, not for anyone!" Donna spoke up indignantly. "Have you got that, GI Jane?!"

The girl looked a bit taken aback by that comment, not understanding it.

Rose shook her head. "Alright, we're stuck between a rock and a hard place, but we'll fix this. We're gonna go find her."

She turned around and was about to walk over towards the rubble but the remaining soldier raised his gun to her, stopping her in her tracks. The Doctor growled from behind her and moved to stand between her and the man. He was sick and tired of having guns pointed at him and his wife today, and he wasn't in the mood to deal with everything happening right now.

"You're going nowhere," the soldier told them, studying them with furrowed brows. "You don't make sense, you lot. No guns, no marks, no fight in you…I'm taking you to General Cobb." He gestured in a direction with the gun and ordered, "Now, move."

 _"'S like these people never heard of pacifism,"_ Rose thought to the Doctor.

 _"Soldiers bred for war, no surprise,"_ he replied.

The travellers were being escorted down the damp tunnels with the soldier leading the way at first before moving to stand behind them with the gun still trained on them. Not appreciating having a weapon fixed on them yet again, the Doctor trailed behind to stand between the soldier and Rose, his hand gently placed on her lower back as they followed the paths. Through their bond Rose could easily feel his tension radiating off of him. Part of it was because he just wanted to run back to the TARDIS, but the other part was because of this girl who was apparently their daughter. She still couldn't believe it, and she probably won't until they got out of here. She didn't know. All she was aware of was that there was an odd warmness at the base of her skull. More unknown mysteries. But…it felt right for some reason.

"Hello, I'm Donna," Donna said to the girl. "What's your name?"

"Don't know," the young woman said with a shrug. "It's not been assigned."

"Well, if you don't know that, what _do_ you know?"

She thought about it for a moment. "How to fight."

"Nothing else?" Donna asked with a frown.

"The machine must embed military history and tactics but no name," the Doctor spoke up. "She's a generated anomaly."

"Generated anomaly?" Donna repeated. "Jenny-rated. What about that? Jenny."

"Jenny," the girl drew out, testing the name out. She smiled. "Yeah, I like that, Jenny."

"What d'you think about that, Rose?" the redhead asked, falling into step with her and the Doctor.

Rose offered a half smile and shrugged a shoulder. "Uh, sure," she replied nonchalantly. "Like the sound of it." Deciding on a child's name. Never did she think she'd be doing _this_ this morning.

"What about you, 'Dad'?" Donna added teasingly, nudging the Doctor's shoulder. "Good name?"

"Good as anything, I suppose," he replied brusquely with indifference, his eyes kept forward. Rose bit her lip. His true feelings were being kept locked away. He didn't want to tell Donna the truth of how he really felt about this girl.

"Not what you'd call a natural parent, are you?" Donna asked, still smiling a bit.

"They stole a tissue sample at gunpoint and processed it, it's not what I call _natural_ parentage," the Doctor said, his voice taking on a sharpness.

Rose inwardly sighed and sent him calming mental reassurances.

"Rubbish!" Donna waved off. "My friend Nerys fathered twins with a turkey baster, don't bother her."

Rose arched an eyebrow. "That's…different."

"You can't extrapolate a _relationship_ from a biological accident," he protested.

"Er, Child Support Agency can," Donna retorted, and Rose bit back on a chuckle.

He shook his head, looking exasperated. "Look, just 'cause I share certain physiological traits with simian primates doesn't make me a monkey's uncle, does it?"

"Rude," Rose murmured, earning a look from him.

"I'm not a monkey!" Jenny snapped, whirling around to face them. "Or a child."

"We know," Rose said gently, raising a hand to pat the Doctor's chest. "Don't mind him, he can be a bit rude."

Jenny turned back around as they continued down the tunnels. Rose exchanged a look with the Doctor and reached for his hand, noting how twitchy he was. He was doing all he could to ignore the girl and to keep his attention on anything except for Jenny, almost as if he didn't want to accept her existence. Rose understood that. She didn't know how she should feel. She could look at the girl, but it just felt…a little weird. It wasn't Jenny's fault that she was created, she wasn't asked to be an anomalous offspring. But the true reason why he couldn't look at the girl was easy for Rose to decipher. He felt pain.

The pain of his family back home, the family he lost. Just the very sight of the girl was reopening his old wounds, reminding him of what he lost. It pained her because they were aware that they would never be able to have any children of their own due to their differing biologies. Even her advanced system couldn't help. Of course, they decided long ago that if they did have a strong possibility of conception, they wouldn't be upbringing any children with the life they have. Not with all the chaos that swarmed them. But that didn't mean he didn't miss fatherhood. Even if he tried to hide it away from her, she knew those holes were still there and ached. She knew how much he loved his children and grandchildren.

She squeezed his hand and he let out a deep breath. He finally seemed to calm down a bit and brushed his thumb over hers. This Jenny was created from their DNA. Parts of them were in her. The soldier bit was a bit odd considering that neither of them were like that. Of course the Doctor wouldn't appreciate an individual birthed by his DNA to wield weapons like a true professional and a soldier. She wanted to find the good in this girl, to let her know that there's always choices other than fighting. If this was their child she had to know it deep down. Something about this girl felt right inside of her, Rose felt a hint of it. They just needed her to understand.

Minutes later they reached the encampment down another tunnel, which looked like a large underground room filled with more soldiers. The silence was broken when the Doctor finally spoke up to the soldier, who moved up front.

"So, tell me, uh, what was your name?" he asked.

"Cline," the young man answered almost hesitantly.

"Right then. So tell me, Cline, where are we exactly? What planet's this?"

"Messaline. Well, what's left of it."

They swerved through crowds of soldiers gathered around the entrance of a massive hall. People filled the place up from wall-to-wall; some standing around makeshift fires in barrels, some lying down on cots, some cleaning and cooking meals, and some checking their weaponry. A few of the processing machines were placed in the corners and more soldiers exited them, opening their eyes and taking in their surroundings with curiosity.

 _ **"…663 – seventy-five deceased,"** _ said a voice from the loudspeaker, barely audible over the commotion. _ **"Generation 6671 – Extinct. Generation 6672 – forty-six deceased. Generation 6680 – fourteen deceased. Generation…"**_

Cline made a motion for the group to stay where they were while he went off to talk to an older man off to the side with a short white beard. They each craned their necks to take in the atmosphere. "But this is a theatre," Donna remarked with a frown.

"Maybe they're doing _Miss Saigon_ ," the Doctor suggested, taking a seat by a nearby crate and sniffing.

"Charming," Rose said with an arched eyebrow. "It almost looks like a refugee camp."

"It's like a town," Donna said. "Or a city underground. But why?"

Cline had finished his report and the older man came over to them. The Doctor stood from his seat and placed his hands in his pockets. "General Cobb, I presume?"

The older man nodded curtly, his posture tense. "Found in the Western tunnels, I'm told, with no marks," he said, eyeing them. "There was an outbreak of pacifism in the Eastern Zone, three generations back, before we lost contact, is that where you came from?"

"Eastern Zone, that's us, yeah," the Doctor said, going along with it. He then nodded at the others. "I'm the Doctor, this is my wife Rose, and this is Donna."

"And I'm Jenny," Jenny put in brightly.

General Cobb didn't look impressed. "Don't think you can infect us with your peacemaking. We're committed to the fight, to the very end."

 _"Charming,"_ Rose thought.

The Doctor lightly nudged her foot with his and continued with a smile. "Well, that's alright, we can't stay anyway. We've gotta go and find our friend."

"That's not possible," Cobb dismissed them coldly. "All movement is regulated. We're at war."

"Not hard to miss, really," Rose commented, looking around.

"War with the Hath, as it turns out," the Doctor added. "But tell me, 'cause we got a bit out of circulation, Eastern Zone and all that, so who exactly are the Hath?"

The general motioned at them to join him as he took them on a tour. "Back at the dawn of this planet, these ancient halls were carved from the earth," he told them. "Our ancestors dreamt of a new beginning, a colony where human and Hath could work and live together."

"Sounds promising," Rose commented. "So what happened?"

"The dream died," Cobb explained. "Broken, along with Hath promises. They wanted it all for themselves. But those early pioneers, they fought back. They used the machines to produce soldiers instead of colonists, and began this battle for survival."

Rose looked around the halls, noticing that Donna had wandered off to the side wall. "There's nothing but earth outside, why's that?" the redhead asked. "Why build everything underground?"

"The surface is too dangerous," Cobb said.

Rose's brows furrowed in confusion when she caught a fault with the man's story. "If the outside's supposedly hazardous, then why would you have windows?"

"A very good question," the Doctor mused.

"Not only that, but what does this mean?" Donna asked from the side, pointing at a silver plaque beneath the windows with a the numbers '6012707' engraved into it.

"The rites and symbols of our ancestors," Cobb replied. "The meanings…lost in time."

"How long's this war gone on for?" the Doctor asked.

"Longer than anyone can remember. Countless generations marked only by the dead."

"What, fighting all this time?" Donna asked, horrified.

"Because we must," Jenny spoke up. "Every child of the machine is born with this knowledge. It's our inheritance, it's all we know. How to fight. And how to die."

Rose bit her lip and glanced over at the Doctor, a stiffened expression on his face. He knew as well as she did that that wasn't a suitable kind of lifestyle, but she was born into it. "How big is this place?" he asked. "Have you a schematic or a map?"

Cobb nodded and gestured at them to follow him. They walked through the halls of the human camp, passing by more soldiers on the way. Something about this place made Rose shudder. This general seemed a bit…odd. Almost like he wasn't spilling on the full details and was hiding more behind the story of the 'hazardous surface outdoors'. Coming to an upper level in the theatre, which was made out to be similar to an office area. They walked up to a large machine and the general activated it by punching a few controls on a circular panel in the center. A holographic map of the area popped up, giving them complete view.

Both the Doctor and Rose slipped on their specs to examine the schematic. "Does this show the entire city including the Hath zones?" he asked, scratching his chin.

"Yes," Cobb answered. "Why?"

"'Cause the Hath have our friend Martha and we'd be able to find her," Rose answered.

Cline, who was off to the side and leaning on the machine, shook his head. "We've more important things to do. The progenation machines are powered down for the night shift, but as soon as they're active, we could breed a whole platoon from you lot."

Rose inwardly snorted while the Doctor just remained silent and tense.

"I'm not having sons and daughters by some great big flippin' machine!" Donna snapped before turning to Jenny, her voice a little lower. "Sorry, no offense, but you're not…well I mean you're not real."

The young girl looked taken aback and gestured at the Doctor. "You're no better than him! I have a body, I have a mind, I have independent thought, how am I not real? What makes you better than me?"

Rose rubbed her temple while the Doctor inwardly sighed, both of them staring at their daughter. Like they really thought they would find themselves in this kind of position.

"Well said, soldier," Cobb said proudly. "We need more like you if ever we're to find the Source."

"Source?" Rose questioned.

"Ooh, Source, what's that then, what's a Source?" the Doctor chimed in, his interest perked. "I like a Source, what is it?"

"The Breath of Life," the general responded.

Not specific enough. "And that would be…?"

"In the beginning the Great One breathed life into the universe," Cline explained, a wondrous look in his eyes. "And then She looked at what She'd done, and She sighed."

"She?" Jenny inquired with a bright smile. "I like that."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow and tilted his head. "Right, so it's a creation myth."

"It's not myth," Cobb said with a hardened tone. "It's _real._ That sigh. From the beginning of Time it was caught and kept as the Source. It was lost when the war started. But it's here somewhere. Whoever holds the Source controls the destiny of the planet."

As he was talking both the Doctor and Rose peered intently at the map, looking for a clue or a lead. _"There's gotta be more than just this,"_ she thought to him.

 _"That's exactly what I'm looking for,"_ he replied. _"Tunnels are flexible, which means there could be ones in seclusion. If they're able to have windows on these grounds then there has to be extra tunnels down here."_

 _"Almost like an underground treasure hunt without a treasure. This Source story sounds as real as the Bogeyman."_

 _"Make-pretend. Lots of planets and lands go by stories passed down from generations, that could be all that this one is."_

Something caught Rose's eye and she nudged him in the side. "There's a blip over there," she said, pointing to it.

"Ah!" the Doctor cheered. "I thought so! Good eyes, Rose. There's a suppressed layer of information in this map, if I can just…" He took out his sonic and moved it over the circular panel, rotating it. The hologram flickered before displaying more tunnels trimmed with white.

"Jackpot," Rose said. The Doctor looked over at her. "Yeah, I'll probably never say that again, either." He smirked at her.

"What is it, what's it mean?" Donna asked, eyeing the diagram.

"See? A whole complex of tunnels, hidden from sight," the Doctor said, nodding at the map.

"That must be the lost temple," Cobb said, looking at it with widened eyes. "The Source will be inside." He laughed breathlessly. "You've shown us the way! And look, we're closer than the Hath! It's ours!" He then moved away quickly and made his way back down to the ground floor, the others following him. They caught up to the general who was conversing to another soldier. "Tell them to prepare to move out," he was saying. "We'll progenate new soldiers on the morning shift, then we march. Once we reach the Temple, peace will be restored at long last."

"Doesn't sound like peace," Rose commented as the Doctor grabbed the man's arm and turned him back to face them.

"Yeah, I mean, call us old-fashioned, but if you really wanted peace couldn't you just _stop_ the fighting rather than continue it?"

"Only when we have the Source," Cobb told them. "It'll give us the power to erase every stinking Hath from the face of this planet!"

"Hold on, you just said that you would bring _peace_!" Rose cried. "That ain't how you make peace!"

"She has a point, General," the Doctor cut in, a nasty glare in his eyes. "You're not talking about peace right now, you're talking about _genocide_!"

"For us, that means the same thing," Cobb replied evenly.

The Oncoming Storm was ready to break through his cage as the Doctor placed his hands on his hips and stared straight in the man's eye. "Then you need to get yourself a better dictionary. When you do, look up genocide. You'll see a little picture of me there and the caption will read ' _Over my dead body_ '!"

Cobb wasn't backing down and simply scoffed. "And _you're_ the one who showed us the path to victory. But you can consider the irony from your prison cell. Cline, at arms!"

At the order the young soldier pointed his gun at them, and the Doctor was quick to hold out a protective arm to block his wife from the barrel.

"Oi oi oi! All right!" Donna snapped, reasoning her hands up. "Cool the beans, Rambo!"

"I'm _really_ sick and tired of having _guns_ pointed at me today," Rose ground out angrily.

"Take them, I won't have them spreading treason," Cobb said to Cline before looking down at Rose then up at the Doctor. "And if you try anything, Doctor, I'll see that your woman dies first."

"If you so much as make a move to hurt my wife, then you'll have to deal with _far worse_ than the _Hath_ ," the Doctor growled.

Rose placed a hand on his forearm and gave him a gentle squeeze, trying to ease his tension, but couldn't rid away with it knowing a gun was fixed on them.

"Come on, this way," Cline ordered, motioning with his gun.

"I'm going to stop you, Cobb," the Doctor told him. "You need to know that."

"I have an army and the breath of god on my side, Doctor," the general sneered. "What'll you have?"

"More than you could even imagine," he responded. He then pointed to his temple and tapped a finger to it. "This, and my own beliefs. That's all I'll need."

Cobb moved his eyes over to Rose and she gave him a hard stare identical to her husband's. "Lock them up and guard them," he said.

"What about the new soldier?" Cline asked.

Jenny stepped forward in between them, waiting to be told something. Cobb shook his head. "We can't trust her, she's from pacifist stock."

"Oh, like that's a _bad_ thing," Rose snarked.

"In these parts, yes it is." Cobb pushed Jenny into her and the Doctor's arms. "Take them all!"

Cline nudged them with the barrel of his gun, urging them to move. They complied and made their way to their prison cell.

* * *

 **Response to _newboy:_ I agree with you on that. It's upsetting that they never speak of her or show her again after the episode -_- And yes, she would be therapeutic for him. I won't spoil how it'll end, but there's gonna be some important plot points coming up for the future. **

**Response to the _Guest_ reviewer: Thanks a lot, darling ;D I see what you did there! **


	23. Jenny-rated Anomaly Part 2

**_A/N:_ Kudos to those who enjoyed the little reference of Jenny bearing a resemblance to Five. ****As always, many thanks and much love to every one of you lovely viewers!**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 22: Jenny-rated Anomaly Part 2_**

Cline escorted them inside their cell, rather forcefully. The Doctor made his way over to sit on a small cot, shrugging off his coat and throwing it to the side before sitting with his elbows on his knees while he let his mind race. Rose sat beside him and leaned back against the stone wall. Donna and Jenny stood by the door. His nerves were still trembling inside from the adrenaline. The general threatening him that any interference in this underground war for a mythical belief would guarantee the death of his wife certainly didn't help him any and only added more fuel to the fire burning inside of him. He'd be damned if he didn't get involved in this bloodshed in order to stop it from continuing any further.

Wars never sat right with him. They always created massive knots in his gut and made bile rise up in the back of his throat. He's seen so many battles over the years that could make this one look like a stick fight, but that wasn't anything to gloat about. Never would he take pride in that, and this girl…his daughter…well, his and Rose's daughter…was proud to be a soldier and fight against others with no other thought process and without considering other options. That most certainly wasn't his or his wife's genes. He could barely keep eye contact with her and was trying to stay away from her as possible. It wasn't her fault, the young girl didn't ask for this lifestyle, so he really couldn't blame her for that.

But this girl was theirs. Not naturally. That was the main thing that was bugging him. She wasn't _really_ theirs, only the combination of tissue samples formed into a machine that stuck together and created a body bred for battle. She wasn't _technically_ their daughter, she was an anomaly. He had children before, and they were far from being aberrant according to standard law. At least were more natural than Jenny. And that hurt. A lot. This girl had inadvertently reopened the scars that derive from the past of what he had lost back home and from the reality that he and Rose would never be able to share parenthood.

Knowing that never broke their bond or love for each other, nothing could come between them. He wouldn't trade his beloved wife for children, never. He was perfectly content with everything that they had now. He thought he would want to start a family again after admitting his true feelings to Rose and beginning their relationship which then turned to a marriage, but he didn't really _need_ to have one. If she wanted to have one then he was all for it. When it came to his wife he would want everything with her and give her everything she deserved if it was truly what she desired.

But it could never happen. Rose said that she never wanted kids anyway. When they first discovered that her biology changed and became more advanced they already discussed that the possibility of having children was slim to none. Rose also said that she was perfectly fine with that and accepted that she would never become a mother since she really never had the desire or planned on that happening at any point in her life, even if she hadn't met him years ago. He always stressed that her ideas could change as she got older, but then she would assure him that it never bothered her.

As long as they were together, that was all that mattered. All of the possibilities were just optional, if probable. One thing he was sure about was that he wanted the universe to be kind to him for once and to give him something meaningful without ripping it away from him. He had his wife. Yes, they went through trials and tribulations to get to where they were at now, but he prayed to every god he didn't believe in that nothing would taint their lives.

His musings were disrupted when Rose sent him a warm wave through their bond. He turned to look at her and she offered him a soft expression, one of her hands reaching over to gently squeeze his forearm. He let out a deep breath and leaned back against the wall with her.

"Well," Donna spoke up after a long moment of silence. "I suppose it could be a lot worse. I mean, compared to the other jail cells we've been thrown in, this ain't half bad."

"Definitely better than most we've been in over the years," Rose muttered, her eyes fixed on her nails as she picked them.

"Lemme guess, were they because of your husband's gob?"

The Doctor glanced up at her with an affronted expression. "Donna, now's not the time. We have to stop General Cobb from committing genocide."

"We'll get out of this, Doctor," Rose said softly, placing a hand on his knee. "We always fix these things."

He sighed through his nose and nodded, resting a hand over hers and gently caressing her skin.

Donna turned around and looked at something above the cell door. "More numbers," she said, indicating another plaque similar to the one in the theatre but with a different sequence. "They've gotta mean something."

"Makes as much sense as the breath of life story," the Doctor muttered.

"You mean that's not true?" Jenny said, sounding hurt as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"No, sweetheart, it's all a myth," Rose said sympathetically, resting her head on the Doctor's shoulder. He brought his hand around her back to gently massage her.

"It may just be a story, but there could still be something real in that temple," he said, bringing themselves back to the current situation. "Something that's _become_ a myth. A piece of technology, a weapon."

"So the 'Source' could be a weapon and we've just given directions to Captain Nutjob?" Donna said, coming over to sit on his other side on the cot.

"Oh, yes."

"Not good, is it?"

"What else is new," Rose said with an eye roll.

"That's why we need to get out of here, find Martha and stop Cobb from slaughtering the Hath," the Doctor said. He glanced up to find Jenny giving him an inquisitive look. "What-what are you-what are you-what are you staring at?"

"You keep insisting you're not a soldier, but look at you!" she replied, gesturing at him. "Drawing up strategies like a proper general, just without an entire army."

"No no, I'm trying to _stop_ the fighting," he clarified quickly, shaking his head.

Jenny arched an eyebrow at him and shrugged. "Isn't every soldier?" she asked innocently.

He blinked. "Well. I suppose. But that's…that's…technically…" He sighed in frustration to stop himself from any further stammering. Now wasn't the time for clarifications or full-length explanations. "I haven't got time for this! Rose, have you got your phone?"

"Yeah, hold on." She pushed her head off of his shoulder to reach a hand into her jacket and pulled out her phone. "I'll give Martha a ring, see where she's at."

"Brilliant," the Doctor said with a nod then turned to his other companion. "Donna, give me yours. While we're waiting, it's time you had an upgrade." Donna handed him her phone just as he reached into his jacket to pull out his sonic. Taking her device in his hand he began to do some necessary jiggery-pokery on it.

"And now you've got a weapon!" Jenny exclaimed.

"It's not a _weapon_ ," he stressed. "It's a _screwdriver._ "

"But you're using it to fight back!" the young girl said with a laugh.

"I'm only making modifications to a cellular device," he said, peeved by the girl's insistence. He growled when his sonic shortened out a bit. "What the hell's the matter with you?" he murmured before turning to his wife. "Rose, my—"

"Wait a second," she told him, lowering her phone down as she fished around her bigger-on-the-inside pockets for her own sonic. "Maybe you should modify your own when we get back on the TARDIS, you're getting careless."

He shot her a look and winked at her when she handed it to him. "Ta."

"You've got one too?" Jenny spoke up with a wide smile, directed at Rose.

"These are _not_ weapons!" the Doctor snapped, making Rose and Donna wince at his aggravated tone.

It didn't phase the girl one bit. "I'm gonna learn so much from you, you are such a soldier!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Will someone tell her?"

"Oh, you are speechless!" Donna said with a wide grin. "Your wife isn't the only one that can make that gob of yours stop, I'm loving this! You keep on, Jenny!"

Rose snorted at that, earning a shocked and slightly betrayed look from her husband. _"Don't start,"_ she thought to him before saying out loud, "He's called the Doctor, Jenny, and he helps people. That's what he is."

 _"Thank you,"_ the Doctor thought to her.

Her phone was still pressed against her ear when she heard it finally connect. **_"Rose?"_**

"Martha!" Rose said with relief, knowing that her friend was alive. Hopefully she was still safe where she was. She stood up and moved to the corner of the cell. "Hold on, I'll put you on speaker. God, it's nice to hear your voice!"

 ** _"I can say the same for you!"_** Martha replied.

"Martha Jones!" the Doctor said from beside her, loud enough for the other woman to hear over the line.

 ** _"Where are you? Are you guys alright?"_**

"Yeah, we're okay," Rose answered, her eyes moving around the jail cell.

"Don't forget Jenny!" Donna hollered from the side. "She's fine, too!"

With discernible annoyance, the Doctor glanced over at the girl, who remained by the cell door. "Yes, alright," he muttered before speaking in a louder voice. "Yeah, and-and Jenny…that's the woman from the machine, the soldier…" He sniffed. "Our daughter, except she isn't, she's-she's…" He shook his head. "Anyway! Where are you?"

Rose rolled her eyes and noticed Jenny doing the same. Like mother like daughter, she assumed. Well…

 ** _"I'm in the Hath camp,"_ ** Martha answered. _ **"I'm okay, but something's going on. The Hath are all marching off to some place that's appeared on this map thing."**_

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look. "Ohhh…" he drew out, rubbing his chin. "That was me. If both armies are heading that way, there's going to be a bloodbath."

 ** _"What do you want me to do?"_**

"Just stay where you are. If you're safe there then don't move, d'you hear me?"

 ** _"But I can help."_**

The phone began to make a beeping sound before shortening out. "Martha? You there?" Rose asked. "Lost her," she said, pocketing her phone. "Her phone must have run out of battery. At least we know that she's alive."

"And that she's in the middle of this battle with us," the Doctor said.

Down the corridor outside of their cell they heard shouts and cheers in the distance. Though distinct and barely distinguishable they were able to make out the general's booming voice echoing off the walls. They each moved close to the doors for a better sound and heard the soldiers all chanting their mantra over and over again about marching into war. It turned the Doctor's stomach.

"They're getting ready to move out," he said. "We have to get outta here."

"We gotta get past the guard, first," Rose pointed out, gesturing at the soldier standing far away from their cell but close enough to keep them in his sights.

"I can deal with him," Jenny proclaimed, standing up from the cot and moving over to the cell door.

The Doctor put a hand on the girl's arm to stop her. "No no no no. You're not going anywhere."

She looked confused. "What?"

"You belong here, with them," he said firmly.

Rose raised a hand to her mouth and bit her thumbnail, feeling her husband's suppressed anger bleeding through and reflecting off of Donna's. Her eyes met with those of Jenny's and she felt another pang of sympathy at the young girl's hurt and perplexed look. She didn't deserve this, she was only a child. She…she was theirs.

Donna moved to stand beside Jenny. "She belongs with _us_ ," the redhead told him. "With you and Rose. She's your _daughter_!"

"She's a _soldier_ ," he spat. "She came out of that machine!"

"Oh, yes, I know that bit!" their companion retorted. "How could you sit there and deny that? Rose, you can't possibly be on his side for this, can you?"

"Don't put my wife on the spot like that," the Doctor ground out.

"Why, afraid of being outnumbered again?" Donna spat hotly.

"Will you two just _stop_ it?" Rose suddenly shouted angrily. "God, 's like there's _three_ children in this cell instead of just _one_!"

"I'm not a child," Jenny said quietly.

Rose gave her an empathetic look and sighed. She technically _was_ still a child. Just…one that grew up way too quickly appearance wise. She looked between her husband and her friend who were giving each other hard glares, but she came in the middle of them.

"Listen," Donna spoke up. "Have either of you have that stethoscope?"

"Why?" the Doctor asked, a bit tersely with bewilderment.

"'Cause I wanna check something."

He exchanged a look with Rose before reluctantly reaching into his jacket silently, searching for the object in his deep pockets. He found it and handed it over to Rose, who then gave it to Donna. Taking it, she moved over to Jenny.

"What're you doing?" the girl said warily.

"It's alright," Donna assured with a soft smile. "This won't hurt, just hold still." She placed the diaphragm of the stethoscope on Jenny's chest, moving from one side to the next. After a moment she removed it and turned to them. "Come here," she said. "Listen and tell me where she belongs."

Rose bit her lip and glanced over at the Doctor. He looked like he wanted to break out of the prison cell to escape from this situation, so she took a step forward towards her friend and the girl. She had a hunch, but she needed to hear it.

Putting the buds in her ears Rose listened as Donna lifted the diaphragm of the device and gently placed it on Jenny's chest, first on the left. A strong and steady heartbeat. Then she moved it over to the right side, her gut telling her that her theory was in fact true. And it was. The beat was doubled of that of a human's. Rose's insides shook while at the same time warmed up. The familiar rhythmic beating of her husband's hearts filled her ears. She could feel the Doctor's gaze burning the back of her head as he watched intently, almost to the point where everyone in the room could feel it. She could let him know about this discovery through their bond, but she kept herself closed for the moment. He needed to hear this for himself, to know that this girl didn't belong with the others.

She belonged with _them._

Donna dropped the diaphragm from the girl's chest when Rose removed the buds from her ears and held them out for the Doctor to take. His eyes were swirling with a plethora of emotions that she felt being transferred into her own body. His hurt was palpable, and it pained her. But his unconditional love and trust in her was just as visible in his eyes behind the towering wall of pain.

"Come here and listen," she told him softly. "You need to hear this."

He studied her, steeling his nerves as he let out a deep exhale through his nose, feeling a sense of bitterness and begrudging. It wasn't directed at Rose or Donna, just at…this. He really didn't want to show too much envy or anything at the young girl—his daughter, _their_ daughter—because he didn't _envy_ her, he really didn't. He couldn't help the way she made him feel, and it wasn't her fault that he was reacting sharply. He never meant for his words to sound like cold ice. He was…afraid. Afraid that Rose was right, and she always was. Afraid of what Jenny really was to them. Still, he stepped up and took the stethoscope from his wife's hands and put the buds in his ears.

Donna kept the diaphragm on the left side of Jenny's chest, letting him hear the best of her heart. She then moved it to the other side, and it was clear. His face and his jaw stiffened at the sound pounding in his ears. A _double_ rhythm. One he never thought he'd hear coming from another individual. His own clenched in his chest when the deep-rooted agony washed over him again much like it had earlier, only it was a stronger current. He kept the buds in his ears and glanced over at his wife noticing her softened gaze, her eyes shining almost with unshed tears. Then he briefly looked over at the young girl, her blue eyes watching him with an unreadable expression, and he saw them. His children. His grandchildren. His family. And it hurt. More than it had earlier when she first stepped out of that machine.

Swallowing hard the Doctor took the buds out of his ears and handed the stethoscope back to Rose, moving away from them to press his back against the wall, staring at Jenny out of…whatever feelings were swirling inside of him. "Two hearts," he noted, his voice surprisingly steady all the while his insides were tremoring.

"Exactly," Donna said with a nod.

"What's going on?" Jenny asked.

"Does that mean she's a…?" Donna began. "What do you call a female Time Lord?"

"Time Lady," Rose answered, stuffing the stethoscope in her jacket.

"What's a Time Lord?" Jenny asked, flitting her eyes between her parents.

"It's who I am," the Doctor responded, his eyes fixed on the ground.

Still bemused, the young girl turned to Rose. "So…are you a Time Lady, then?"

Rose shook her head. "No. I'm…my own thing. Still mostly human, though, just…advanced. But the Doctor is a Time Lord, that's where he's from."

"And I'm from both of you," Jenny said. "Doesn't that make me part Time Lord?"

"No," the Doctor ground out, a sharp edgeness returning to his voice. "Just because you were created out of a combination of DNA samples, that doesn't make you a Time Lord or even a sliver of one."

"But, hold on, Doctor," Rose spoke up. "Jenny was produced from a machine after DNA samples were taken from both parents. Isn't that what the Looms did back on Gallifrey?"

The Doctor gave her a sharp look at the mention of those machines, feeling his insides turn into stone.

"Looms?" Donna asked. "I'm guessing you're not referring to the thing that weaves yarn to make scarves and jumpers."

"They were devices we used back home," the Doctor said, his gaze locked onto his trainers. "We called them Looms, but to you lot it would be considered growth in a lab."

"Still kinda sounds like the same thing to me," Rose muttered.

"This is nothing like that," he said, raising his eyes up to the women before falling on Jenny. "You're an echo, that's all. A Time Lord is so much _more_ ; a sum of knowledge. A code. A shared _history_. A shared _suffering_." The venom in his voice eased up a little when his accustomed grief came over him. He swallowed hard. "Only it's gone now," he said thickly. "All of it. Gone forever."

"Not all of it," Rose said quietly, raising a hand to press against his cheek. "You know you did what you had to do in order to save the universe. You're here, and you're alive, Doctor. You were alone for so long, but not while you've got me. _I know I can't give you everything from home, and this is all we've got, but…Jenny's ours. We can't abandon her. We can teach her, bring her along and tell her all about the universe. About…everything."_

He held his breath and closed his eyes, drowning himself in his usual brand of uncomfortable and unpleasant affliction, much to his dismay. Rose brought her opposite hand up to bring his forehead down to hers, surrounding him in her warmth.

 _"I know it hurts,"_ she thought to him. _"I can feel it. But…just think about it. That's all."_ They stayed that way for a long moment until she pulled back and reached down to cradle one of his hands. _"Look into her eyes,"_ she said softly. _"Remind you of anyone?"_ He reluctantly glanced over at the girl, his jaw set tight. _"She's got the same wondrous and adventurous look like I've got._ _Like **you've** got._ _She even bears resemblance to us. Especially to your fifth self,"_ she added with a hint of a smile.

 _"Genetics,"_ he said, his voice still quiet. _"Regeneration can make DNA a little complicated, but…"_ he trailed off.

 _"There's still parts of us in her, the parts that represent the good. It's in there somewhere. We just gotta teach her and let her embrace that side of her. She's a beautiful young woman. And she would be brilliant."_

He stared at the girl for a long moment. Taking another deep breath he turned back to his wife and wrapped his arms around her. He was still tense but…maybe he could loosen himself up a little. Maybe he could. They both pulled back a moment later.

"What happened?" Jenny asked, cautiously yet curiously.

"There was a war," the Doctor replied, his voice soft and broken as he kept his eyes lowered.

"Like this one?"

He let out a mirthless laugh, borderline harsh at the absurdity of the comparison of the two. "Bigger," he told her. "Much bigger."

"And you fought? And killed?"

He nodded, his voice barely audible and thick with emotion. "Yes." His gaze moved down to where he and his wife joined hands, hers giving him a squeeze.

Jenny stared at him. "Then how are we different?"

The Doctor gave no response, but Rose felt every ounce of emotional pain emanating from him. She knew which direction his mind was scurrying off to. He was flipping through their similarities, thinking that she was probably a chip off the old block, a reflection of what he had become during the war. But there was so much more to him, more things that defined him than what he did in the past. So much good.

"Jenny," Rose spoke up, gently. "There's so much you don't know. You may be fully grown physically, but you're still young and new to the world. All you know is how to be a soldier, but there's more out there in the universe. It's _big._ Bigger than you can imagine, and there's so much to learn and understand. Yes, your…dad was once a soldier in a war, but there's more to him than just _that._ He _helps_ others. Both of us do. You came from both of us. And me…I'm no soldier, _far_ from it. I'm just an ordinary woman who fell into an extraordinary life and became something more. And I love it. And you would too if you were to see it, if you were to understand that you don't always have to ready yourself for a battle. You're not just a soldier—there's so much more to you, you just gotta find it. We can teach you, ya hear?"

Everyone stared at her silently at her small speech for a long moment until the Doctor slung an arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her hair, lingering there for another moment. Jenny nodded. "Yes…Mum."

Rose blinked a few times after hearing that title said directly at her. "Right. Now, we'll need to find a way to sneak past that guard, like some kind of distraction. Anybody got any thoughts?"

Donna shrugged with no response and the Doctor blew out a breath. "Well…I have a thought—"

"I've got an idea," Jenny interjected.

"Oh, I don't know," the Doctor said, eyeing her warily.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Really, it's nothing that'll hurt anyone, I swear."

He glanced down at Rose, who shrugged a shoulder. "Okay," he said. "Go on."

Jenny moved over to the cell door while the others stood off to the side and out of view. Cline was still standing outside of their cell, this time a little closer than before. "Hey," she called out softly.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you," the young man said with a faint smile. "I'm on duty."

"I know," she said with a smile, her tone becoming a bit flirtatious. "Guarding me. So does that mean I'm _dangerous_? Or that I need _protecting_?"

Cline turned to face her fully and moved closer to the bars. "Protecting from what?" he asked with a laugh.

Jenny tilted her head a little and shrugged coyly. "Oh, I don't know. Men like you?"

She then reached a hand out to grab his collar and pulled him in for a thorough kiss. In the meantime she moved her hand down to pull out the soldier's gun out of his holster and pointed it at him. He broke the kiss, appearing dazed and confused from the quick turn around.

"Keep quiet and open the door," she told him sweetly.

Donna grinned widely and lightly slapped the Doctor's arm. "I'd like to see you try that! She's definitely Rose's daughter!"

Rose giggled at that as well as her husband's look. She nudged his side. "If Jack were here he'd have a field day."

He frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose with slight embarrassment.

Once they were freed from their cell—after Jenny managed to grab the soldier's handcuffs and lock them around his wrists to prevent him from running after them—the young girl took the lead as they walked down the twisting stairway they had come from earlier, but once they turned a corner they noticed another guard coming to their sights. The Doctor quickly snatched her back.

"That's the way out," he whispered. Jenny nodded and took out the gun she had taken from Cline, cocking it, but the Doctor stopped her by covering her hands with his. "Don't you dare!" he said with seriousness.

"There's other ways without using a gun," Rose spoke up, patting her shoulder.

"Let me distract this one," Donna said, stepping forward with a smirk. "I have picked up a few womanly wiles over the years."

The Doctor's eyes widened when she flipped her hair back with her hands. Knowing Donna Noble like he did, her usual methods would most likely include her yelling or sassing or slapping. That…wouldn't probably be the best for now. "Let's…save your wiles for later," he told her. "In case of an emergency."

"I can distract him," Rose offered. "Y'know, pull off some charm or something. You always say I'm good at being a distraction," she added with a cheeky smile.

He pursed his lips. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that his wife was known for being a pleasant distraction. But, truthfully, he didn't fancy his wife putting herself out there like that for another man.

"I don't think that'll be necessary, love," he said kindly. She looked to protest but he held up a finger to stop her. "Rose, it's fine. I know you could pull it off, but we can resort to simple measures when it comes to these things."

"Alright then, what d'you have in mind?" she asked.

"My idea from earlier." Reaching a hand into his coat pocket the Doctor rummaged around the trans-dimensional interior until he came to a certain object. His brows shot up and he grinned.

"What is it, then?" Donna asked.

"Our distraction," he declared, pulling out a large wind-up mouse.

Rose blinked. "Seriously?"

"What?"

"What is this, _Tom and Jerry_?"

He rolled his eyes. "Just trust me on this, okay? It'll work."

"I'm not even gonna question what other toys you've got luggin' around in there," Donna said.

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look, simultaneously pressing their lips together. He wound up the mouse and set it on the ground. They moved back as it began to chatter across the floor. They heard the footsteps from the guard coming down the corridor until he came in sight. The man bent down to pick up the mouse, but nobody anticipated Jenny swiftly moving forward to knock the man out with a chop in the juncture of his neck and shoulder. He fell to the ground, unconscious.

"I was gonna distract him, not _clobber_ him!" the Doctor scolded, bending down to pick up the toy.

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Jenny said defensively.

"That doesn't mean you have to go and attack people."

"At least she didn't use her gun," Rose reasoned. "'S not like she shot him or killed him."

The Doctor sighed, eyeing the man's still form. "Right. They must all have a copy of that new map." He turned to Jenny, gesturing at her with the mouse in his hand. "Just stay there, don't hurt anyone."

The mouse in his hand activated and squeaked before he made a grumbling sound and pocketed it. Rose snorted. Leave it to her husband to have a plan involving a children's toy. A moment later he found a map and immediately opened it to find their way out. With his glasses perched on his nose, the Doctor took the lead as he studied the map. They began to walk along the empty corridors, heedful of their surroundings and on the lookout for any other wandering guards. They found themselves in various sections that had the same scenery as when they first arrived—littered metal materials and wires and scraps of machinery.

"Wait!" he said, thrusting a finger up to cause the group to stop behind him. "This is it. The hidden tunnel. There must be a control panel." Slipping off his glasses, he handed Rose the map while he took out his sonic and ran it across the walls beside a locked door.

Donna moved to the side and noticed another plaque above a support beam, similar to the others she's seen but was still different. "It's another one of those numbers," she said, staring at it. "They're everywhere."

"The original builders must've left them," the Doctor said as he continued to sonic the door. "Some old cataloguing system."

"Maybe they're labels for each section," Rose suggested.

Donna considered it for a moment. "Have either of you got a pen? Bit of paper?" The Doctor placed his sonic in his mouth as he dug around his coat pocket. Rose fished around her jacket and pulled out a pen while he took out a small notepad. They handed the items over to their companion. "Cause d'you see, the numbers are counting down. This one ends in 1-4, the prison cell said 1-6."

"Always thinking, the three of you," Jenny commented from the side. "Who are you people?"

"We told you, I'm the Doctor," he said, running the sonic along the wall while Rose took her own out to work on the lower parts, crouching on the ground.

"And I'm Rose and that's Donna," Rose finished.

"'The Doctor'?" the girl said in disbelief. "That's it?"

"That's all he ever says," Donna said. "But I'm guessing that Rose calls him other names."

"That's totally different," Rose said quickly, turning around to face her and switching places with her husband. "But that's what he's called, he's the Doctor."

Jenny put her hands on her hips, bearing a slight resemblance to Jackie Tyler. "So you don't have a name either?" she asked the Doctor. "Are you an anomaly too?"

He briefly glanced at her. "No."

"Oh, come off it!" Donna scoffed. "You're the most anomalous bloke I've ever met! Really, both you and your wife are a mysterious pair."

Rose snorted at that. "Can't argue with that, you know. You've said it so many times before, Doctor—when have we been anything close to average or normal?"

The Doctor raised his head a bit, his lips moving without saying a word. "Weeell…"

"Think about it. A Time Lord like yourself runnin' away who fell in love with a human and a human who fell in love with an alien and soon became a totally different brand after absorbing something so powerful as the Time Vortex." She threw him a teasing smile and tapped a finger on the top of his head. "Neither one of us may be a generated anomaly, but we're certainly in our own standalone category, wouldn't you say?"

He sighed through his nose, shaking his head. Switching off the sonic for a moment he placed a hand on the wooden planks until one of them broke away. "Here it is!" he exclaimed, removing the cover to reveal a control panel underneath. "Now we're in business."

"And Time Lords, what are they for exactly?" Jenny continued.

"'For'?" he repeated with furrowed brows as he changed the setting on his sonic. "They're not…they're not _for_ anything."

"So what do you do?"

"I travel," he answered, moving closer to peer inside the opened section in the wall. "Me and Rose, we both travel through time and space."

"We help people," Rose added. "As much as we can whenever we have the chance. We just travel across the universe, exploring different lands and cultures and meeting all kinds of people."

"They save planets," Donna spoke up, backing away from the plaque. "Rescue civilizations, defeat terrible creatures. And runs a lot. Seriously, there's an _outrageous_ amount of running involved."

"Can't complain when you get a hefty daily dose of cardio," Rose said with a tongue-touched grin. "Keeps one in shape no matter what."

"Who needs a diet plan with you two?" the redhead chuckled. Even Jenny grinned widely at that.

Soon a panel covering the wall fell away and a door slid open. "Got it!" the Doctor crowed as he jumped to his feet. "Getting places now!" In the distance they heard a familiar voice which they made out to be General Cobb's.

"So," Rose said, grinning at the women. "About all that running?"

She turned to the Doctor who grinned manically. "Allons-y!"

They dashed down the hidden tunnel with the heavy thuds of combat boots echoing in the distance behind them. The soldiers were on their way but they could outrun them. But no sooner after they started running they turned a corner and skidded to a stop when the tunnel they needed to pass through was blocked by numerous red beams crossing each other, whirring.

"That's not mood lighting, is it?" Donna asked. The Doctor reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the wind-up mouse and tossed it into the tunnel. It struck the first beam and burst into sparkles before disintegrating. The others winced at the high pitched sound escaping the fried object. "No, I didn't think so," Donna said.

"Arming device," the Doctor said. He looked off to the side and found a control box with wires twisted and buttons.

Donna noticed yet another plaque with more numbers on one of the walls. "There's more of these," she said. "Always eight numbers, counting down, the closer we get…"

Rose narrowed her eyes as she studied the set. What did these things really mean? "The closer we get or the further away we are from them?"

"Yeah…" the redhead drawled.

"Here we go!" the Doctor exclaimed when the control box regained power. "Now let's drop those beams."

"You better hurry up," Rose warned, turning her head towards the corridor when the sounds of footsteps was getting louder.

"I can hear one of the voices," Jenny said. "It's the general!" She whirled around to run back over towards the source of commotion but the Doctor reached for her arm.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I can hold them up," she replied.

"No, we don't need any more dead."

"But it's them or us," she reasoned.

"It doesn't mean you have to kill them!" he snapped.

"I'm trying to save your life!"

"Not like this you don't have to," Rose cut in gently, stepping forward to place a hand on the girl's arm. "Jenny, you don't have to _kill_ them. You don't have to do that just because you were born with that knowledge."

"Exactly," the Doctor said, moving his hands to her shoulders as he bent down to look deep into her blue eyes, trying to make her understand. "Listen to me…the killing, after a while, it infects you. And once it does you're never rid of it. It sticks with you for the rest of your life. Saving lives is one thing, and that's good, but not in that way."

Jenny shook her head and raised a hand to run through her hair, a gesture so reminiscent of her biological parents. "We don't have a choice."

"There's _always_ a choice, Jenny," Rose stressed.

The young girl looked between them, considering their words for a moment, but she pulled away from their grip. "I'm sorry." She rushed away down the hall and didn't look back.

"Jenny!" the Doctor shouted after her.

He made a move to go after her, but refrained once he heard the soldiers hollering to take arms and open fire followed by the guns going off. He should've known. Having certain genetics didn't guarantee that this woman was like him or his wife. She was one of them and belonged with those men in the militant gear. Shaking his head he strode back over to the control panel with his sonic in hand. Donna stood with a worried expression on her face and Rose was biting her thumbnail.

"See?" he said to his wife sharply, his brows raised. "I told you. Nothing but a soldier."

"She came from _us_ ," Rose replied. He snorted full of mirth. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't get flip, there's still that pacifist nature inside of her, I know there is. I can feel it. She needs to find it on her own, I guess. 'Cause if she's going to choose our life's ways, then she has to do it on her own."

"She's trying to help," Donna said softly from the side.

The Doctor sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. He was being a little too hard on the girl, he had to admit, but he couldn't stop himself. He was conflicted. Rose was too, but not as much as him. On one hand, he wanted to keep her at an arm's length and away from him because he knew that, if he were to lose her like he had lost nearly everyone else in his life, it would only add another aching wound to his collection. But on the other hand, he wanted to bring her close, to fully accept her as his own and as someone he would gladly consider to be his offspring. Who thought he'd find himself in this dilemma?

He turned to Rose when she placed a hand on his arm. "We'll deal with her later," she told him gently. "Right now we gotta cut those beams and get the hell outta here."

With a decisive nod he turned to the control panel and ran the sonic over it. "Jenny! Come on!" he called out, hoping that she would hurry up.

Still working on the controls the red beams finally dropped, making the corridor safe to pass through.

"That's it!" Donna exclaimed.

"C'mon, we don't have much time," the Doctor said, grabbing Rose's hand as they ran down the tunnel. "Jenny, leave it! Let's go!"

"Jenny, c'mon!" she called out. "We gotta go!"

They couldn't abandon her, they just couldn't. But she went out to fight against the calvary. An entire army against one woman. The odds were stacked against her and he didn't want to have any more deaths to occur around here.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Jenny kept her guard up as she held the gun tight in her hands, her will not easing up. She wouldn't be giving up without a fight, she just couldn't. The knowledge from the machine made it clear that these men wouldn't stop themselves from going so far to engage in war tactics. They already had earlier today. But now the stakes are higher and there was little patience in the atmosphere. Her parents opposed to her decision to run back over to hold off the guards, but at least she was buying them enough time to deactivate the control panel and shut off the laser beams in the tunnel leading to their escape. Her father especially.

All day he hasn't really believed in her, not believed that she was real or just disregarded the fact that she existed. He didn't seem as supportive of her, at least not in the way the programming had informed her he would and should, that is. She lost count at how many times he's treated her as a subordinate because of her nature of what she was created to do—how to fight. If that wasn't enough mockery he thought it best to treat her like a child when she wasn't one. She was a fully formed adult and had a mind of her own.

After hearing the brief story that both he and her mother were talking about, he was once a soldier. He had experiences in wars and battles and knew exactly what was put on the line to be saved and protected. He fell into that life before, and he knew where she was coming from. Yet he was chastising her because of what she did and her own knowledge and skills. Hypocritical on his part perhaps? But…there was more to it than just that.

One thing she noticed from that exchange from earlier was that Rose—her mother—made him calmer. That haunted look in his eyes began to fade whenever they laid on her. It was still there, but Rose was like…a balance for him. His attitude shifted from aggressive to soft in a matter of seconds. It fascinated her. He was stiff and rigid but then the other woman came to him and loosened him up and took him in her arms to comfort him. Socializing and interactions with others was a curious thing for her to learn from them. Reading people wasn't hard for her since the machine provided her with useful information on how to study others and be able to follow their next movements.

Observant as she was she couldn't help but notice a particular glint in his eyes. He seemed…old. Very old and ancient, even. Appearance wise he was young, but he looked so young. Then again, if he was involved in what was considered to be a massive-sized war that made this current one pale in comparison to it, then it must have haunted him. And he told her that. He stressed that when one starts to kill another, even if it was what had to be done for the greater good, it would stain her. It would be imprinted on her for the rest of her life. What happened during this war that made him so scarred? Just looking at him he didn't really give off the feeling of a soldier despite his ability to come up with strategic plans. He didn't look like the type to kill others much like General Cobb would do in a heartbeat. She needed to stop that man so that the Doctor and his companions could get away and find their friend.

Jenny heard her parents calling for her when she ducked down to take cover for a moment. "I'm coming!" she called out to them.

"Cease fire!" Cobb ordered. "Cease fire!" At his command the soldiers stopped firing. Jenny stood up and saw Cobb slowly walking forward. "You're a child of the machine," he tried to reason. "You're on my side. Join us! Join us in the war against the Hath."

She kept her gun in her hand, locked and loaded. He would be dead in a second if she pulled the trigger, but she noted something imperative to his stature. He was unarmed. His arms were spread out open with no weapons in his grasp, trying to make peace. But he was a dodgy general and couldn't be trusted. She kept the gun trained on him as he took another inch closer.

"It's in your blood, girl, don't deny it," he told her.

Her mind was screaming at her, her finger still pressed firmly on the trigger waiting to open fire. He was right. Everything he was saying was the truth. She was born to fight in a battle, it was all she knew. She could easily kill him in cold blood but she wavered. This man, while she didn't trust him after making so many threats and so many decisions that could make this war break every person involved in it, wasn't making a threat right now. He was letting himself out in the open without any weapon, trying to reason. That wasn't the only thing yelling at her inside. Deep down she could feel another urge coming at her, but it wasn't to kill. It was to run. She came from two people who were wise, who were true voices of reason reverberating through her. Her parents' words over and over again.

 _There's always a choice._

Yes. There was.

Still holding the gun Jenny took aim and fired a single shot—up at one of the pipes attached on the ceiling above Cobb's head. A thick cloud of steam cascaded down from the opening, blocking the soldiers' views. She laughed. Fighting may have been in her blood, but so was running. So much running. And that's what she did.

Because there _was_ always a choice, and she knew that she would be the creator of her own destiny from now on.

* * *

 **Man, this is getting intense.**

 **Response to the guest reviewers: Glad you enjoyed it ;)**


	24. Jenny-rated Anomaly Part 3

**A/N: I'll brace myself just in case. Sorry I'm a little late but my life is eating me alive right now and I'm drowning in personal drama, so mind my bitterness.** **As always, much love and many thanks to all of you lovely viewers.** **Hope my fellow Americans had a nice Labor Day weekend ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 23: Jenny-rated Anomaly Part 3**_

The trio was anxiously waiting for Jenny's return at the other end of the corridor, the Doctor jittering in his spot but kept grounded with Rose keeping a firm grip on his hand. She was impatient herself, hoping that the young woman would hurry up and come back to them. The warm feeling in the back of her mind was still there, and still felt right. She knew that the girl would know to make the right decision. She was taking too long, and the Doctor didn't know how much longer the beams would hold off until the system looped and cause them to come back up. The soldiers had stopped firing, but he had no idea what was going on now.

 _"She'll be okay,"_ Rose thought to him. _"Just give her a chance."_

 _"But what if she doesn't make the right choice? She's embedded with a **soldier's** knowledge—"_

 _"She's also got **our** genes. If she's got a part of both of us in her, then she'll know the right thing to do. She has to."_

He took a deep breath and didn't respond. The sound of a single shot being fired in the silence and his eyes widened. She made her choice and it pained him. Just as he was about to call after Jenny again the girl came running around the corner with a gun in her hands.

"Jenny! Come on!" he yelled.

"That's it!" Rose called out.

"Hurry up!" Donna hollered.

Jenny came running towards them only to skid to a stop when the red beams appeared in the corridor again. The Doctor cursed under his breath. "No, no, no!" he said, running a hand through his hair. "The circuit's looped back!"

"Use our sonics!" Rose cried.

"Yeah, you two have those things of yours, just zap it back again!" Donna told them.

"The controls are back there!" he said, placing a hand on Rose's to stop her from taking out her sonic. "They won't work, we can't control the panel from this end."

Rose made a frustrated sound and ran a hand through her hair. They couldn't even toss them down the corridor to the girl without the risk of them being destroyed in the lasers, but even if they were able to get one across Jenny wouldn't know how to use it despite having their knowledge.

"They're coming!" Jenny said.

"Just hold on, Jenny!" Rose called out. "Doctor, what are we gonna do?"

He shook his head. "I don't…there isn't…Jenny, I can't do anything! I'm so sorry, I can't!"

"I'll have to manage on my own," Jenny said, tossing the gun away and raising her arms above her head. She smiled. "Watch and learn, Father!"

She took a deep breath and backed away a few steps, then she was off to a running start towards the beams. The trio watched in awe as she began to move through the maze with ease through a series of somersaults.

"Oh, my God!" Rose breathed out with a surprised chuckle, watching as their daughter performed each flip with expertise. She glanced up to see the stunned face of her husband as they watched the young girl move with grace.

"No way!" Donna said as Jenny stuck out a perfect landing and reached them on the other side. "But-but that was impossible!"

"Not impossible," the Doctor said before a wide, proud grin split his face. "Just a bit unlikely!" He swooped Jenny up into a hug and spun around in a circle. "Brilliant! You were brilliant! Just brilliant!"

Rose grinned warmly when she saw the two of them laughing and smiling. Her eyes were misting over just seeing this. This may not have been a conventional family, but…they could work it out. The Doctor was the only family Rose could ever want and have, but after seeing what this young girl had done, she wouldn't mind having her on-board the TARDIS as their daughter. Maybe this was their one and only opportunity. Once the Doctor set her down she gave her a hug too.

"That was amazing!" she praised, beaming. "Quite the gymnast you are. Definitely worthy of a gold medal! She got that from me, you know," Rose told the Doctor playfully.

He winked at her. "Then you deserve a gold medal too."

"I didn't kill him," Jenny said with a wide smile, her words spilling out fast with wonder. "General Cobb, I could have killed him, but I didn't. You were right. I had a choice."

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a proud look. The sound of heavy combat boots approaching was getting louder as the soldiers were arriving in the corridor, breaking the moment. The smile that was on his face dropped as the joy and happiness drained from him, replaced by a hardened cowl. He placed a hand on Rose's back and nodded off in the direction they were about to go and move ahead while he stayed behind.

"Go on," he told her. "I'll catch up."

Rose flitted her eyes between him and the corridor. "Watch yourself," she said as she led the others out.

"At arms!" Cobb ordered.

"I warned you, Cobb," the Doctor said coldly, staring hard. "If the Source is a weapon, I'm gonna make sure you never use it."

"One of us is gonna die today and it won't be me," Cobb hissed before opening fire on him.

The Doctor dodged the bullets and ran off after the girls down the corridor, ignoring the strange twinge in his gut when he turned a corner. Almost like…a shift in the timelines? Of course…time is always in a state of flux. No. Nothing was going to happen, he would make sure of it. Once the Doctor caught up with the women they continued on down the corridors, trying to see where it would lead to. He was studying a section of the map again for some direction with his wife moving her eyes over it with him while the others hung around in the back, chatting.

"So, you all travel together?" Jenny asked. "What are you to mum and dad? Like…have you any feelings for them romantically?"

"What?" Donna choked out. "No, no! No way! God, no, no. We're only friends, nothin' more than that. Just really good friends, that's all."

Jenny nodded. "Is there no man in your life? A mate of your own?"

"Nah, not at the moment. But that's fine. Sometimes I feel like a third wheel when around your parents, to be honest, but I'm not looking for a bloke right now."

"Are you a Time Lord—or Lady—too? Or are you something different like mum?"

"Trust me, we're not the same species," the redhead answered. "I'm human, nothing like your father or your mother, whatever she is. And we're not a romantic trio, nowhere near that. With us bein' different species from each other I'm betting that there's probably laws against it. Although your mother's an exception, I suppose."

"That much I understand…somewhat," the young woman said. "But how so? Like, how did she become 'mostly human?' Was one of her parents an alien or something?"

Donna snorted. "Far from it. She was born on Earth like myself, to normal human parents, but then she just sort of…well, neither one of them really gave a clear explanation of how she turned out that way, but all they ever told me was that it's all complicated. I'll go so far as to say that your parents went through a lot to get to where they're at right now. There's nothing they won't do to save the other. I've never seen a couple with a deeper and better relationship than what they share."

Both women glanced over at the aforementioned couple as they both studied their surroundings, briefly looking at the map in the Doctor's hand.

"They might not do everything like normal couples do," Donna went on. "I mean, they may be an alien and a mostly human, but they do some conventional domestic things like going to a chippy or going to the cinema to see a film, but they do lots of…alien things as well. But no matter what they're doing, from simple things to saving planets and helping people it's never hard to miss the love between them." She paused for a moment then arched an eyebrow. "And don't get me started on how touchy-feely they are with each other."

Jenny giggled at that. "I figured that out earlier."

"Their stories are always long, so you're better off hearing them coming from them."

"What's it like, though? The travelling?"

"Ah, never a dull moment," Donna said with a wondrous smile. "Can be terrifying, brilliant and funny—sometimes all at the same time. I've seen some amazing things though. Whole new worlds."

"Oh, I'd love to see new worlds," Jenny breathed out.

"You will," Donna said with a smile. It was pretty obvious now, wasn't it? She turned her attention to the couple walking ahead. "Won't she, Doctor?"

"Hm?" he responded, both he and Rose turning around to face them with raised brows, their attention away from their current studies.

"D'you think Jenny will see any new worlds?" Donna asked.

The Doctor glanced over at Rose, who gave him a small smile and he offered one in return. "I suppose so."

Jenny's eyes widened as she looked between all three of them. "You mean…you mean you'll take me with you?"

"Can't leave you here, can we?" Rose responded, crossing her arms.

"Don't think that was ever an option," he added. "Your mum would definitely slap me if we tried."

Jenny smiled widely and threw her arms around Rose first. "Oh, thank you!" she said gleefully, moving over to hug the Doctor. "Thank you, thank you!" She pulled back. "Come on! Let's get a move on!" She ran ahead, skipping along the littered debris.

"Careful, there might be traps!" the Doctor called out to her.

Rose inwardly grinned when the girl just went off. Probably inherited her traits of being jeopardy friendly, and that wouldn't be the greatest thing. She glanced over at her husband when she felt his mood shift through their bond, the smile that appeared on his face dropping, his troubled look returning. She reached down and held one of his hands and squeezed it gently. He brushed his thumb over hers and kept his eyes fixed on the ground.

"Kids!" Donna laughed. "They never listen!" She paused when she noticed their expressions and sighed. "Oh, I know that look. See it a lot 'round our way. Blokes with pushchairs and frowns. You've got dad-shock, and Rose has a bit of mom-shock."

"Dad-shock?" the Doctor repeated with a frown.

"Sudden unexpected fatherhood," the redhead said.

"That's hardly a medical condition."

"Takes a bit of getting used to, but you two would make good parents. I know Rose would." Rose cleared her throat but remained silent, still holding her husband's hand.

"No, it's not that," the Doctor said with a head shake.

"Well, what is it then?" Donna pressed. "Having Jenny in the TARDIS, is that it? What's she gonna do, cramp your style?"

"Donna—" Rose tried to interject but she kept going.

"Like you've got a sports car and she's gonna turn it into a people-carrier? Rose doesn't seem to have too much of a problem with her like you've got. I know the lifestyle you've got isn't exactly a child friendly one, but Jenny can handle herself."

"Donna, I've been a father before," the Doctor spoke up, concealing the thickness of emotion in his voice, but not too well.

"Really?" she said in disbelief, shaking her head as if she were trying to figure out a puzzle. "But…you and Rose…you two are married for a couple years, how did—"

"Not with me," Rose clarified. "Back at his home a long time ago he had a proper Time Lord wife and kids and grandkids."

"I thought…what about those Loom things? You actually used them?"

He took a deep breath. "Yeah."

"But it was a lot different than what we have together, a whole lot," Rose added, squeezing his hand again. "Relationships were different on his planet."

"How so?" Donna asked curiously.

The Doctor took another deep breath. "Marriages on Gallifrey weren't based on emotions, only arranged for political purposes and genetic superiority. Nothing was based on love, only DNA compatibilities. Everything that Rose and I have right now would be considered taboo. Scandalous beyond recognition. Time Lords were permitted from even being _around_ humans let alone trying to attempt having a _relationship_ with one. They never believed in any of that. It was always looked as an insult and disdainful."

"So…you and your Time Lord—or Time Lady, I guess—wife had children at one time?" He nodded. "By those Loom things?"

"His people were sterile, for the most part," Rose spoke up. "There was this…leader or some kinda person that wielded these powers and ruled his planet that contrasted with the Lord President's government, and she put a curse on his planet." She turned to the Doctor. "Right?"

He nodded. He told her many a tales and histories of his planet over the years, even more personal ones when they became closer with each day, and even more after they bonded. "Pythia's Curse," he confirmed. "When she was nearing the end of her reign as a leader her psychic powers proved to be futile and useless, preventing her from seeing the future. She then cursed every Gallifreyan and Time Lord with sterility, and couples had to use Looms for purposes of reproduction. Every couple, Time Lord or not, were expected to have a child naturally, but it was very unlikely so it was the only resort." He took a deep breath, his eyes fixed ahead down the corridor. "I lost all that after the war. Along with everything else."

He felt Rose sending him waves of warmth through their link and he exhaled, letting his mind ease up a little, but the images were still there. They'd always be there, never wanting to go away permanently and always looking to come out and take a cheap shot at him, reminding him of everything. Mocking him.

"I'm so sorry," Donna said quietly after a moment. "I didn't know about that. Why didn't you tell me? You two talk all the time, but you don't say anything about…things like that."

"I know, it's just…" He trailed off, closing his eyes.

"Because it hurts," Rose said gently. "It hurts him a lot to talk about his family and his home. I was travelling with him for two years before he told me that he had kids once, and longer to find out about his entire family back at home."

"And when I look at her now I can see them," the Doctor said, stopping in his tracks. The women followed suit as he peered down the end of the corridor where Jenny had gone. "The hole they left, all the pain that filled it. I just don't know if I can face that every day."

"It won't stay like that," Donna said softly. "She'll help you, both of us will. Rose will help you."

"But it's just that…when they died, that part of me died with them," he told her, swallowing hard. "It'll never come back. Not now."

"Never say never," Donna pointed out gently. "You both may have only each other now and no other family, but you could always start your own brood one day, too."

He ducked his head down and Rose raised her unoccupied hand to chew her thumbnail. "We can't," she said quietly.

Donna frowned, her brows creased in confusion. "What?"

"Rose and I can't have children," the Doctor replied, a hint of anguish and regret laced in his voice. "Time Lords and humans aren't compatible for conception."

"But Rose isn't fully human," the redhead pointed out. "She's advanced, you two've said that so many times."

"It doesn't matter. Despite the many changes in her biology it doesn't make us fertile. Even if we wanted children, we couldn't. It's…another thing that I can't give her."

"But that doesn't matter to me," Rose spoke up. "'Cause we're compatible in every other way. I never thought of myself becoming a mother one day…" she trailed off and shook her head.

She had this conversation so many times and earlier today, which seemed so long ago what with all the events occurring in the span of probably a bunch of hours. Donna brought up the same subject of children when she asked if Rose ever missed her family. Before she could ask her more about the childbearing possibilities the Doctor had entered the room and the aforementioned subject quickly dropped much to Rose's relief. She was still at a loss. She knew how the Doctor felt and why he would feel like it, but Jenny was theirs. Probably the only way they'll ever have a child. This was their only chance. She wished she could give him everything and…maybe Jenny could help.

"It's…rough," the Doctor said, giving her hand a squeeze. "This whole thing, it's hard. I don't know if this would work out well, that's all."

"I'll tell you something, Doctor," Donna said. "Something I've never told you or Rose before. I think you're _wrong_."

"Doctor…" Rose spoke up. "I think…I think we can make this work. I know we can."

He glanced over at her and opened his mouth, but the sound of gunshots ringing off the walls came to their attention and jerked their heads up, cutting him off.

Jenny came from around a corner and ran back to them. "They've blasted through the beams, time to run again," she told them before smoking wide. "Love the running! Yeah?"

Any and all seriousness melted away from the Doctor's face as he offered her a smile as well. "Love the running."

"Always," Rose added with a tongue-touched grin before they took off again.

Running through the corridor, the only passage way they had available they soon skidded to a stop when they reached a dead end. "We're trapped," Donna remarked, regaining her breath.

"Inconveniently circumstanced is more like it," Rose muttered, taking in their surroundings.

"Can't be," the Doctor said with a head shake. "This must be the temple." His eyes trained on the red wall to the side that looked very different than the others. He placed his hands on a panel. "This is a door!" He wasted no time in grabbing his sonic to pull it apart and get the control box out.

"Nice eyes, Shake," Rose said.

"And again!" Donna said, her attention drawn to yet another plaque set on the wall just below the ceiling. "Were down to 1-2 now…" she mused. Rose narrowed her eyes at the numbers, noticing the pattern.

"I've got it!" the Doctor exclaimed from his spot as he messed with the wires.

"I can hear them!" Jenny reported, standing by in a guard's position. The heavy sound of combat boots and gunshots were becoming louder, parading down the corridor.

"Might wanna hurry up, Doctor," Rose said.

"Nearly done," he told her.

"These can't be a cataloging system," Donna said, oblivious to the oncoming chaos as she only stared at the numbers intently.

"They're getting closer!" Jenny stated.

"Then get back here!" the Doctor ordered. "That goes for all of you!"

"They're too similar," Donna noted, still in her inquisitive trance. "Too familiar."

Rose moved forward and grabbed the redhead by the upper arms and dragged her away. "We'll figure it out along the way, Donna. Right now we gotta move. Jenny, get over here."

"Not yet," she said dismissively.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. Definitely inherited her mother's stubbornness. "Now!" he snapped before continuing to work on the controls. "Got it!"

The door slid open and Rose pulled on Jenny's arm just as Cobb and his soldiers came around the corner and into view and quickly darted inside the opening. "They're coming!" Jenny yelled.

"Shut the door!" Rose hollered, instinctively reaching for her sonic but luckily her husband beat her to the control panel and pushed a few keys before the door slid shut.

"Oh, that was close!" Jenny breathed out.

"Kinda makes it more fun that way," Rose said with a tongue-touched grin.

"Oh, yes!" the Doctor chirped.

They took off again, moving further into the complex and taking in their surroundings. The section they had ended up in was much different than what they were expecting.

"It's not what I'd call a temple…" Donna commented.

Jenny shook her head. "It looks more like…"

"Like a spaceship," Rose said with a frown, craning her neck to gaze at the scaling wall of machinery and the large chasm.

"That's because it _is_ a spaceship," the Doctor concluded, looking over the railing surrounding the chasm. "Fusion-drive transport."

"What, you mean the one that brought the first settlers?" she asked.

"Well, it could be," he said with a head tilt. "But the power cells would have run down after all that time. This one's still powered-up and functioning. Come on!"

He made his way over to the side where a staircase was and dashed up the flight with the women close behind him. One thing that didn't make any sense was that this entire ship was obviously well-maintained and seemed to be running for a long time despite having supposedly being abandoned for years. They continued running but soon came to a stop when they noticed that at the end of the corridor someone was cutting through another door.

"It's the Hath!" Jenny told them. "That door's not gonna last much longer. And if General Cobb gets through down there, war's gonna break out."

"Not if we have a say it's not," Rose said. Looking around the area she noticed a monitor off to the side. She pointed at it. "Doctor, a computer."

"Ooh, a ship's log!" he exclaimed. "Brilliant eyes, Lewis!" He reached over and pressed a kiss to her forehead before dashing over at the monitor. He slipped on his specs and began to look through information. "'First wave of Human/Hath co-colonization of planet Messaline,'" he read aloud.

"So it actually is the original ship," Jenny concluded with surprise.

"What happened?" Donna asked, looking over his shoulder at the screen.

The Doctor leaned down to study the screen. "'Phase one. Construction,'" he read. "They used robot drones to build the city."

"But what about the war?" Rose asked, resting an elbow on his shoulder as she peered at the readings. "Does it say anything about that?"

He scrolled down further. "Final entry…'Mission commander dead. Still no agreement on who should assume leadership. Hath and humans have divided into _factions_.' That must be it!" he cried, whipping his glasses off and shoving them in his jacket. "A power vacuum."

"So it's two factions," Rose concluded.

"Exactly!" the Doctor said. "The crew divided into two factions and turned on each other."

"And then they started to use the machines to make the soldiers—"

"Suddenly you've got two armies fighting a never-ending war!"

Jenny flitted her eyes between them as they began making deductions so quickly. "Two armies who are now both outside," she added.

"Look at that," Donna remarked from the side. She was staring at a screen on a terminal displaying another set of numbers that they had been coming across.

"It's like the numbers in the tunnels," the Doctor said as they came to stand beside her.

"Some cataloging system this is," Rose said, crossing her arms.

"No, but listen," Donna said quickly. "I spent six months working as a temp in Hounslow Library and I mastered the Dewey Decimal System in two days flat. I'm good with numbers," she said with a proud smile. "It's staring us in the face!"

"What is?" Jenny asked, confused.

The redhead turned to face them with a grin. "It's the date," she told them before turning back to the numbers and gesturing with her hand as she spoke. "Assuming the first two numbers are some big old space date, then you've got year, month, day. It's the other way 'round, like it is in America!"

"Oh! It's the New Byzantine Calendar!" the Doctor exclaimed, smacking his forehead. How could he have missed that? It really _was_ staring them right in the face the whole time.

Rose chuckled. "Donna Noble, you're _brilliant_!"

"Super-temp," she replied with a smile.

"Remind me to get you a superhero costume."

Both the Doctor and Donna snorted at that while the latter continued with her observation. "The codes are completion dates for each section. They finish it, they stamp the date on."

"So those numbers aren't counting down…" Rose drew out, understanding what all of this was beginning to mean. "They're goin' out like records."

Donna nodded. "That's it. From here, day by day, as the city got built."

The Doctor's face lit up and he laughed. "Oh, yes! Good work, Donna! You're a genius!"

"Yeah!" she said with surprise at being called that. "But there's more, you're still not getting it." She looked through her notepad. "The first number I saw back there, was 60120717. Well, look at the date today." She pointed at the number. "60120724."

Rose's brows shot up at the realization. "No way."

"Ohhh…" the Doctor breathed out.

"What does it mean?" Jenny asked, still not wrapping her head around it all.

"It's seven days," Rose said.

"That's it! Seven days!" Donna said.

"Only _seven days_?" the Doctor said with disbelief, running a hand through his fringe.

Jenny shook her head. "What d'you mean seven days?"

"It's only been seven days since war broke out," the Doctor replied with widened eyes.

"This war started seven days ago!" Donna said with a grin. "Just a week! A _week_!"

Jenny looked at the three of them in disbelief. "But-but they said _years_!"

"No, they said _generations_ ," Rose pointed out gently. "Think about it, if that's what they meant then that means every person that came out of those machines. How many could they have in a day, Doctor?" she added, looking at him.

"Twenty generations a day," he replied, his face falling a bit. "Maybe more, like hundreds, thousands even."

"And they all…they all just die," Rose said sadly.

"Each generation gets killed in the war and passes on the legend," the Doctor continued, scratching his sideburn. So many lives produced in a day only to be thrown into battle and to their deaths.

"But all the buildings, the encampments," Jenny spoke up. "They're in ruins."

"No, they're just empty," he explained. "Just waiting to be populated. Oh, they've mythologized their entire history. The Source must be part of that too. Come on!"

He grabbed Rose's hand and bolted for the stairwell again. Running through the twisting corridors they heard the sound of footsteps matching theirs on the opposite end. When they turned a corner they braced themselves for encountering a Hath or another soldier, but they each were relieved when they bumped into Martha.

"Doctor! Rose!" she cried.

"Martha!" Rose yelled as she ran over to hug their friend fiercely. "Glad to see you're alright."

"Should've known you wouldn't stay away from the excitement," the Doctor commented with a smile.

"Shut it," Martha said with a smile and an eye roll as she hugged him. Then she turned to their other companion to do the same. "Donna!"

"Oh, you're filthy," Donna said, pulling back after a moment. "What happened?"

"I, um, took the surface route," Martha answered, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Rose studied her friend, noticing hints of grief crossing her face. The smile she wore didn't quite reach her eyes. Something more must have happened. She placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sure you're okay?"

Martha nodded. "Yeah. I just…I lost a friend on the way here."

"I'm sorry," Rose said quietly.

In the distance they heard the voices of soldiers and the pounding of feet. "That's the general!" the Doctor said. "We haven't got much time."

"We don't even know what we're looking for!" Donna cried. "You said everything was a myth!"

"Doesn't mean that there's something hiding in here," Rose suggested before an amalgamation of tropical scents came to her nose, like vanilla and honey-jasmine.

"Is it me or can you smell flowers?" Martha asked.

"No, I was just thinkin' the same thing," Rose said, inhaling the warming scents. "I knew it wasn't me."

 _"I did, at first,"_ the Doctor murmured in her mind.

She shot him a look. _"What, seriously?"_

 _"Sometimes you smell like flowers."_

She stared at him. _"Have I told you how unbelievably **cheesy** you can be?"_

 _"Yes, many a times."_ He lifted a finger and took another deep breath. "It's Bougainvillea!" he proclaimed out loud, spinning around to the direction of the smell. "I say we follow our nose!"

He took the lead and dashed up the flights of stairs leading to the top. Like bloodhounds they followed the scent as it was becoming more redolent the higher they went. From behind they could hear the faint voice of General Cobb and his men advancing on them, for what could be one last meeting before they all settled everything with peace. Reaching the top level of the spaceship they found themselves in a massive area resembling a huge greenhouse filled with an abundance of palms and other various exotic plants. Some smelled of sun-kissed ripened fruit, some of freshly cleaned bed linens, all in all the combination of scents along with the scenery was absolutely breathtaking.

"Oh, yes!" the Doctor said with a wide grin as they walked through the botanical garden.

"'S gorgeous," Rose remarked.

"Yes, isn't this brilliant?"

Shrugging off his coat he threw it off to the side as they headed towards a platform in the center of the garden. A pedestal stood in the middle holding a glass sphere with metallic rings circling it, encasing shining gases that swirled around in the space in various colors.

"Is that the Source?" Donna asked.

"This is what they were fighting for," Rose said, stepping forward to peer at the orb's contents. "This is what the Source really is."

"It's beautiful," Jenny breathed out in wonder.

"What is it?" Martha asked.

"It's a terraforming device, innit?" Rose guessed.

The Doctor looked at her proudly. "Yes it is, gold star for you, love! It's a third generation terraforming device!"

"So why are we suddenly in Kew Gardens?" Donna asked.

"Because that's what it does," he answered, gesturing around them. "All this, only bigger. Much bigger! It's in a transit state. Producing all this must help keep it stable before they finally—"

His explanation was interrupted when both the human and the Hath soldiers appeared on opposite side, parading down towards the center and cocking their guns as soon as they caught sight of each other. The Doctor moved Rose to stand with the others while he stepped between both warring factions and thrust his hands out.

"Stop!" he yelled. "Hold your fire!"

"What is this? Some kind of trap?" Cobb demanded, his gun aimed directly at the Hath which, by current involvement, was also aiming at the Doctor. Rose clenched her hands at her side.

"You said you wanted this war over," the Doctor reminded.

"I want this war _won_ ," Cobb spat.

The Doctor looked between both sides. "You can't win, no one can. You don't even know why you're here. Your whole history, it's just Chinese whispers—getting more distorted the more it's passed on." He pointed to the sphere. " _This_ is the Source. This is what you're fighting over. A device to rejuvenate a planet's ecosystem. It's nothing mystical. It's from a laboratory, not some creator. It's a bubble of gases. A cocktail of stuff for accelerated _evolution._ Methane, hydrogen, ammonia, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids. It's used to make barren planets habitable." His voice took on a gentle tone. "Just look around you! It's not for killing…it's _bringing_ life. If you allow it, it can lift you out of these dark tunnels and into the bright, bright sunlight."

Rose couldn't help but smile warmly at her husband's words that seemed to be getting to the dividing factions. The possibility to finally have peace was right there for them, within their grasp. It was a way out of war. Even though it was all they knew—fighting and solving everything by creating a bloodbath—they just needed to know that it didn't have to be that way. Instead of tearing the place down they could build it up, work together to make this place one worth living in. Full of peace.

She looked over to see Jenny watching the Doctor with wonder, her eyes shining. It warmed her insides up. This young girl was a product of one of those machines, but she was also a part of them. That was why it wasn't too hard for her to see that there was always a choice when it came to solving problems. She looped her arm through one of hers and nodded forward.

"Watch this," she whispered. "Your dad has a thing for dramatics."

"No more fighting. No more killing," the Doctor continued before moving to the pedestal and lifting up the sphere to his shoulder, his face serious and his voice loud for all to hear. "I'm the Doctor…and I declare this war is over!"

He threw the glass orb to the ground and it shattered, releasing the gases. A fusion of gold, green, and purple climbed into the air and spread out far and wide across the blackened ceiling. Hanging in the air they soon were sucked out through ports and escaped, lingering in the open world. Everyone's breath was taken away at the beautiful sight and as a result both human and Hath armies dropped their weapons and placed them on the ground.

Rose came forward with a light happy chuckle and threw her arms around the Doctor's neck, pulling him in for a hug. Jenny smiled wide at her parents when they shared a brief celebratory kiss. She skipped forward and they pulled apart. The Doctor looked at her proudly as both he and Rose hugged her, offering her smiles. Their daughter. They were a family now. Maybe now that place in his hearts could be filled with this young girl. It ached him deeply but maybe the universe was being kind to him for once by giving him her.

"What's happening?" Jenny asked, her voice still in wonder.

"The gases will escape and trigger the terraforming process," the Doctor said, lifting his head up.

"What does that mean?"

"It's a new world," Rose said with a soft smile.

Jenny giggled with delight when she saw her father sling his arm around her mother to press a kiss to her hair. But in the corner of her eye she noticed movement on General Cobb's part. Everyone else was enchanted by the Source working its magic except for him. She caught him raising his arm and aiming his gun at them. At her _parents._ Out of impulse she stepped in front of them like a protective shield.

"No!" she yelled.

Not even a second after she let out her cry the gun went off like a crack of thunder in the serene silence surrounding the area. It hit her square in the chest and she jerked at the impact, her hands moving up to the spot where she was struck and collapsed into her parents' arms.

"No, Jenny!" Rose screamed as she and the Doctor carefully held their daughter in their arms.

"Jenny!" the Doctor said. "Talk to us, Jenny! Talk to us!"

It had happened so fast that Rose felt an eerie sense of déjà vu when she felt a lingering pain in her chest above her heart, the crack of the gun too familiar. She didn't want to be reminded of those unpleasant images, and the one before her now wasn't jolly either. Jenny's face twisted in pain as she inhaled shaky breaths, blood trickling out of her wound and beneath her fingers, staining her shirt. Rose cradled the back of her head, feeling a sob choking her. Both she and the Doctor eased her down to the floor, taking her in their laps.

"Stay with us, Jenny," Rose told her, smoothing her hair back. "Stay with us."

Martha and Donna knelt behind them, the young doctor gently lifting Jenny's hand from her wound to check her pulse. She swallowed hard and set it back down, backing away. "Is she gonna be all right?" Donna asked quietly.

Martha gave no response and neither the Doctor or Rose wanted to hear it anyway. Didn't want to believe it. She had to be saved, she just had to be. She blinked back on her tears, trying to keep her composure.

"A new world," Jenny whispered with a hint of a smile, her eyes directed on a ball of terraforming gas looming over them. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah," Rose breathed out, continuing to brush the young girl's hair back, reminiscent to how her own mother would try to comfort her.

"Jenny?" came the Doctor's broken voice that pained Rose's heart. "Be strong now. You need to hold on, d'you hear me? We've got things to do, the three of us—you, me, and your mum, yeah?" He tried to smile but it didn't reach his eyes. Jenny was silent and they held her tighter when her breaths became soft gasps, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Just you wait, Jenny," Rose spoke up softly, her voice cracking. "We'll take you back to the TARDIS, we'll get you all fixed up, and we can see all the new worlds out there, yeah? Anywhere, anywhen, it's your choice. Wherever you wanna go."

Jenny inhaled another shaky breath, tears beginning to drip down her cheeks. "That sounds good."

The Doctor's eyes met Rose's and that was all it took to break her heart more. That dark, haunted shadow crossed his vision once again, reflecting the past afflictions that tortured him for years, aching and harrowing. Always there waiting to come out and tear him apart. She pressed her lips together hard, fighting back on the sobs that were trying to escape from her. She needed to be strong, but she could feel her walls falling. She reached out to her husband through their bond, his waves coming off as constricted. He took a deep breath and glanced back down at Jenny, his face softening as he brought a hand up to cup the girl's face, his thumb brushing over her cheekbone and wiping away one of her tears.

"You're our _daughter_ ," he finally said, his voice thick. "And we've only just got started. You're gonna be great. You're gonna be more than that, you're gonna be _amazing_!"

"And _brilliant_!" Rose said with a watery chuckle, disregarding the cold chill that shot down her spine. "You're gonna be the best you can be. This is…this is only the beginning."

"We're gonna show you, Jenny, just you see," he added. "You hear me? Jenny?"

Jenny gave no response. Her complexion paled when she released one last hitching sigh, her eyes fluttering shut and her body becoming limp.

"No," Rose whispered, gently shaking the girl. "Jenny? Jenny?" Nothing. She was gone.

Rose clutched their daughter's fallen body to her with a sob just as the Doctor did, pressing his lips against the girl's temple. He looked over the top of her head with widened eyes, shining and his breaths ragged. She moved herself closer to him and wrapped an arm around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck as he did the same to her. His body shuddered when a single sob escaped him, a slight wetness coming to her skin that only made her weep more. The Doctor was always one to keep his emotions suppressed, never wanting to show them out in the open, with the exception of Rose being able to come through his walls and let him reveal himself and make himself bare. But now they were mourning the loss of their daughter. Their only chance of having a child.

They held onto each other tighter in their despair, raising their heads to press their foreheads together, gently rocking in place while transferring heartening waves to each other. None of this was fair, it just wasn't. Every time the universe was kind to him it would only take something away from him the moment after he acknowledged it, the moment he held something near and dear to him. Holding something close only to have it burst into a ball of flames in front of his face.

Realization dawned on Rose. There was still another chance. "Doctor," she choked out. "Two hearts…"

His eyes widened. "Two hearts," he repeated quietly, pulling back to look at Martha and Donna. "Two hearts, she's like me."

"Maybe she's got a healing factor like me," Rose said, sounding hopeful. "You know, maybe…maybe she could survive it, maybe…if we just wait…"

Martha shook her head, a look of pure empathy and sadness on her face. "There's no sign, guys," she told them. "There's no regeneration or any show of healing. She's like you two, but…maybe not enough."

His face fell, traces of hope disappearing. "No," he said softly with a small humorless lopsided smile. " _Too_ much. That's the truth of it. She was too much like us," he added, exchanging a look with his wife as she continued to cry.

He reached his free hand over and placed it on the side of her face, bringing her close to press his lips against her cheek, just below her eye to catch her tears, then one to her forehead. He kept his lips there for a moment before taking a deep breath and pulling back. He and Rose gently placed Jenny on the ground to lay, each kissing the girl's forehead and staring at her. A muscle worked in his jaw the longer he looked at her, his anger bubbling inside of him and replacing his sorrow. He glanced back to look at the man responsible for Jenny's death, who was kneeling to the ground with his arms held behind his back, held by his men. The general's gun lay in front of him, left unoccupied. He growled.

The Oncoming Storm had arrived.

The Doctor stood to his feet and strode over to the man. Without saying a word he bent down and picked up the gun—noting how familiar it felt within his grasp—clicking the safety off and holding it against Cobb's head. His breathing was rough as he stared down at the man's shocked, widened eyes, his hearts pounding in his chest like the rhythm of war drums, his blood rushing to his ears as he panted. All it would take was one simple pull of the trigger to end this man's life, to unleash his frustration out after losing something else that had a chance. He was _tired._ Tired of always losing things.

From behind him he could feel everyone's eyes on him, especially his companions. And even more especially, his wife. Not only could he feel her concerned and horrified gaze by his actions burning in the back of his head, inside his mind he could feel her presence coming to him cautiously, warm and comforting in his nerve-racking ends, there as a reminder that he was better than this. He would never willingly shoot a man in cold blood, not in the way that the man had done to his daughter. He never would. And that's what was more important. He wasn't a monster.

Cobb looked at him, expecting for him to pull the trigger and shoot. But it never came. The hammering in the Doctor's chest eased up faintly, but his anger was still on the surface. He was a man with an appeal for clemency, and this soldier needed to understand that. With that, he uncocked the gun and dropped it from the man's head, crouching to meet the man at eye-level and see the Oncoming Storm swirling in his blazing glare.

"I _never_ would," he growled, holding the barrel of the gun in his hand and gesturing with it. "Have you got that? I. Never. Would!" He straightened up to his full height and towered over the man before turning around to address both fighting parties. "When you start this new world…this world of Human and Hath…remember that! Make the foundation of this society a man who never would!"

His chest was heaving as he moved his eyes over every soldier. He tossed the gun away with disgust and moved back over to his daughter's perished figure. His eyes met Rose's again and his tension softened as he sat down beside her, bringing up a hand to rub her back gently and pressing a kiss to her temple as they stared down sadly at Jenny.

"We'll remember her," Rose told him.

He nodded. "'Course we will."

"We-we're not gonna leave yet."

"No. No, we'll stay."

* * *

 ***takes cover*** **Please don't kill me! I promise that _this is not the end,_ just hang in there and bear with me on this. Don't start a riot or anything! Patience, my lovelies. **

**Response to _Sam Fraser_ : I already thought about that but I _might_ make Midnight a separate story from this one. There's a whole lot of stuff coming up that's making my brain rattle so we'll see what crazy ride we'll be going on after this point.**


	25. Convalescence

**_A/N:_ *is still hiding in an undisclosed location* ****I know you guys don't want angst, but one way or another it finds its way in here.** **There's a whole lot of stuff that's gonna get covered in this story since a lot happens in S4, and there's additions and changes.**

 **As always, much love and many thanks to all of you viewers! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated ;) Even if it's death threats…um, okay, maybe not those. But it's nice to know I'm stirring you guys up. *nervous chuckle***

* * *

 ** _Chapter 24:_** ** _C_** ** _onvalescence_**

It had to have been over an hour since the death of Jenny. Over an hour since a word escaped from either the Doctor and Rose as they sat in the theatre room that was used for human encampment. Now it was emptied, barren, save for the cot where Jenny was laid. He wouldn't let the soldiers touch a single hair on the young girl, wouldn't let anyone else near her other than himself and Rose. They were waiting, hoping that by some chance that some sign of regeneration or even just the smallest spark of a healing factor would resurrect their daughter from her fallen state. It was impossible though, considering that both of her hearts had stopped beating after the bullet pierced through her chest. But they didn't believe it. Didn't want to believe it. They were waiting it out.

Rose suggested that the greenhouse was becoming an unbefitting environment for them to wait out the likelihood that their daughter would come back to them, so the Doctor gently scooped up the young girl's body in his arms and carried her away from the area where life was beginning and hers had abruptly ended.

The tension in the air was thick enough to make Donna choke, the heavy weight radiating off of the couple's minds and bodies and pressing it all onto her and Martha. They were grieving a loss and it pained her, especially knowing that the Doctor had already lost so many people in his long life just as Rose had no other family around to go to. They only had each other. What made it worse was that Jenny was their child, their only chance at having offspring of their own due to their biologies.

But Donna didn't believe that. She told them once already that they were wrong about that. Maybe by some miracle it would come to them. Even more deserving for them if Jenny never came back to them.

The silence hanging in the air was overwhelming and eerie, to be honest. It made her have gooseflesh given the dreary atmosphere crawling all over the ship, but she didn't want to leave her friends suffering with this alone. They needed support through this tough time and she was going to stand there for them.

When they arrived at the theatre the Doctor moved over to a cot set up near the center of the room and lay Jenny down on it. Rose was right by his side and lifted the blanket over her body, stopping at her chest and tucking her in. They each pulled a stool from beside the stage and sat beside her, watching on sadly waiting for a change. Both Martha and Donna stood in the back of the room, not wanting to disturb the grieving parents at first to let them have their alone time, but then they moved to stand by the other side of the cot. The Doctor sat there immobile, still as a statue. Donna swore that he wasn't breathing for long moments, his face sullen and blank, eyes ancient and sad, barely blinking. Rose was sitting beside him looking the same, save for the deep ancient depths in her vision, but it was filled with as much dolefulness as her husband's, holding his hand tight.

A shiver passed through Donna as she studied them, the same that had shot through her system when that cold hard expression loomed over the Doctor's face after Cobb shot Jenny full of malice out of being denied his murder of the Hath and victory over a war then grabbed the man's gun and held it close to the soldier. For a moment she thought he would actually pull that trigger. His face was a grim mask, one he wore well like a piece of cloth, all anger and darkness and frightening. She supposed that if he were in his quondam state of a soldier's mind he would have, but he would never do it. Not while he had his wife with him.

Unaware to the others the couple were inwardly comforting each other, reaching out and grasping onto each other to continue through the silence.

Rose turned to the Doctor, studying his expression before mentally asking, _"You think…you think we could take her to the Zero Room?"_ Her voice was quiet, sounding a little hopeful. It was the only thing she could think of if no sign of regeneration would appear. _"I mean…you said it could heal damage and a fast pace, and it helped me."_

 _"Not even that could help,"_ he replied glumly. _"It allows someone's wounds to heal rapidly and helps Time Lords with rough regenerations, but…they would have to be…" he trailed off and swallowed hard. "_ _When you used it you were alive. It was able to heal your contusions and injuries, but those weren't fatal wounds._ _Even if Jenny were fully Time Lord it wouldn't matter. The Zero Room can't reanimate a person back from the…dead."_

That wasn't something they wanted to know, but they unfortunately knew it was the truth.

 _"We…we can't abandon her…not now, not yet."_

He turned to her sadly and squeezed her hand. _"There's nothing we can do, love. All we can do is hope that something'll happen and…to remember her if nothing does."_

 _"Just…we can still wait, though, yeah? I mean…maybe just a little longer."_

 _"We will."_

Cline and one of the Hath had entered the room and stood by the front of the cot. Whatever happened to Cobb they'll never know, but the Doctor had given the man another chance. Hopefully he'll be wise and understand the consequences of his malignity. All of a sudden beams of light shone through the large stained glass windows and casted over Jenny's face, causing a warm feeling to spread throughout Rose's body.

"It's happening," Martha remarked softly. "The terraforming."

"Build a city, nice and safe underground," Donna said quietly. "Strip away the top soil. And there it is." She paused for a moment. "And what about Jenny?"

"Let us give her a proper ceremony," Cline said. "I think it'd help us." He turned to the Doctor and Rose. "Please. We want to remember her for her bravery. As a symbol of this new world."

They remained silent, lost in their thoughts as they stared at Jenny's body and then at each other. He wouldn't want her to be buried in the ground or even go through the traditional Gallifreyan funeral. But she deserved a ceremony and these people wanted to give her something worthy. They both looked over at the soldiers and nodded in approval.

Donna remained in the room to stand and keep vigil. A few times she and Martha had walked out to regain themselves but they came back to join them and support them. It was getting harder and harder having to watch the despairing faces of her friends desperately hoping that their daughter would somehow come back to them. But from where she and Martha stood they already knew that it was highly unlikely the young girl would be waking up. She remained the same way she was for the entire duration of the waiting. The couple still sat beside her on the cot watching intently, sanguine and wretched. The entire time they were waiting they moved up closer and closer to be able to see any type of movement, any kind of spark of life to pass through the girl. But there was nothing. And with every minute that ticked by a speck of their hope began to diminish and fall away.

After staying for a long while, which had to have been over five and a half hours of silence the group finally decided that it was time to leave, much to their reluctance. Nothing was happening and there was nothing they could do. Jenny wasn't waking up.

Rose got up from her stool and moved to the front of the cot and brushed Jenny's hair back a few more times, her insides shivering before she bent down to kiss her forehead one last time. That small warm spot that had been pressing against the back of her head was still cold, barely there. Almost numb. Anticipating to feel it trigger in any way, shape or form would mean everything at the moment. Some kind of miracle, that was all. Even if it was for a minute. But nothing came. Nothing but heartbreak. She didn't want to leave her behind, not after she promised. But if they brought her body back to the TARDIS what more could they do? The Zero Room wouldn't help, just like everything else. It would not add to their pain. None of this was fair, but they had no other choice.

She turned to the Doctor, his face still hurt as she reached down and took her hand in his. She gave it a squeeze and held in the rest of her tears, if there were even any left after the rivers that had already flowed from her. His eyes moved over Jenny painstakingly slow, almost as if he were charting her image to be embedded in his mind forever. His free hand came and gently fixed the sheet that tucked her in.

All that waiting and no sign of life was shown. It hurt them, but it was time. Time to move forward. Time to go home with their daughter in their memories.

The trek back to the TARDIS was silent as they left the theatre and went back out into the halls. Not another soul roamed around the corridors, the only sounds being the crunching sounds of their own feet scuffing against the gravel and the littered metal scraps piling the floors. The Doctor and Rose moved slowly, almost mechanically, walking hand-in-hand with their friends close behind them. When they all first stepped foot out of the ship's doors upon arrival none of them were sure of the location the TARDIS had automatically taken them to nor were they aware of what they would experience when they came back.

None of them saw _any_ of this coming.

Returning to the cave where this profusion of havoc started only by taking a different route due to a road blockage they found the TARDIS beside the wall of debris, standing there without a scratch. Even the Old Girl was able to pick up the gloomy mood that hung over them the closer they approached. She offered them empathetic hums when the Doctor took out his key and opened the door and stood aside to let the women inside first. He moved sluggishly up the ramp, shrugged his coat off and tossed it over the coral strut and made his way over to the console where the others stood.

Rose was standing by the lever biting her lip and staring down at the controls. "I thought…" she spoke up quietly, breaking the silence. "When we first got here that…something felt a little off."

"It's all clear now," the Doctor said, taking a deep breath as he leaned back against a coral strut. "Jenny was the reason for the TARDIS bringing us here the whole time. It just got here too soon, which then made us create Jenny in the first place."

"'S a paradox," she said.

His nod was imperceptible. "An endless paradox."

"And it's a fixed point," Rose added. "I can feel it."

"Yup."

Rose sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Couldn't something _ever_ fall into place with them? Running into things in the wrong order and being at the wrong place at the wrong time, or just _being_ in the wrong time, was a common occurrence with them and it was annoying. But this…this took the top. She looked up and noticed both Donna and Martha giving them sympathetic looks. The Doctor pushed himself off of the coral strut and leaned on the edge of the console, his expression still blank.

"Still feel sick?" he asked her gently.

Rose shook her head. "No, think it's all gone now. Although I still have this weird feeling, nothing too sick. I…can't really describe it."

He furrowed his brows before reaching into his jacket to retrieve his sonic. He turned it on and moved it over her body then flipped it off and studied the readings. "Nothing there," he declared softly. "Must be the after effects. There's so sign or detection of anything of any kind."

She nodded and leaned against the console. "'Kay."

"Anyway," he said with a deep breath. "Time to go home?" he asked Martha.

The young doctor offered a small smile. "Yeah. Home."

He moved to pull at controls but Rose was already taking care of it as she pulled the lever and sent them down to Earth.

It only took a matter of minutes until the TARDIS landed right on Martha's street on the pavement a few houses away. She along with Donna exited first while the Doctor and Rose lagged a bit behind and lingered around the console. Just seeing them full of sorrow made her more upset, especially when they've suffered through so much prior to her departure and then most likely more in their time of healing. Taking a deep breath she and the redhead began to slowly walk down the block towards her home.

"They were like this around you too," Donna said softly. "After…you know…Saxon."

"For the most part," Martha answered, glancing back to see that they still hadn't exited the TARDIS. "There's always something tragic happening to the both of them. Trouble always follows them wherever they go. And lots of times…it's terrible. Back there was just…too much for me. Too intense and too…overwhelming." She paused for a moment.

"You're sure about this?" Donna asked.

"Yeah, positive," Martha answered with a nod. "I can't do this anymore. It's why I chose to leave before—things happen, and the collateral damage is always there."

"But there's a lot of good, too," the redhead said, looking meaningful. "And there's plenty of space in that blue box for another woman aboard to gang up on that alien."

Martha chuckled at that. As much as she enjoyed the thought of outnumbering the Doctor and travelling with him and Rose like the good old times she couldn't head back into that life, not when she had a life and a career to take care of here on Earth.

"Rose and the TARDIS do plenty of that themselves," she replied. "It's just…their lifestyle is brilliant. It's amazing and beautiful, just like the universe itself, but it's also horrifying and terrible. Staying around for so long would only guarantee pain. Like I told you earlier, Donna; you stand too close and you'll burn. I needed to get away and spend more time with my family. You'll wake up one day and realize that you'll want to get out, too."

Donna appeared thoughtful, taking in her words for a moment before responding. "I don't think I'd ever get tired of it," she replied with wonder. "How could I ever go back to a normal life after seeing all this?"

"I thought that too," Martha said softly.

Both she and Donna turned to look back and saw that the Doctor and Rose were finally exiting the TARDIS, concealing their grief behind passive cowls as they were a few steps behind them.

"I'm gonna travel with those two forever," Donna said with a smile.

Martha nodded and pulled the ginger woman into a hug. She really did think she'd be with her friends forever, but the fact of the reality is that they come and go with their chaotic life. They don't stay around in one place for very long until they're off again onto the next adventure. And she missed it, she really did. All of that excitement of landing on an alien planet, not knowing what to expect on a new world. But once you get sucked into that life it's hard to get out of it before you let it consume you.

"Good luck," she told the redhead.

"And you."

"Make sure to keep them in line, now," Martha said, pulling back. She glanced over and briefly nodded in the Doctor's direction. "Especially him."

Donna grinned. "You can count on that. Me and Rose won't let him get away with anything. Especially Rose."

They both smiled at that before the couple caught up to them. Donna stood back and let them move up to walk with Martha while she headed back over to the TARDIS to give them time to say goodbye.

"So," Rose said casually. "Almost went back to that 'one more trip' routine again."

"We're really making a habit out of this," the Doctor commented as they matched each other's steps.

Martha chuckled a little. "Yeah, but this time I'm more than positive that I'm not gonna be taken around like that anymore. And you'd think it'd get easier." She paused, her smile faltering. "I'm sorry, you guys. I thought for a moment that you finally had a chance to have a family. That you could have something from your home again, Doctor, one of your people. I'm really sorry it didn't work out."

He took a deep breath. "I've got Rose," he said, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist. "That's enough."

She studied them, noting the wonted archaic brand of dolor that he wore too well swirling behind his eyes, the shadow casted over his face. It wouldn't be easy on either of their parts knowing that their only possible chance at starting a family was taken away from them and lost by the the one thing he despised mote than anything, being a gun. But if they were able to heal from the aftermath of the crazed Time Lord and so the collateral damage he caused, then they could get through this. As long as they had each other than they could surpass the darkest of days.

"Just remember…" she told them with sympathy. "Remember that she didn't die in vain. She's being honored for her bravery and created so much."

They both remained silent and nodded after a moment. Rose came forward and gave her a hug. "It was nice to see you again, Martha."

"You too," she said, returning it. "You two gonna be alright?"

"'Course we will," the blonde said.

"Don't forget to call me whenever you want to, okay?"

"Got it."

She pulled back so that the Doctor could give her a hug of his own. "You take care," Martha told him.

"Goodbye. Doctor Jones," he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Be brilliant," Rose added with a wide smile before the couple turned away and walked back to the TARDIS to join their newest companion.

For a moment Martha found that her legs were itching to follow her friends into the ship she had occupied for a long time, to head back out across the stars and see new planets and meet new people of different species and discover all kinds of cultures. But she stopped herself from moving any further. That wasn't her lifestyle anymore. She had everything here at her home. As much as she enjoyed her friend's company and travelling in their humble abode that was that beautiful blue box, she couldn't go back. But she knew she could always call them up and give them a buzz to bring them back if another alien threat came and, knowing their life, it would happen again.

She looked down at her hand and smiled at her engagement ring before turning back to enter her home. Exciting as this day has been, now she had to return to her usual duties. Being all she could be to help those here on Earth.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The atmosphere in the TARDIS was still tense, the silence hanging over and speaking in more ways than actual words ever could. Donna stood on one side of the TARDIS while the Doctor and Rose stood by the jump seat, the former pulling the lever and sending them into the vortex. They barely moved around the panel, their usual enthusiasm gone. It pained her deeply seeing her friends like this. They've dealt with so much pain and loss over the hears since they've been together and their one chance of becoming a family was robbed from them. She didn't care about what the Doctor said about him and his wife being incompatible in the field, but maybe one day they would be blessed with a brood. The universe may be terrible, but it was also amazing and could give someone so many. Them included.

Donna circled the console and came up to them. "I'm really sorry about your loss," she told them. "You gonna be okay?"

"'Course we will," the Doctor assured quickly, his attention focussed on the controls. "Ehm, we're just…gonna drift for a little bit. The Old Girl needs some fixing up again and then we'll…" He cleared his throat and chose not to finish.

Rose was standing beside him, biting her thumbnail at first before dropping her hand to lay it on his forearm. He didn't say another word and only sighed.

"You both take however long you need," Donna said softly, coming closer. "I don't mind. And…I'd understand if you wanted to drop me off."

"Do you wanna go home?" Rose asked.

Donna took a deep breath. "Honestly…I'd rather stay here and help you out if you needed anything. But if you wanted your space—"

"No, it's fine," the Doctor cut in gently. "Really, Donna, it's fine. Thank you…for everything."

She nodded and offered them both a sympathetic smile before bringing both of them in for hugs. As much as she understood that they would probably want to spend some time to themselves and have their privacy she wanted to remind them that she was their friend and that she was here for them.

"Any time, spaceman," Donna commented, pulling back to see him smirking a bit. "And you too, spacewoman," she added to Rose.

The blonde snorted at that before she turned to the console, a curious look crossing her face. "Donna," she said with a soft voice. "You're the expert with numbers, yeah?"

"Best temp in Chiswick," she replied with a proud smile.

"What was the year again back there? On…Messaline?"

Donna furrowed her brows in confusion, not by what Rose asked because she knew the answer to that having studied those plaques the entire time they were moving around that ship, but _why_. "6012," she answered. "How come?"

"'Cause I wanted to check somethin,'" the blonde responded before moving around the console to press various controls.

"Rose?" the Doctor asked with a crease on his brows, watching as his wife pulled the lever and sent them off smoothly. "W-what're you doing?"

She didn't answer him. Instead she just reached over and took his hand in hers. Wherever it was that the TARDIS was headed must have been something simple considering that their landing was smoother than normal. That was usually expected when Rose took over the driving from the Doctor given his supposed 'skills', but something shifted in the sentinent ship, Her hums still sounding sympathetic and warm but with an added layer.

Donna looked between them then at the doors. "Where are we?"

The Doctor walked around his wife to have a look at the monitor, his face softening a bit. He straightened his posture and placed a hand in one of his trouser pockets. "Take a look," he told her.

Doing so Donna went down the ramp to the doors, thrusting them open to gaze at their destination. Far as the eye could see a vast plain stretched out across the land, jade colored grass towering over their heads like a miniature jungle complete with labyrinthine paths leading to a metropolitan area by the dual horizon of two honeyed suns glowing in an emerald sky with puffy lavender clouds. A warm breeze blew past them, wafting the fragrant aroma of the flowers blooming composed of sundry blends. Flowing with the soft winds sounded like a nearly indistinguishable chorale sung by a choir of residents and other inhabitants.

"It's beautiful," Donna breathed out in wonder, her eyes moving around the landscape. She turned to the Doctor and Rose when she noticed they had moved to stand beside her. "What is this place?"

"It's Messaline," the Doctor answered, slinging his arm around Rose's shoulders. "In the 71st century, a thousand years into their future. The humans and Hath came together to form laws that would help both species to coexist, to help them rebuild this planet. It used to be a wasteland, uninhabitable, but then the power of the Source and the terraforming process took control and soon became this."

"What about those machines?" Donna asked. "Did they still use them to make soldiers?"

He shook his head. "All progenation machines were reverted back to their original purposes—last resort reproduction." He paused for a moment, seeming to steel himself. "There hasn't been a war since the changing begun. The society became one where they could live without fighting, to cooperate with one another and to help."

"They remembered how this world came to be," Rose added, wrapping her arm around his waist. "They didn't choose to fight anymore. They chose _peace_." She noticeably sniffled, her voice coming out even and warm. "She helped create all of this."

Donna smiled at that then glanced over at the couple beside her. The Doctor looked down at his wife for a moment, a muscle working in his jaw before he returned his attention to the lively scenery around them, his eyes shining. A semi-comfortable silence hung between them for a few moments until he sucked in a breath and nodded once.

"Yeah," he replied, his voice quiet and overlapped with the distant hymn. "She did."

The three of them stood there for another long moment before he turned away and moved with sluggish steps up the ramp and around the console. Rose exchanged a look with Donna then followed suit, the former closing the doors. He pulled the lever once more and sent them back into the vortex to drift. The women watched him as he stood nearly motionless and stiff like an effigy, one hand thrust in his pocket while the other flipped random buttons. Stopping himself only to reach into his jacket to pull out his sonic before unbuttoning it completely and tossing it over the back of the jump seat. He then proceeded by rolling up his dress shirt's sleeves as he ran his device over the panel and began to tinker.

"Well then," Donna said. "It's been a long day. I'm gonna head over to the galley for a cuppa and then pop in the shower and get some shut-eye. You two gonna be okay?"

"We'll be fine, Donna," the Doctor responded, barely making eye contact as he offered her a small smile that didn't reach his eyes at all. "Thank you." He returned to his task and moved around the console away from them.

"I think a quick shower sounds good," Rose said. "Doctor?"

"Hm?" he said, glancing up. "Oh, sure. I'll be there in a minute, just lemme take care of the hypokysometer first."

"Want me to leave out a mug for you two?" Donna asked.

"You don't have to go to the trouble," the blonde said gently. "We'll join you when we're ready."

She knew the true meaning of that. She would be having tea alone, but she was perfectly fine with that. Donna placed a hand on the other woman's arm. "Take all the time you need. Both of you."

Rose nodded and smiled warmly. "Ta."

Hesitantly flitting her eyes between them the blonde made her way down the corridor. Donna knew Rose didn't want to leave her husband in a time like this, but she supposed it was deserving for her to take a breather for a second. But now Donna was left with an ancient brooding Time Lord. Leaving a planet and the tragedy that came with it could tear a hole through anyone, even an old alien and his wife.

"Doctor," she began. "About—"

"So, where d'you wanna go next?" he replied, ignoring her. "The planet Zazz near Yligos 8, home of the jazz loving humans of the future?"

"Doctor—"

"Or how 'bout back to the past? Somewhere like, I dunno, maybe the roaring twenties or maybe—"

"Doctor."

He sighed, but still wouldn't look at her as his hands lightly moved over the buttons, not as hard and fast as they were. She knew what his answer to her next question would be, but she asked it anyway.

"You alright?" she asked.

"I told you, I'm—"

"Yeah, you said you were fine already," Donna cut in. "You answered for yourself and Rose, but I don't believe either of you."

The Doctor stopped fiddling with the console, his hands gripping the edge. "Can we just leave it?" he said, his voice low and almost taking a sharpened edge. "What happens to me and my wife are only to be concerns to us."

She fought back on a snort, knowing that he was hurting. "Well, I live here with you two and I'm your friend," she said. "There's not much of a boundary to cross. At least…with things like this."

"Is this going anywhere?" he asked.

"Doctor," Donna said. "About…about your family—"

"Don't, Donna," he said quietly, his head kept lowered.

"I'm just trying to—"

"What, what are trying to do, Donna?" he snapped, finally raising his head to look her straight in the eye, revealing that deep ancient look. "To remind me that I'm the last of my kind? To remind me of everything I lost so long ago? You don't understand what I've dealt with, you just can't. Nobody can."

"Yeah, maybe I don't understand that as much as your wife does," she retorted, rounding the console to come up to him. "I don't know what it's like to be a centuries old spaceman who knows everything about the future or a somewhat-alien-but-still mostly-human, but I understand loss. Maybe not as great and severe as you or Rose, but I know it hurts. But you don't just keep it all to yourself and away from your wife."

"I told you before, I could never go back to save my people. Just like…I couldn't save her." He paused and swallowed hard. "There's always loss," he said, his voice more quiet. "Always something being taken away. Death and madness follows me everywhere I go, and the people I care about get ripped away from me. It's nothing new…it's common. _Too_ common."

"I know," she replied. "You've had a lot of personal losses after the War, and I know you can't get any of it back. You cared about Jenny. Even when you tried hard not to you did. Rose helped you see that."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, not responding right away. "I didn't think I had anything to lose. I thought that I lost it all long ago to even try to care about it. But…near the end…I realized that I did. That _we_ did. And the way she d—" He caught himself and cleared his throat. "It was too much. Too…familiar."

Donna studied him with sympathy. He may have been an ancient alien that travelled the universe and saved lives, but he was still a man that could feel pain on so many levels. She couldn't begin to fathom how Rose was always able to heal him whenever he was broken, but that blonde was a strong woman and knows him better than any other being in existence.

"I had a chance," he continued. "I thought that for once I could have something else I'd never think I'd have again. But I should always know what that outcome is," he added mirthlessly.

"You got Rose, though," she said lightly. "You never thought you'd have what you two got and look at you two. You're married and will be together forever." His expression softened and she rubbed his arm. "You had a daughter. That doesn't mean you won't have a chance to have something like that again later on."

He shook his head. "We can't," he said. "I already told you about me and Rose and conception. It could never happen."

"And I already told you to never say never," she replied, patting his arm.

"Donna, it's impossible."

"What's that phrase you said a couple times today?" He looked at her curiously. "Not impossible…just a bit unlikely?"

He looked at her pointedly and forced a sad smile that barely reached his eyes. "It won't happen, I'm afraid. That's fine, though. 'Cause I've got Rose. As long as…as long as we've got each other, then we're fine. That's…enough. More than enough."

Donna sighed. "Whatever you say, spaceman."

She patted his arm one last time before turning back to head down the corridor when he called her name. "Donna…" She turned back to him and he offered her a small smirk. "Have I told you how brilliant you are?"

"Yes, but feel free to mention it as many times as you want," she replied with a smile. Taking one last glance over at the Doctor Donna turned and made her way into the corridor to head down to the galley. She had a feeling she'd be having tea alone, but that was okay. Her friends needed to process everything.

* * *

 **Important plot points to be included in the next chapter, so be ready for those shiny gems. Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit off and lacked depth and some more introspection, but the next chapter should help with that.**


	26. Nascence

**_A/N:_** **Now for the rest of the aftermath that was cut from the last chapter. I'm sure it'll raise some more questions, just bear with me on this. My mind has been in strange places lately, especially during the time I wrote this chapter.** **As always, much love and many thanks to all of you viewers! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated ;)**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 25: N_** ** _ascence_**

Rose finished up her shower with a deep breath and ran a hand through her damp hair, her eyes fixed on the floor as she watched the water go down the drain. It would take an outrageous amount of tea to even scratch the surface to their pain and there probably wasn't enough in the TARDIS to calm each other down despite Her almost infinite supply. However, just knowing what became of the world that was basically a junkyard and the beauty that transformed it made her eyes well up again. Their daughter helped create a whole new world, and it was based on her memory and her honor.

She didn't want to leave her husband by himself, but maybe Donna helped him a bit while she left. A shower was just what she needed at the moment to relax and reflect, to let the hot steam envelope her and make her feel less numb than how she felt. He needed to do the same. She dropped her hand to look at the back of it where the y-shaped mark once was, now fading and healing. She brought her other hand over to lightly brush her fingertips over it. A small tingling feeling shot through her, like a spark that lingered in the back of her mind. It was weird considering she hasn't felt another spot there since their loss. But it still didn't bring anything else as a sign of a miracle.

She tried to reach him out through their bond, but all she came across was a blockage, not forceful or out of spite, but…just closed off. She shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She's stressed so many times that she hated seeing him drifting back to his old ways but he was a centuries old Time Lord, the last of an ancient species. It wasn't hard to have those scars rip open and release every ounce of agony that was kept locked away. It was child's play. Just when everything was coming together for them. It was just as bad, probably even worse, than the pandemonium that escalated in Pompeii. As if being reminded that all of his people were gone was something he needed thrown in his face with every opportunity. Another wound bleeding out and in need of intense care.

Rose stepped out and grabbed a towel from the side, drying herself off then tying it around her. When her hand came to the knob she came to a stop when the TARDIS sent her a mental image. The Doctor was sitting on the edge of their bed with his head bowed and his elbows rested on his knees. Her heart ached when she caught him doing the exact same thing she had been doing in the shower; his eyes fixed on the back of his hand where his scar had been, his fingers moving along it. She took a deep breath and turned the knob to exit the en suite, opening the door slowly she came to a stop when the light casted over the darkness of their room to reveal his figure.

No sooner after she fully opened the door he stopped tracing his fingers over the spot where the mark was on the back of his hand and consciously threaded his fingers together. She saw his Adam's apple bobbing up and down when he swallowed hard. Her bottom lip found its way into her mouth. The Old Girl sent heartfelt hums as she studied him.

"She was good, wasn't she?" he finally said, his voice barely a whisper.

"She was _brilliant_ ," Rose said with a soft smile. "She helped create a whole new world. Generations of people are thanking her and singing songs about her." She sat beside him on the bed and placed a hand over his to stop him from fumbling with his jittering hands. Her thumb brushed along the skin of his knuckles, her fingers threading with his and giving him a tender squeeze. "A spitting image of her father, she was."

A short humorless chuckle escaped from his nose. He flipped his hand over to properly cradle her hand in his, returning the gesture. "She had as much of you in her as she had of me. Maybe…maybe more."

"I'd say it was a good amount of both of us. The best parts."

His eyes weren't meeting hers when she glanced up, only trained on their joined hands, on his bracelet, on the spot where the machine's mark faded. He audibly gulped and let out a deep sigh, the grim and ancient mask covering his features, lines etching his face almost carved from stone. Trying to tap his mind with a heedful effort Rose sensed his walls climbing up. It was futile, if she was honest. Not so much her attempt to seek out her husband and try to fill in the gaping cracks splintering through him or to look deep into his cavernous eyes to pull him out of the crevasses he fell into again where the demons locked away began to chatter and rip at his hearts.

No, what was futile was his attempt to block her out completely. In all of her years of travelling with him she learned how to read him easily, how to help him whenever he fell and needed to be picked up and brushed off, to get going again. And, right now, it was eating her insides too because the young girl that they had lost was the creation of both of them. Even now it still seemed shocking thinking about that, but it was the truth. Jenny was theirs. The Doctor didn't accept that girl's existence from the start, and Rose was a little hesitant to at first too, but over time they were able to see themselves in her, seeing all that life in her eyes to travel across the universe.

She understood why he felt that way around her, after all she saw and felt every emotion and scene from his past flash before her vision when they bonded. He's told her stories about his adventures with his granddaughter, Susan, about how they ran away from home for adventure. She was able to see it in the reels and it reflected on Jenny. She didn't want to leave her behind, and she had a feeling that her husband didn't want to either. But the people on that planet wanted to honor her for her courage, and her memory would live on for years to come. Now they were left with the pain.

He said being a Time Lord was so much more, and that he and his people were known for their history and shared suffering. Rose may not be a Time Lord, but she was her own brand, and the Doctor's wife. They would share the suffering together.

Rose grabbed the Doctor's other hand and turned his body around to face her. He looked at her curiously before she slipped her arms around his neck, holding him close. He remained stiff for another moment, almost as if he felt it was without merit, but he needed this more than anything right now. Both of them did. Soon his own wrapped around her tightly, his face buried into the crook of her neck.

He was always one to be welcomed in his wife's open arms, but there were times where he felt he didn't deserve it at all. Now was no exception, if he was honest. Once again someone he was beginning to care for died because of their involvement with him. Because they came _from_ him. Because he cared for them. That was how the universe was to him. That black cloud that always hung over his head was still there, never rolling on through the storms. They never leave, always stay. He knew from the moment that young girl stepped out of that machine that it would only bring misery to his life. It wasn't that he directed the blame on _her,_ it was _the universe_ adding on to his misfortune with his almost never-ending streak of bad luck.

Over the years he's found that the universe rarely consulted his opinion on who should live or die, and far too many times those who didn't deserve it did. If it weren't for his wife being here then he'd know for a fact he'd have nobody else. He'd be alone. But every time he was granted something for some reason something terrible happened to it. And it happened once again today when his…his daughter, who was shot in cold blood all just to save his life. The vision was a spitting image of when Rose had been shot in the chest all because they were close to him, someone special. When he held Jenny in his arms he swore for a moment he saw his wife dying all over again and…he couldn't bear it. His insides shook when the image glued onto his vision, bombarding him with the affliction.

Maintaining his control and keeping his facade up like a shield was a challenge for him up to this point today, but the Doctor's walls were coming down and he let it all out in his wife's arms. It's been a long time since he properly wept. He let it out a number of times during their recovery period in front of Rose, to where she was the only one to witness it, but that's the only way he'd want it to be released from concealment.

His fingers curled as he clung onto her towel in submission. He gave in and broke down, sobs wracking through his body as his eyes stung with tears, moistening her skin. She rubbed his back soothingly, brushing her lips against his head before a string of sobs escaped her as well, her own tears trailing down his cheek and mingling with his. As much as it was hurting him that he wouldn't have children ever again, it pained him more whenever he thought about his wife. Yes, she said she never really wanted to be a mother in her life if she hadn't met him and had her body change into a different breed of human and they both decided that if they were able to conceive they wouldn't because of their hectic lifestyle. That didn't mean this would be a painful reminder of what she could never have. Something he couldn't give her.

But what they _did_ have was each other. That was more than enough.

They spent long moments that way in each other's arms on their bed. Rose was rocking him gently back and forth to stifle his shuddering nerves as much as her own, calming themselves down in the whirling storm of grief that washed over them. The Doctor loosened his grip on her towel and let his body relax when his sobs came to a complete stop and he became quiet. She ran a hand through his hair and reached out mentally to steady him further. He let out a trembling exhale. Their bedchamber was dim and silent save for the light coming from the en suite that stung their burning eyes and their hitched breathing trying to be regained, and the soft hums from the TARDIS as the sentient ship gently filling their ears.

Rose sniffed a few times as she pulled back enough to see her husband's face. His eyes were closed but she could see the slight puffiness and redness at their rims along with his cheeks shining from his dampened tears, their tracks staining them. She lightly dried his face with her thumbs before trailing one down to his chin to trace his bottom lip when it fleetingly trembled.

There were only a handful of times she's ever seen him weep, including his past incarnations via the images he showed her when they bonded. Those and the few occasions during their time of convalescence. For so many years he kept his guard up and hid his sorrows behind masks and wide smiles that wouldn't reach his eyes, expertly. But when he made himself vulnerable like this and let his bottled up emotions flow, everything came out; every inch of pain he suffered through his long life. His lonely ancient life. He wasn't truly alone, not while she was right by his side.

Her hands raised up to bring his forehead down upon hers while they sat quietly on their bed, their minds doing all the talking through waves of comfort and solace. Another shuddering breath escaped from him but he steadied himself right away with his hands placed firmly on her sides, his eyes finally opening.

"Thank you," he finally said, his voice quiet and rough. He cleared his throat and repeated it.

"For what?" she whispered.

"For showing me that earlier," he replied, one of his hands lifting to brush away a stray tear that fell from her eye. "To see what became of the world after…" He trailed off with another shuddering breath.

"I know this hurts," she said. "But…I wanted to see what she helped create. What our _daughter_ created."

The Doctor nodded. "Not only that. Thank you…for being here. With me."

Rose smiled warmly at him and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "We won't forget her."

"No, we won't. We'll remember her. And honor her." Brief silence followed when they pulled back until she began giggling before covering her mouth. He noticed and arched an eyebrow at her in confusion and concern. "Um…Rose? Am I…missing something here?"

"No, 's just…could you imagine the look on my mum's face if we told her she was a _gran_?" she said, barely stifling another laugh.

He caught on and began to chuckle at the very sight of Jackie Tyler finding out the news. "I think the real hoot would be if she actually saw her and how _grown_ she was."

"God, she would've thought we were away for _twenty_ years!"

"Then she _really_ would've slapped me for sure. Maybe worse, she would've punched the ever living daylights outta me! Especially when she found out we're _married_ and _intimate_."

"She thought that already, though, but she'd still question if you had _tentacles_ or somethin.'" They continued chortling for a few more moments before their laughter died down. "We probably shouldn't be laughing so soon," Rose commented after.

The Doctor shook his head. "Maybe. That's what we do, Rose. We laugh until the pain goes away, until we're convinced that we're not afraid of the dark."

"Yeah, suppose so," she said, scratching her eyebrow. "It'll get easier, yeah?"

"'Course it will," he said without hesitation. "We'll be fine. More than that, we'll be _brilliant._ We've been through…a lot over the years. We've been through some of the worst possible pain that one can't even fathom, but we _always_ get through it. It'll just take some time. We can get through this, Rose. I know we will."

If they were able to overcome over a year of anguish and death during a recovery period, then they would be able to get through this, as hard as it was at the moment. They could make it through anything as long as they had each other.

A moment later Rose released their joined hands to cup his face and brought him down for a gentle kiss. The Doctor melded into her, wrapping an arm around her waist. He groaned when she nipped his bottom lip, coaxing him to open up for her and he didn't hesitate as he plunged his tongue into her open mouth, drinking her all in while at the same time pushing everything into her; the guilt of having another death on his head, the pain of it all that pierced through them, the grief, the agony, the unpleasantness of the parallels it created in comparison to a similar incident over a year ago.

He shoved it all aside in the back of his mind and solely focussed on his wife. It started slow as they melted into each other in the darkness of their bedchamber, savoring every movement of their lips brushing against each other, acknowledging the faint echoes in their ears but keeping their mindset on right here and right now.

His hands slid behind her back and over the cotton towel, slipping his fingers beneath the material to connect with her warm skin, the perfect contrast to his cool touch while her own ran through his hair, scratching across his scalp. She moaned for a moment and tore away from him to unbutton his Oxford and do away with his layers. He helped her out by tossing them somewhere behind him. Moments later it wasn't enough. Once that activity was finished she took the open seat laid out for her being his lap, straddling him and mapping out every inch of his mouth. His hands moved to the knot keeping her towel secure and untied it, pooling it in their laps then throwing it aside, continuing his ministrations as he buried his hands in her hair, sliding through with ease then charting out every glorious inch of her bare flesh offered to him.

They broke away for air and he took the chance to nibble on the sweet spot of her neck before rising up to crash his lips back on hers. Keeping a firm grip on her hips, he slowly leaned back, their mouths never disconnecting with each other as she came to lay atop his chest. He groaned deeply from the friction and felt himself straining then flipped her over, switching their positions to place her down in the center of their bed. Taking in her disheveled appearance was more than enough motivation for him as he shed off his remaining superfluous layers of clothing then proceeded to drown himself in his wife's love, claiming her mouth once more and bathing himself in her essence.

All both of them intended to do was to surround themselves with each other's passion in hopes of drowning out the accompanying and newfound pain that marked them, to let it fade away to a region of their insides where it wouldn't hurt as much as it would. Not that it would make them forget the cause of it in the first place, but to help them heal before it consumed them.

It may have been a bit masochistic on their parts but it was remedial for them, much like it had been during their recovery period. Just the feeling of heated skin against skin, three fully alive hearts pounding their rhythms together, through one another, to reassure them that they were together and would make it through the darkest of days that would come. To make each other feel whole and fill in the holes that were torn open by force, ripped away from reality, to let them mold together, to suffer through it as one, joined as one, only as a bonded couple could.

They made love endlessly in the darkness, desperate and quick at first just for the intensity and exhilaration to feel their bodies pulsing together but then slowly and savory, over and over again, preserving every touch and every kiss they had to offer as they worshipped each other's bodies and minds through transferring sentiments whether it be out loud or mentally, waves crashing over them but not putting out the smoldering flames of passion that swarmed them or their world. But making it stronger, making it thrive with one energy and making them feel more alive. Just what they wanted. Needed.

In those furtive throes they dug down deep and found just how painful the day's tragic events had gotten to them, how much they penetrated them that didn't reach the surface, especially on the Doctor's end. It was as palpable now as it was earlier when they grieved, maybe more even. The desperation made itself known by how they clung onto each other in their rides and devoured each other, letting their mouths and hands soothe every open space as a reassurance to let them know this was real and they were still together.

During one of their romantic interludes they felt a small odd but comfortable golden warmness lingering in the back of their minds, just a speck that gave off the impression that everything was okay as it always would be, making them both inwardly smile before another settled in Rose's stomach when they crash-landed down from the sky for the umpteenth time and let the sensations swirl around them. But it only took another moment for them to soar back into the air and fall back into each other's passion.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Jenny's eyes fluttered open when she heard a faint humming sound in her ears followed by a blanket of warmth falling over her, a small amount in the back of her head. Which now that she realized was unusual since she was certain that she was dead moments after that bullet pierced through her chest. She remembered taking a bullet for her parents then falling into their arms, watching the terraforming process beginning around them as her mother and father began telling her about the life they would live when she travelled with them. Then darkness. Like a wrap was draped over her vision when she closed her eyes and breathed her last breath. But…she was still breathing. She still had her own thought process.

She _was_ dead, right?

A small amount pressure lingered in her chest over the spot where she was shot but was fading by the second. Maybe this was what happened when you welcomed death; those last few moments of brain activity left where images of your life would flash by and remind you of everything you've been through in your lifetime. Of course she didn't have too many memories other than the information embedded in her mind in regards to war-based knowledge and tactics to use when under attack. Those useful pieces of information along with some faint images and bits carried over after the progenation when her parents had their samples of DNA extrapolated thus creating her.

Wait a minute…

Jenny sat up from where she lay and found herself outside in what appeared to be a meadow with vast golden grass. Her eyes moved over the plain in confusion. She leaned over and lightly touched a blooming flower a few inches away from her leg and backed away almost instantly. Everything felt real. How? Why? So many questions, but who could answer them? There didn't seem to be anyone else around…wherever it was she ended up.

"Hello?" she called out in hopes that someone or something would respond to her. "Is anyone there?"

Nothing but a quiet warm breeze. She raised a hand to scratch the back of her neck then jerked her head in the direction of a comforting presence to her left. A golden light, almost like a portal, shot down from the sky, almost blinding her with the rays and prompted her to squint. The next thing she knew a figure was materializing and coming into view. She had the urge to get up and run like her genetics were made for but thought that this strange phenomenon was harmless and…familiar, in some way.

"Who are you?" Jenny asked.

Once the figure became more solid she gasped when she recognized the woman—it was her mother. She blinked a few times, utterly lost, when the other blonde was sitting beside her with her legs crossed.

"Hello Jenny," she said, her accent a little different than from what she remembered. "I've been waiting for you to wake up. A long time, mind you. Of course long durations of rest are in your genes as well as a jeopardy friendly nature, so all of this was expected, in a sense."

Jenny stared, wide-eyed. Her train of thought was functioning—for the most part—when she first came to, but now she couldn't find anything to say. "Mum?" she finally asked.

Rose tilted her head to the side. "Well, technically, yes, I suppose."

Jenny's brows creased. There was doubt? What else _was_ she?

"There's a _very_ long story that would have to be told in order to answer that," Rose spoke up, making Jenny jump for a second in alarm.

"How did…how do you know what I'm thinking?"

"We're in your mind, Jenny," Rose told her before looking around the landscape and nodding her head with satisfaction. "A nice choice of scenery you've picked, too, I have to say. Very calming."

"Wait, does this mean that I'm…dead?" Jenny asked. "Is this one of those experiences with death? Are you one of my visions?"

Rose smiled gently. "You're not dead, sweetheart. Well, strictly speaking, you're just in a very deep sleep, but it's up to you if you want to stay that way. And I know for a fact you wouldn't. _Won't_. Can't, really."

"What's this place?"

"Karass Don Slava, it looks like," she answered, reaching over to pick up a flower from the ground, her fingers brushing along the soft ball tops. "Home of the vast Candle Meadows abundant in Psychic Pollen." She raised the flower to her lips and blew on it, the contents swaying in the breeze. "Once surrounded with these one could make another person dream up any scenery they want or even make shapes out of the clouds to roll by. Interesting choice of yours. Must have been a memory transferred into you from your father."

"Where _is_ my dad? I mean, you're here, but where's he at?"

"There isn't much time to go through the long and complicated explanations," Rose said quickly. "But, for starters, you have to see something. And need to know it right away. And, something of yours needs some attention."

Jenny reluctantly nodded and waited for her mother to show whatever it was that she wanted to reveal. She took a deep breath and her eyes slid shut, but when she opened them a golden light poured out, warm as it lingered on Jenny's chest. She gasped and brought her hand to clutch at the hot spot in shock, feeling the sensation spreading throughout her body. Her insides tingled as a result and she felt her hearts beating beneath her palm. A phrase entered her mind, repetitive and strong.

 _Bad Wolf._

Her mouth hung agape when she removed her hand from her chest and stared at her mother, whose eyes returned to normal and her smile grew. "There we are," Rose said. "Feels a lot better when they're both working properly, doesn't it?"

"How did you do that?" Jenny asked, half in wonder and half in bewilderment. "I know you're my mother, but…I never knew you could do _that._ Is that an advanced human trait or something?"

Rose chuckled. "You have so much to learn, dear."

"And what's Bad Wolf?"

" _I_ am the Bad Wolf."

Okay. That made sense.

"I know it seems nebulous at the moment," Rose/Bad Wolf continued. "But given time you'll understand the concept fully."

"So, let me get this straight," Jenny said, straightening up. "I'm not dead."

"Just in a deep coma," Bad Wolf replied with a nod.

"How are we able to communicate, though?"

"Because I've required an extra amount of energy from another source, one from inside my own body. I'm from the future, Jenny."

"The future?"

"Yes. And it's imperative that you know about what might come."

Jenny's eyes widened in alarm. "What's coming?"

Bad Wolf shifted in her spot and moved an inch closer. "Darkness," she replied with seriousness. "The Creator will be coming back and darkness comes in his wake. I went further into the timeline and saw it. I came from the Heart of the TARDIS and merged with Rose Tyler, becoming a part of her. And at this moment I'm sending a message through time beneath an undetected wavelength to warn others about the upcoming battle."

"Battle?" Jenny asked. If this was a war then she would have to fight. But she learned that there were always other choices to make.

"And it is why I'm talking to you now," Bad Wolf said. "Everything will make more sense when we have time, but it won't be for a while, I'm afraid."

"Why? Am I gonna be asleep for a really long time?"

"No. You'll be waking up shortly, but…your parents won't be there."

Jenny frowned. "What do you mean? Why not?"

Bad Wolf sighed and scratched her eyebrow. "When you were shot it was inevitable that you would die. Your ability to regenerate or heal rapidly wasn't activated just yet. Your body had to adjust on its own and heal with time, but it was delayed. The problem was that because your body was deteriorating inside, your awareness and presence couldn't be triggered, leading to your parents having to leave you on Messaline. You know that spark lingering in the back of your head?"

"Yes."

"That's how they would be able to sense you," Bad Wolf continued. "Time Lords and advanced humans, as it turns out, are telepathic and are able to feel another one's presence. You felt it not long after you were created but had no idea what it was. It was a signal, just faint and barely there. You needed to have more time to adjust to it and make it stronger. But when you took the bullet to your chest it died down and your parents couldn't feel anything anymore, and the delayed trigger was taking longer than it should have. We waited for you," she said with a softer tone and her original accent before changing again. "Waited so long for the after effects to work, but nothing was happening. So they had no choice but to leave you."

"They think I'm permanently dead," Jenny concluded sadly. She could only imagine how depressed they were. Before she was encompassed by the darkness she recalled the look of grief on her parents' faces behind their strong and forced smiles. Her newly beating hearts ached at the thought. "But what about now? If I choose to wake up won't they know? Won't the signal be ignited again?"

"The connection will still be faint," Bad Wolf replied. "Only a small speck in the back of their minds." She smiled. "But even the smallest amount would be enough reassurance for them to know that everything will be alright and they would be at peace."

"But if you're a part of my mother, won't she know about… _this_?" Jenny asked, gesturing around them. "If you two are one in the same then won't you give it away and tell dad?"

Bad Wolf chuckled. "I wish I could, but everything that happened in Messaline is a never-ending paradox and a fixed point in time. And, because I hold information and visions from the future, it would only create more problems for the universe and them. Trust me, it's too soon. Not to mention they've got a lot coming their way, it's only the beginning. I'll be able to keep all of this suppressed in Rose's mind so that it won't overwhelm her or her husband. You, the Doctor and Rose Tyler will know about these events when the time is right. Just not yet."

Jenny groaned. She was trying to process whatever was happening, which she still couldn't wrap her head around. She wasn't really dead but in an apparent coma that would help her heal from her fatal injury and try to make her system adjust to her advanced genetics. The progenation machine never programmed her with this type of information. This was a whole new experience for her and the family that she came from.

"So what do I do now?" she asked. "Should I go looking for mum and dad? Or… _you_ and dad?"

"I'm sorry, dear," Bad Wolf said with a sad smile. "We're not meant to cross paths again for a while."

"But what if that spark isn't enough to let them know that I'm alive? What if they don't feel it?"

"Oh, they'll feel it," she assured. "It may be faint, but they'll acknowledge it. Because I'm connected to the TARDIS—the powerful ship that your parents travel in, and you also travel in on a number of occasions," she added with a grin. "Meaning that the small sensation will linger in the back of their heads, waiting to be fully activated once you encounter them again."

Jenny nodded, seeming to understand the lot of information being given to her. "When exactly will that be?"

"As I already said I can't tell you the _exact_ time," Bad Wolf told her gently. "However, you'll know when the time is right."

"How?"

"Face me," she instructed. "And just stay still."

Jenny did just that and shifted to sit before her mother—or the powerful entity that was a part of her mother rather, she was still trying to understand—her hands folded in her lap as she waited for what would come next. Bad Wolf raised a hand to Jenny's temple and closed her eyes, prompting her to do the same. Something warm entered her mind in the shape of a package and was kept securely sealed with golden chains and a lock, placing itself to the back of her mind. Odd as this process was it felt right, like something she could do herself. As soon as the package was gently placed somewhere she couldn't see it disappeared from her view. She opened her eyes, bawling them out of amazement.

"Wow," she breathed out with a smile. "That was… _incredible_."

"Telepathy works wonders," Bad Wolf said with a grin. "Can do all sorts of things with it, but it can be vulnerable at times, so you'd have to be cautious when you try it out in the future."

"What was that anyway?" Jenny asked curiously. "It was a…box."

"A special package," Bad Wolf replied. "One that will open on its own when the time is right and when you're ready. Had to take safety measures just in case you stumbled upon it one night when you fell asleep. Could be a bit rebellious like your father and try to take a peek at what could happen in the future. Luckily I placed a perception filter on it and an automatic key that would allow it to unlock in the right time."

"So…that package you just put in my mind will open when this Creator and this darkness will come and this battle will begin," Jenny said slowly, making sure she understood. She didn't want to get vital information mixed up when there was a mission in the future that she had to be ready for.

"That's right."

"So what do I do when I wake up?"

Bad Wolf arched an eyebrow. "What do you _want_ to do, Jenny?"

She barely pondered for a moment and smiled. "I wanna see the universe," she said. "To help people and discover new worlds."

"That's my girl," Bad Wolf said with a grin. She leaned over and placed a hand on the side of her face. "You do that, Jenny. Be brilliant. And when you're ready that package will open and lead you to your parents, I promise you. You'll find them."

Jenny nodded and gave her a hug. "Thank you."

"My time's just about up. You'll be waking up in a matter of moments and I have to return to my current timeline. This conversation will seem like a fading dream when you come out of your coma, but its remnants will still float about. Just enough to be a reminder that you'll make the most of your life and have a lot to look forward to, no specific details. And you've got an outrageous amount of running to do."

She stood up but something came to Jenny. "Wait, will I see you again? I mean, before the package opens? Will I speak to you again?"

"If you're lucky, perhaps," Bad Wolf said with a smile. "A part of me will always be with you in here." She tapped a finger to her own temple. "You'd just have to look deep inside yourself to find me. A handful of your parents' knowledge and memories are already there too, just concentrate and search through your mind and you'll see them every day. Every time you go to sleep, you'll see them and all of the good they've done over the years as they'll dream of you."

"Thank you, mum," Jenny said with a smile. "I love you."

"Love you too, darling. Be ready for what's to come and be careful. Be aware that you inherit your mother's jeopardy friendly acts."

She giggled. "I promise."

"And…just be amazing," Bad Wolf said with a warm grin. "Don't be alarmed at what's about to happen to you. Go along with it and search through your mind. There's a little trick your parents will love to learn about that I thought you should know about, especially your father."

"What's that?"

"A special kind of regeneration."

Soon Jenny felt her body warming up as the meadow around her began to fade away along with Bad Wolf. In a rush she felt like she was falling through the air hard but when she came to a stop she felt no pain. She landed flat on her back and inwardly shuddered. Her attention was focussed on her body when she noticed her skin beginning to glow a golden color. A stream of it escaped from her lips and when she exhaled.

And then…her eyes shot open.

Blinking rapidly Jenny found herself laying on a small cot in the old human encampment theatre with a sheet over her body and a bright light casting from the massive windows behind her. How long was she out? She saw the words Bad Wolf written across the walls in black ink briefly before fading away. She then noticed Cline and one of the Hath standing by her side with equally bemused expressions. She smiled at them.

"Hello, boys," she told them, hopping off of the table and adjusting her top. "Well, that was a rush."

"But-but," the young man sputtered. "That's…that's just _impossible_! You were _dead_!"

"Just resting, really, I guess," Jenny said with a shrug. "And it's not impossible. Just a bit unlikely."

He and the Hath just stared at her, utterly lost. "But…how?"

"Good genes, gotta thank my parents for that," she replied with a smile.

"Your hair, it… _changed_."

"Really?" She frowned before reaching up to bring her ponytail around to her face. For some reason her blonde hair darkened to a shining red color. That was interesting. "Oh, guess it did." She smiled. "I like it. Now then, where were we?"

She took off and ran into the halls in search for transportation. Luckily for her she knew where one of the escape shuttles were and took a hidden scenic route towards it. Running was no problem for her since it was in her blood. In the back of her mind she felt a warmness, letting her know the he parents were out there somewhere. But, while she couldn't wait to see them again, she had some plans of her own first.

She entered the shuttle with a wide smile on her face and made her way to the captain's chair and began to operate the controls. To the side she noticed a small mirror and she stopped her fiddling and took in her appearance. She sounded the same and didn't change her appearance. Well, except for her hair, that was. Other than that, her body was exactly the same. A handy trick that came to her courtesy of her father's side with regeneration. Handy indeed. She wondered if he ever tried it out before. She could ask him about that when she would meet him later on.

The intercom buzzed on and Cline's voice came through. **_"Jenny? What're you doing? Come back!"_**

"Sorry," she replied, resuming her button pressing to start the shuttle's engines. "Can't stop. What you gonna do, tell my mum and dad?"

 _ **"But where are you going?"**_

"Oh, I've got the whole universe!" she chirped. "Planets to save, civilizations to rescue, creatures to defeat…and an awful lot of running to do!"

She took control of the wheel and shot off into the sky with a huge smile on her face. She knew her parents would be so proud of her. When she would see them again she would have plenty of stories and explanations to tell them.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Hours after being completely spent from their consecutive rounds of passionate lovemaking, the Doctor and Rose slept in each other's arms, peaceful and content. It was surprising that it came so easily for them considering they were awaiting a nightmare or two to pop up immediately after, but nothing came to them. Well, maybe not _nothing._ At least nothing filled with anguish or pain. In the back of their minds they were aware of the visions flashing before their eyes when they began to stir in their sleep momentarily before returning to their deep slumber, knowing it was being transferred to each other. It was something warm, something soothing, something filled with…peace. That followed by various dreams of their daughter travelling across the universe doing everything they'd want her to do.

Saving planets and helping people. Small smiles spread across their faces as they dreamt, letting the warmness spread through them.

* * *

 **So yeah. A bunch of important points in this for the future. I promise you, we will _definitely_ see Jenny again. ****And yes, she regenerated into the same body. It's an old Gallifreyan trick, just make it happen, my dears. And I made her turn ginger just because.** **I know a bunch of you wanted Jenny to travel with them right after, but hey. Future sequels? ;)**

 **Shout out to _newboy_ for coming up with 'the Creator' and ****allowing me to use it! Giving credit where it's due, thanks a lot for the idea, dude! ;D Did this chapter help you? I know the last chapter was cut at an odd spot and left you hanging, but hopefully this answered everything.**


	27. Further Goings

**A/N: As I said, we'll be going back to that chapter later on. It's very important and hints at the future.** **So we're fast forwarding about a month later so that things won't get _too_ tedious with the bit of angst. **

**Meant to post this on Billie Piper's birthday but I got caught up in other things. Still, happy belated b-day to her! ^^** **Anyways, much love and many thanks to all of you!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 26: Further Goings**_

Nearly a month went by since the loss of Jenny, and it wasn't the best of weeks for the Doctor and Rose, but they were healing from the newfound pain that had overcome them. Having Donna around made things easier since they could focus on their friend and spend time with her in between those moments of relapse, and that was perfect for them. Having each other and reassuring that they were both alive and had one another to hold and cherish was more than enough for them, but having another person onboard added onto the process to lessen the gravity of the grief.

Travels were light for the trio, trying to avoid as much trouble as possible, so the Doctor took them to calming while still fun planets without much fuss. Simple planets where the only trouble was not enjoying the festivities and events. And, in many cases, they were glum underneath the smiles. It wasn't the easiest to get over one's death, but they went on to see new worlds in the young girl's memory, seeing wonders of the universe that were created in similar ways due to courage, just like what she had done. Still they were healing with the loss by doing what they do best—being themselves.

The thing that seemed odd to Rose was that neither she or the Doctor had one nightmare during their time. Barely a smidgen of one to reach the surface. To be fair neither one of them were complaining about that, nobody _wishes_ to have nightmares plaguing their minds, it was unethical and…strange. But given the painful and traumatic experience of having their daughter dying in their arms in cold blood it would seem almost inconceivable to not have at least one image of the scene bleeding through their cracks. It seemed too far-fetched to not have one, but what they did have were these peculiar yet mollifying sensations lingering in the back of their minds, like itches they couldn't scratch. Like warm reassurances that were faint signs that there was hope.

As much as that pained them, they knew her short-lived life and legacy would be honored and remembered for as long as they lived, for every new world they touched down on and ran across, letting themselves be at ease from the horror sides of the universe and remain in their own.

Rose felt herself stirring out of her slumber and yawned, feeling good and rested. A cool feeling poured into her head and stomach, something she had been feeling along in the last few weeks. She shifted a bit and opened her eyes. Her mind was still foggy from sleep and she could barely process anything, but the first thing she was able to make out was a mop of touseled dark hair in front of her, tickling her chin.

The Doctor's head was pillowed on her chest with his body curled around her, his arms holding her close as he melded into her side. Their duvet was lowered around his waist, but it didn't matter. He was a living radiator despite his lower body temperature. He let out a deep breath. He seemed to still be asleep, which was odd for him considering he hardly slept more than a few hours, but ever since they wed and became intimate he's been going past his sleep cycle. She smiled and brought a hand up to gently run her fingers through his hair. It was a little longer than usual, like it had been when he regenerated on Christmas. She could give him a good trim later on.

He hummed in contentment, which to her sounded more like a purr. "Have I ever told you that you make an _excellent_ pillow?" he mumbled, his breath tickling her.

"Not somethin' every girl hears a lot, but I wouldn't mind hearing it every now and again," she said with a chuckle. "If it's all the same, you make an excellent blanket."

He smiled into her skin and made a happy noise, nuzzling her chest. Rose shifted a bit to get in a more comfortable position to stretch, but he tightened his arms around her to keep her steady. "Wait," he said softly. "Stay still for a little bit."

"Doctor, I need to know if I can use my limbs again," she replied.

"Just a minute," he told her gently. "Please."

"Doctor—"

"Shhh. Just one more minute, that's all. I wanna listen to your heart a little longer."

Rose chuckled through her nose and smiled warmly. "So sentimental."

He placed a kiss above her heart and remained in his locus. She let out a deep breath and settled back down, continuing to run her fingers through his hair. The hand he kept placed on her side began to tenderly caress her skin, his fingers tracing intricate scripture that made her eyes slowly shut. When it came to sleeping he was always the one waking her up and tossing her out of bed, but then there were moments like this where he didn't mind curling up beside her and staying in her arms in the morning.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Much better now," he replied.

"What about your little sick spells you've been having? Have they finally gone?"

"For now. Like I said, they were only temporary. Sometimes Time Lords get a periodical Gallifreyan sickness that lasts about a week or two, sometimes a little longer, but it should be out of my system."

"Good, 'cause you bein' sick is never something I'd wanna look forward to dealing with again," she joked.

He huffed. That was another thing that seemed a bit strange to Rose. By some chance the Doctor's body had lowered their immunity walls and allowed him to have a small stomach bug, an occasional interval. It wasn't anything serious, merely a few bouts of nausea and some dizzy spells. Nothing he couldn't handle. As much as she felt sorry that her husband was briefly sick, he was worse to care for than a child. From what he described, he went through a level one phase. Anything higher than that would probably be a nightmare for her. She didn't _dare_ want to know what level ten would be like.

Seemingly finished with hearing the steady beating of her heart as his early morning symphony the Doctor tilted his head up and opened his eyes, smiling warmly at her. He stopped his tender caresses on her side and gently eased her down flat on her back, stretching his body up to give her a soft kiss to the lips.

"Morning," he said, maneuvering to lay beside her with his head propped up on his hand.

"Mornin,'" she replied. "If you could even call it morning."

"Relatively speaking, it is," he replied. "Can I ask you something?" She nodded. "I have a feeling that I already know the answer since I've asked it before, but the answer always baffles me so I wanna ask it anyway."

"Of course you do."

"How do you _still_ manage to sleep a _ridiculous_ amount of hours with an advanced system?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't start timing me again."

"Well I need something to do when you're asleep," he said casually. "It's actually been a while since I've done it, you know. Thinking of random equations and solving them doesn't fill in the time slot."

"You've got room to talk, though," she said, giving him a false pointed stare. "'S not like you've been tryna haul me out of bed lately to wake me up."

He shrugged. "I can't be _fully_ responsible for waking you up, but nine hours, eighteen minutes and thirty-six seconds is too long of a duration for sleep for a human. Even for an _advanced_ one, at that."

"'Scuse me, but I don't have the stamina of a nine hundred plus year old Time Lord," she replied with a tongue-touched grin. "There's days where I don't feel like I can even _walk_ because of you."

The Doctor giggled at that as he traced circles over her ribs with a single finger, manly smugness coloring his features. She shivered at his touch, which only increased his complacency. "I'd say your stamina is up to par with mine."

"Even still, I haven't been 'hibernating', as you call it, in a while," Rose continued with air quotes. "So 's nothing to really complain about."

"That's true," he said with a nod. "Guess I should be thankful that you're improving."

She poked his chest. "Shut up."

He chuckled quietly before kissing her again. "Now then," he said after. "If you're finished sleeping in your blanket burrow then we should probably get up."

Rose's eyes rolled up to the ceiling, an inquisitive look on her face as she hummed. "Dunno, I think we can stay here for a little longer."

He sighed. "Oh, you and your sleep," he muttered.

She grinned cheekily. "I never said anything about sleeping."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow at her and returned the smile, threading his fingers with hers and bringing their joined hands up to kiss the backs of her knuckles a few times, his thumb brushing along hers when he lowered them down in the small space between them. "Normally, in other circumstances, I wouldn't protest—"

"Then don't," she cut in with a sweet smile, tracing her fingers of her unoccupied hand over his forearm. "You said 'probably', meaning it's optional. We've got a time machine, all the time in the world. It can wait, yeah?"

"Mmmm…as much as I'd love to stay, the TARDIS informed me that Donna's already awake and wandering around. We really shouldn't keep her waiting now, should we?"

Rose sighed and fell back into the pillows, pouting. The Doctor chuckled and leaned down to kiss her nose before kicking the duvet away from their feet to get out of the bed, the cool air hitting her entire body before she shifted to lay back on her side and gave her husband a good once-over with him in the buff, admiring everything from her view. "Is that how you're goin' out there?" she asked. "Like that?"

"What?" he squeaked, whirling around to face her with widened eyes. "Like-like _this_?"

"It would save you a bunch of time instead of getting dressed, you know," she said with a shrug.

He blinked at her, his shocked expression replaced by an austere one with false steelness. "Rose Marion Tyler! Are you trying to make me _regenerate_ on the _spot_?!" She giggled. "Do you have any idea what would happen if I did? Can you imagine the _massive_ slap Donna would give me? It'd be worse than your mother's!"

"It's actually quite the image," she said with a tongue-touched grin. "But 'm guessing that you'd regenerate from embarrassment first before a hard smack across the face."

He was scandalized, his hair standing on end from fear rather than the result of sleep, her ruffling, and being thoroughly shagged from the night before. He noticeably shuddered and blushed.

"Please don't, that's not something I'd ever wanna find myself in the middle of nor the kind of image I'd want at the start of a new day. Bad enough Donna almost walked in on us in the galley when we were…" He trailed off then cleared his throat, tugging on his earlobe and blushing violently. He pointed a stern finger at her, waggling it at her. "Rose Tyler, that was very ribald of you to think of such a thing, especially when we have a guest on-board. Shame on you."

Rose bit her lip, her face full of innocence as she shifted to lay on her belly and faced him, resting her chin on her hands. "Could be worse. Jack could be on the TARDIS with us."

"Ohhh no, no no," he said quickly. "No, _definitely_ not. Then I should be thankful and eternally grateful that he's nowhere near us at the moment."

She laughed at him as he moved over to the side to collect his forgotten clothes scattered across the floor. "Doctor," Rose spoke up. "Can we visit him one day? At Torchwood?"

He hummed in thought, stopping while mid-bent over with his trousers in his hand before straightening up. "Is that what you want to do?"

"I mean, we haven't seen him in a while and I know he'd wanna catch up with us and to see how we're doin,'" she said. "That night when he called us he said there's always an open invitation for us to stop by."

"Well…I don't see anything wrong with that," he replied, straightening up.

Her brows shot up. "Come again?"

"What? I never said there would be a problem with visiting Jack and his band of merry men…and women, I take it." He moved back over to the side of their bed. "We can visit them one day if that's what you want. As long as intimate discretion is upfront, 'cause the last thing I need is Captain Jack knowing about my personal affairs with my wife."

"He's already made guesses about it, you know."

The Doctor groaned. "Perfect. That's all I needed know, love."

She giggled and moved to stand on her knees, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks."

He smiled at her before returning to his task of collecting his clothes. She groaned, wishing he would come back to bed with her. She reached her arms over her head for a much needed stretch, tilting to each side in order to get the crick out of her bones and arching her back. Her eyes shot open when she heard her husband whistling at her from where he stood in the corner of their room by the door, his rumpled suit bunched up in his arms.

"Now _that's_ an image to have in mind in the morning," he remarked with a wicked grin, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"You dirty old man," Rose gasped out in false offense, lowering her arms.

He threw her a wink. "Not sorry."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Donna sat in the galley with a fresh hot cuppa in her hands and some toast and marmalade to the side, awaiting for her friends to make their grand entrance and to come out of their cave. Very rarely would she be the first one awake in the TARDIS since sleep wasn't really in the lovebirds' dictionary and they were always bouncing around with unbelievable amounts of energy. How was it possible for two people to run around like hyperactive bunnies only moments after waking up? Well, Rose would move around more sluggishly than the Doctor since she wasn't really a morning person.

She cut them breaks and understood them for staying in a little more than usual, though. The last month has been a little rough for them after losing Jenny, so she didn't blame them for being cautious during their light travels. She may have known loss and dealt with it along with her family, but this was a hard hit of unthinkable pain to come to her friends, something she had never seen from them. They've swapped stories and vaguely talked about their forced separation and the event that happened during it, but they were in need of healing then as much as they were now.

Luckily they were coming around and acting more like themselves. In all honesty they kept that attitude in these last bunch of weeks, concealing their pain and sorrows behind smiles and cheerful facades. But Donna was able to see through them and comforted them. She may not be able to do much since she was just their friend, but she wouldn't be doing her part as a good one of she didn't try to help them through their tough time.

Donna reached across the table where she had placed the book she had entered the galley with. Last night she wandered into the library when sleep didn't come easy to her and searched for something interesting and to her taste. So she chose _The Murder at the Vicarage_ by Agatha Christie. It was a classic and she hadn't read any mystery novels since she was little, and they were always interesting. She hadn't really read much of Christie's work, only a handful, but she was enjoying them very much. Flipping to the spot where she left off, she continued reading about the odd murder case of one Lucius Protheroe that was about to be solved by Miss Jane Marple.

A thought came to her while she read. Thinking back to some of the stories the Doctor and Rose have told her of their past adventures she recalled some of the famous people they've met. Rose said that one of her first trips with the Doctor was to Cardiff to meet Charles Dickens, and they said that they took Martha to see William Shakespeare. Two of the most famous and legendary authors to ever live. Maybe their next adventure could be to see Agatha Christie. The sound of footsteps and ridiculous giggling tore her attention away from her book when she noticed the Doctor and Rose entering the galley, dressed in their usual attire of brown pinstripes for him and a t-shirt and jeans for her.

"Morning, Donna," he proclaimed, looking around the room with a frown. "Finished breakfast already?"

"By how long you two were taking it should be lunchtime now," she replied with a snort, sipping her tea. "You know that saying that you could have coffee and donuts while you wait? Mine has been toast and tea."

The Doctor scratched the back of his neck. "Oh. Well…sorry to have kept you waiting."

She waved it off dismissively. "Nothing wrong with it. It's not unusual with you two doing things that…married couples do." They both blushed and she rolled her eyes playfully. "Relax. I left the kettle on and took your mugs out."

"Thanks," Rose said with a smile as she took a seat at the table across from her. "Best thing about waking up early in the TARDIS—the coffee and tea's always hot and ready."

Donna chuckled. "Bless."

The Doctor prepared some proper breakfast for the ladies by getting some bagels and coffee while Rose chatted with Donna. He downed his in a few minutes before proclaiming that he needed to work on the console for a quick tune-up before they went off to their next adventure. Before he left, his wife cracked a joke while at the same time warning him about being careful of what control he would touch so that they wouldn't end up drifting around for a few more weeks. It was nice to see them getting back to normal. Now they were all itching for some more adventure, maybe they'll run into another party or something more.

The blonde noticed the book face down on the table and nodded at it. "Whatcha reading?"

"A good mystery novel," Donna responded. "I came across it last night when I couldn't sleep. Pretty good right now, still on the beginning."

Rose reached for it and flipped it over. " _The Murder at the Vicarage_ ," she read out loud. "Haven't read this one yet, but I read a couple others by Agatha Christie."

"I never really read a whole lot of her stuff before," Donna admitted. "But this is really hooking me in. I'd like to meet her."

Rose smiled at her. "Well, we might be able to take care of that. C'mon. Maybe by some chance we'll end up there. I know the Doctor'll get a kick out of meeting another author."

"Going by the stories you've told me about him falling head over heels for Dickens and Shakespeare I'm not surprised," Donna replied.

"Maybe we can check out a party, too," the blonde suggested.

"Ooh, I hope so!"

They exited the galley and made their way to the console room. When they entered the Doctor was sitting on the jump seat, leaning back with one of his legs propped up on the edge of the panel and some random object in his hands that he was tinkering with. No sooner after they came into the room his head whirled around, his hair sticking up like a cockatoo's. Or just more than usual.

"Ah, there you are," he said, rising to his feet and tossing the thingamabob to the side with negligence, a wide smile on his face. "So, where to ladies? Karas don Kazra don Slava, where the fish sing along to the winds and the sand is psychic and able to answer impossible equations? The planet Sunday inhabited by creatures that resemble terrestrial otters and have never-ending rivers of emerald? The only kind of Sunday that I'd like, to be honest. Ooh! What about Meta Sigma Polia? It's been said to have a sky that looks like oil on water and is the place where you can see a burst of starfire! Or maybe the water skies of Zog—"

"Blimey," Donna cut him off. "It's amazing how you can speak a mile a minute without taking a breath."

"Respiratory bypass," he reminded, straightening his tie with a small preening smile.

"Don't get him started, Donna," Rose said with an eye roll as she rounded the console and leaned on the edge. "He'll start bragging about his 'superior physiology' if you keep inflating his ego." He huffed at that. "I've already chosen a destination."

"Oh? Where's that then?"

She threw him a tongue-touched grin and began to put in coordinates before pulling the lever and sending them off into the vortex. The landing was smooth and she threw him a teasing grin because of it. He rolled his eyes and nudged her shoulder before fetching his coat from the coral strut and coming down the ramp. He stepped out and held the door open for the ladies before placing his hands in his pockets and observing the area. They found themselves in a garden by an English country estate, surrounded by trees.

"Oh, beautiful place," the Doctor remarked as he too in the area. "Nice choice, Rose, it looks lovely!"

"Bet you thought we'd end up in the Red Sea again, eh?" she teased, looping her arm through his.

"'Course not, that only happened the one time. You're a fantastic driver," he added, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Better than you, won't you say?" Donna piped up from behind them.

He gave no response but Rose giggled, poking him in the chest. "No worries, love, I can teach you a thing or two about landing in the right place."

He snorted and shook his head then took a deep breath. "Oh, smell that air. Grass and lemonade and a little bit of mint. Just a hint of mint, must be the 1920s."

"You can tell what year it is just by smelling?" Donna asked in disbelief.

"Oh, yeah," he preened. "Am I right, Rose?"

She sighed. "Nothin' gets by you."

"Yup! Can easily tell it's the 1920s, love that smell. It's a very unique smell."

"Or maybe that vintage car coming up the drive gave it away," Donna commented, pointing off in the distance at a cream-colored open-top tourer driving down a hill and towards the enormous house standing tall and alone.

"Ah," was all the Doctor said with a sniff.

"Don't let that wound your ego," Rose said, patting his chest. "You're still brilliant."

He smiled warmly at her and made a happy hum. "What d'you say? Wanna check it out? You came to this place for a reason, so I figure you would."

She shrugged a shoulder. "It was Donna's suggestion, really. But I don't mind checkin' out an estate…even though we might run into snobs again."

One of his hands came out of his pocket and found its way to one of hers and gave her a squeeze. Judging by the great size of the manor they were smack right in the middle of posh country, as if Rose wanted to deal with pompous gits again. But maybe by some chance they could meet Agatha Christie.

"Still can crash the place to see what's going on, though," she added lightly.

The Doctor grinned. "Then let's have a look around, then."

To keep themselves hidden the trio snuck around the garden to make it to the side of the house, the potted plants and towering trees being used to their advantage in the stealthliness. Reaching it they noticed the driver of the vintage convertible parking outside and greeting another man who appeared to be a butler and a third man who arrived on a bicycle. Rose twitched a little inside, but let it go as they watched.

"Reverend Golightly," the butler was saying to the man on the bicycle as the other servants took luggage from the car. "The Lady Eddison requests that you make yourselves comfortable in your rooms. Cocktails will be served on the lawn from half-past four."

"You go on up," the driver said. "I need to check something in the library."

"Oh?" the reverend—Golightly—questioned.

"Alone."

"It's supposed to be a party. All this work will be the death of you."

 _"Goin' alone to a library,"_ Rose thought. _"Seems a bit suspicious, really."_

 _"Well, he could be a bookworm,"_ the Doctor replied. _"Having some down time to read a good book, we've done that before in our library."_

 _"But when we would do it, 's nothing that makes me twitch."_

He paused. _"Hm. Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing."_

 _"Could be lookin' at…you know."_

 _"At what?"_

She tilted her head and hesitated. _"You know…pornography."_

His brows had risen so high that they could've practically flown off his face. _"Rose Tyler!"_

 _"What? You don't think it's a possibility?"_

 _"That-that is a very crude assumption. There's plenty of reasons to spend time alone in a library, and reading sexually explicit material is **not** one of them."_

She raised her hands defensively. _"Hey, 'm just sayin', that's all. I've seen films where that's happened before."_

 _"Really?"_ he asked curiously. " _What kind of films have you been watching?"_

 _"Oh, come off it, you've seen some of them with me, don't deny it. You know it could be possible as much now in the '20s as it does in the 21st century."_

"Whatever it is that you two are talking about in your minds, could you keep it down a bit?" Donna spoke up with a whisper. "Blimey, it's like your mouths are glued shut just watching you two."

They both exchanged a look before clearing their throats and dropping the subject as the returned their attention to the scene before them. The men entered the house and the trio straightened up a little.

"Never mind Planet Zog," Donna said with a smile. "A party in the 1920s—that's more like it."

"The trouble is, we haven't been invited," the Doctor said, reaching a hand into his coat pocket. His brows raised.

"Oh, but gettin' into parties is one of our specialties," Rose cut in, taking out her psychic paper at the exact same time as her husband did, exchanging wide grins.

"Right you are, love!"

* * *

 **Welcome to the second half of S4! Well episode wise, that is.** ** _The Unicorn and the Wasp_ is one of my favorites of Series 4, and I just finished writing it ;) It's four parts.**

 **Response to _newboy:_ Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, there's gonna be a bunch of differences from canon, as always. Still trying to think about that episode arc but a whole lot's gonna happen before we get to that, so I'll worry later. You always make good points and I love that about your reviews ;D Lots of explaining for the Doctor to do and a bunch of reactions to get through. I'll have to brush up on my Classic Who knowledge for a little more insight on Davros, but I'll try my best when the time comes. Thanks again for the idea! **


	28. The Unicorn and the Wasp Part 1

**A/N: Here we go, one of my faves of Series 4 :D Hope you enjoy this one! This one's four chapters of it.** **Anyway, much love and many thanks to all of you lovely viewers! You're all my greatest motivation and greatest distraction from real life. ^3^**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 27: The Unicorn and the Wasp Part 1**_

The Doctor stood in the garden outside of the TARDIS, rocking on the balls of his feet as he waited patiently for Rose and Donna to get ready for the party. He chose to remain in his accustomed style of brown pinstripes and plimsols without his heavy trench coat. He _did,_ on the other hand, decide to switch ties to one he liked a little more. His sense of attire was always appropriate for just about any setting, and the ladies decided that dressing the part of the time era would be more acceptable.

He raised his wrist up and looked at his non-existent watch. Twenty-five minutes passed by and he restrained himself—barely—from calling through the doors to see how much longer they would be taking. He knew that women—especially human women—were known for taking long when getting gussied up for special occasions, so he really couldn't say too much. Although it was almost half past four and they were going to be late. He sent a mental note to his wife through their bond and she informed him that they would be done in a few more minutes. Which became was ten minutes. Standard timing, of course.

Resorting to his other option the Doctor turned to knock on the TARDIS doors and called inside. "C'mon, ladies! We'll be late for cocktails!"

"Time machine!" Donna sing-songed from inside followed by Rose's giggling.

"You two know very well that we're part of events now! We can't go into the timeline!"

 _"Aren't you gonna get dressed up?"_ Rose asked mentally.

He sniffed and adjusted his tie for no one in particular to see. _"Why would I, I'm perfectly fine with what I already have on."_

 _"And you claim you're not vain."_

He leaned against the side of the TARDIS, a small smile spreading across his lips. Impatient as he seemed, he truthfully didn't mind when it came to waiting for his wife. He just wanted her to be happy and to have her mind taken away from the couple of grief-stricken days this past month had done to them. He just wanted her to focus on themselves and everything they did in between the fitful throes that the universe threw in their way; smiling, laughing, kissing, dancing, all the good bits that defined them. They didn't always have to be running for their lives. The past month had been light travelling for the trio and Donna respected that. She intentionally landed them in this era for their companion to have a party and clearly something else, and he was all for it. After Messaline and Jenny…

He shook his head, stopping himself from entering that dark territory again. A month was enough time spent in rough patches. Even though not _all_ of it was rough since there were days where the pain ultimately vanished and they felt at ease. He was thankful for that knowing it could have been much worse. Right now they were finally coming back on their feet after her loss. Right now their focus was on the upcoming party.

A moment later the doors opened and Donna stepped out first. He figured she would be finished before his wife. "What do you think?" she asked, twirling around once. "Flapper or slapper?"

The redhead's dress was a classic choice for the 1920s; a dark black colored apparel heavily embroidered in various dark shades of green and brown, thick straps at the top with a high neckline. She also wore some pieces of jewelry including a beaded necklace that completed the look.

"Flapper," the Doctor replied with a smile. "You look lovely."

"Good to know," she answered, moving out of the doorway to stand beside him. "'Cause the TARDIS chose it for me."

He nodded. "Yeah, She does that. A dimensionally transcendent psychic ship who just happens to be an excellent help when it comes to wardrobe selections."

"Yet you wear the same couple of suits," she remarked.

He was slightly affronted. "Oi! I'm fond of this style! And I _do_ have other outfits, I've got _plenty_ of suits. It's just that I have a personal liking to my pinstripes."

Donna snorted. "Please, just come out and admit it. You only wear pinstripes 'cause Rose _loves_ seeing you in them."

"Well…"

"She was right when she said you have attachments." She grinned slyly. "Just you wait 'til you see what she's wearing."

He tilted his head, having a good idea of what his reaction would be. Knowing how close his two favorite girls were with each other he knew that whatever outfit was picked out would be a breath taker, especially when it came to his wife who he believed could rock any attire and make it look _amazing_.

"Wait a mo,' almost done," Rose called from inside the TARDIS. "'Kay, 'm ready." Another minute later she exited the ship and, just as the Doctor had anticipated, his breath was taken away.

She donned a silken dress that looked to be inspired by the Great Gatsby himself, worthy for any vintage party; a sleeveless black dress with a V-neck and a bodice shimmering with gold and silver beads and sequins arranged in ornate designs of elegant floral prints and geometric shapes. A scalloped skirt was underneath with a matching beaded fringe trim draped down about an inch below her knees, nothing too revealing. Her hair was neatly pulled into a chignon bun at the base of her neck with a thin accented headband around her forehead clipped with a small black feather to the left side. The ensemble was a magnificent and alluring choice, already so dazzling that she needed no jewelry other than her marital bracelet and ring.

"Is this okay?" she asked, twirling around to let him see the full picture.

The back was just as elegant as the front with a low-cut scoop and matching patterns. In the process the hemline swung gracefully as he appreciated the way the dress hugged her curves just right, completely comfortable and loose-fitted and, as always, jaw-dropping. Her shoes were black and low-heeled, a common option of hers given their habits of constantly running, but still maintaining class.

"Think you made him speechless again, Rose," Donna snorted. "Cat's got your tongue, huh, spaceman?"

The Doctor barely acknowledged the ginger woman's words as he kept his eyes fondly fixed on his wife's exquisite attire. Her bright tongue-touched smile completed the allure and made his hearts melt. Only she could be the one person to make him fall head over heels.

"Not the first time that's happened," Rose commented softly.

"And it won't be the last," he finally choked out, slightly tugging on his collar.

"So, I take it you approve, then?"

"Maybe just a little," he said jokingly. A warm slow smile spread across his face as he stepped closer to lovingly move his eyes over her figure again. "You look beautiful," he breathed out.

"Considering I'm a human?" she teased.

"Definitely not," he responded with a low voice, sliding an arm around her waist and gently pulled her closer to him. "Never for a human; for _anything_."

She blushed lightly for a moment. "Can say the same for _you_." She took in his appearance and arched an eyebrow. "And you didn't feel the need to change."

"Why mess with perfection," he replied nonchalantly. "I did, however, change my tie. I like this one more. Besides, this outfit is suitable for any occasion or time period. It's stylish."

"Never said it wasn't," she purred, swirling a finger over the aforementioned item. "You're always rather dashing no matter what."

"Have to look my best and try to reach my incredibly stunning wife's level," he husked. She giggled when his opposite arm came to slide behind her neck as he gave her a loving kiss.

"Alright, lovebirds, break it up," Donna spoke up from the side, causing the two to break apart. "Make your goo-goo eyes and fool around later, we've got a party waiting!"

Rose licked her lips and grinned shyly while she wiped her husband's face to clean off her lipstick that had smeared on his lips. She cocked her head to the side and hummed. "Dunno, maybe I should leave a little on you to let people know you're taken," she joked.

The Doctor made a happy sound. "Oh, believe me, they'll get the idea." When she finished he cleared his throat and held his arms out for each lady to take. "Now then, c'mon ladies. Festivities await!"

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

With the use of their trusty psychic papers with proof of their invitations—in addition to revealing documentation labeling them as people of high authority—the Doctor led the way with the ladies' arms linked through his as they walked across the estate's massive front lawn. Numerous wooden tables with chairs were set up on the lawn while servants in black suits and white gloves did their duties by laying out the foods and drinks for the buffet.

Rose looked around and felt a little uneasy after seeing the crowd of people, but her husband was quick to send her mental reassurances. Being subjected to an opulent atmosphere always made her cringe since she despised pompous gits, but as long as she was with him and their friend she felt more comfortable. After all they deserved to have some more good times after…the last month. She didn't want to ruin the mood, especially since she intentionally landed them here for Donna, so she kept her head up and was going to enjoy the festivities.

 _"Could dance a Charleston to that, eh?"_ she thought to the Doctor.

 _"Most definitely,"_ he replied with a smile. _"You're dressed very well for dancing, it's only appropriate."_

 _"Dancing…or **dancing**?"_ she teased.

He turned to her with an arched eyebrow and waggled them. _"And you call **me** a lecher."_

 _"_ Look sharp!" a woman, who appeared to be a housekeeper, called out to the servants. "We have guests."

They strolled up and the Doctor unlinked one of his arms to greet the people. "Good afternoon!" he said brightly.

One of the servants came up to them. "Drink, sir? Madams?"

"Sidecar, please," Donna replied.

"Lime and soda, thank you," the Doctor said next.

"I'll have what he's having, thanks," Rose said, nodding over at her husband.

The man bowed slightly and walked away to prepare their drinks for them. It wasn't really what she wanted to order, but she was cautious with certain cocktails after that incident that caused her to hurl all over her husband. Of course, those were alien drinks, but she still wanted to be careful.

"May I introduce Lady Clemency Eddison," announced the butler they had seen earlier when they first arrived.

The woman that made her entrance was an older petite blonde woman who came fashionably dressed in a navy blue piece and a jacket, covered with long beaded necklaces that draped around her neck and pinned up hair.

 _"Time to put on the charm,"_ the Doctor thought as he led the ladies over to the woman with a wide smile and greeted her as if he knew her well. "Lady Eddison, hello!"

He held out a hand for her and she shook it, appearing confused. "Excuse me, but who exactly might you be?" she asked. "And what are you doing here?"

"I'm the Doctor, this is my wife Dame Rose Tyler, and our friend Miss Donna Noble…of the Chiswick Nobles," he introduced.

"Thank you so much for having us, ma'am," Rose said with a forced smile.

"Good afternoon, my lady," Donna put in, her tone becoming a bit mock posh that made Rose bite back on a chuckle. She then began to perform a curtsy. "Topping day, what? Spiffing! Top hole!"

The Doctor exchanged a look with Rose and frowned at their companion's false accent and word choice. He leaned over to whisper at her. "No, no, no. Don't do that. Don't."

Rose took out her psychic paper before her husband could take out his. "We were delighted to receive your invitation, my lady," she said, holding it up. "We were hoping to see you again."

"We met at the ambassador's reception," the Doctor added.

"Oh, of course," Lady Eddison said warmly, recovering from her social faux pas. "Doctor Tyler and Dame Rose Tyler, how could I forget you? I apologize for my ignorance, but one must be sure, what with the Unicorn on the loose."

"A unicorn?" he asked, his interest perked as he looked around. "Brilliant, where is it?"

Rose placed a hand on his arm. _"Not a **real** unicorn,_ " she thought to him.

"Uh, _the_ Unicorn," Lady Eddison clarified, regarding him for a moment with an odd look. "The jewel thief? Surely you must have read about it in the papers. Nobody even knows knows who he is." While she talked a servant came up to them with their drinks on a tray for them to take. "He's just struck again. Snatched Lady Babbington's pearls right from under her nose." She turned away for a moment.

"Funny place to wear pearls," Donna commented jokingly, causing the others to snicker softly while they drank their requested beverages.

Rose enjoyed the lightness of the lime and the soda as she swallowed it. Her husband nearly downed his in one gulp. _"Don't chug it,"_ she thought to him. _"You'll get sick in the stomach again."_

 _"No worries, lime is good for the stomach, especially when included in light fizzy sodas,"_ he answered. _"Which is why I asked for it."_

"May I announce the Colonel Hugh Curbishley, the Honorable Roger Curbishley," the butler announced as a dapper young man in a white suit pushed a wheelchair across the lawn towards them in which an older elderly man sat.

"My husband and my son," Lady Eddison explained as her husband took her hand and kissed the back of it.

"Forgive me for not rising," the Colonel said. "Never been the same since the flu epidemic back in '18."

"My word!" Roger exclaimed with an adoring grin as his eyes moved over both Rose and Donna. "You both are a couple of super ladies!"

Rose let out a surprised chuckle at the man then a normal one inwardly when she felt the Doctor move closer to her side and wrap his arm around her waist protectively, his drink still in his hand.

"Oh, I like the cut of your jib!" Donna replied with a grin when Roger took her hand and placed a kiss to the back of it in a gentlemanly manner. "Chin-chin."

"Hello," the Doctor said in his usual friendly tone as he shook the man's hand with his unoccupied one. "I'm the Doctor, and this is my wife, Rose."

"How do you do?" Roger greeted before turning to Rose and taking her hand. "Afternoon, my lady."

"Afternoon," she replied kindly.

He turned back to the Doctor. "You're a lucky man, sir."

"Just the luckiest, I suppose," the Doctor said with a warm smile.

Another man dressed in a serving uniform approached them with a drink on the tray he was carrying. "Your usual, sir."

"Ah, thank you, Davenport," Roger said, taking the drink from the tray with a smile. "Just how I like it."

Rose watched as the young man took a sip from his drink and kept his eyes on Davenport, suggestively and worthy of matching Jack's typical behavior. She concealed a smile and tapped the Doctor mentally. _"Remind you of someone?"_ she asked.

 _"Yes, and I'm glad he's not here to jump in the middle and join them,"_ he responded.

"How come she's an Eddison but her husband and son are Curbishleys?" Donna whispered while the aforementioned couple were conversing happily.

"The Eddison title descends through her," the Doctor explained. "One day Roger will be a lord."

"Then what would that make Davenport?" Rose asked.

He arched a brow at her and she shrugged. Another person was being introduced by the butler as a Miss Robina Redmond, who was a young woman dressed in equally topped fashion like the others.

"She's the absolute hit of the social season," Lady Eddison said to them when the woman joined them. "A must. Miss Redmond."

"Spiffing to meet you at last, my lady," Robina replied.

Next came the reverend that they had seen when they first arrived to the estate, Arnold Golightly. "Ah, Reverend!" Lady Eddison greeted enthusiastically. "How are you? I heard about the church last Thursday night, word about those ruffians breaking in."

"You apprehended them, I hear," Hugh put in.

"As the Christian fathers taught me, we must forgive them of their trespasses," Golightly said. "Quite literally."

"Some of these young boys deserve a decent thrashing," Roger commented.

"Couldn't agree more, sir," Davenport said as the two men shared a long look at each other. As if it wasn't any more obvious to what they were really talking about.

"Typical," Donna said quietly. "All the decent men are on the other bus."

"Or married Time Lords," the Doctor remarked, throwing a wink at Rose as she looped her arm through his with a tongue-touched smile.

"Now my lady," Golightly spoke up. "What about this special guest you promised us?"

Lady Eddison turned to look at the mansion behind them. "Here she is!" she said enthusiastically. "A lady who needs no introduction."

A taller blonde woman came across the lawn in a fashionable dress. Everyone began to applaud her, including the trio as they set their drinks down on the table behind them to join in. As she came closer the Doctor's eyes widened when he recognized the woman.

"It's…" he breathed out. "It-it's…"

"Surprise," Rose whispered with a smile, gently elbowing him in the side.

He grinned widely at her. This was the intention of this trip the whole time, as it seemed. She had said that it was for Donna since she wanted to check out a vintage era, and she was in for a treat. Agatha Christie in the living flesh. Another one of his favorite authors and historical figures, and his wife had planned this trip.

"Oh, no, please don't," she said modestly, shaking her head. "Thank you, Lady Eddison. Honestly, there's no need." She approached the trio and stood before Donna. "Agatha Christie."

"What about her?" Donna asked.

"That's me."

The ginger woman's face lit up. "No! You're kidding!" She shook the woman's hand. "Nice to meet you, I'm Donna. Donna Noble."

"And I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said, taking the woman's hand next with a manic smile splitting his face. "Agatha Christie! I was talking about you not too long ago. I said, 'I bet she's brilliant.' I just _love_ your stuff! What a mind! You fool me every time. Well… _almost_ every time. Well…once or twice. Well…once. But it was a good once."

Rose tried to conceal her smile but failed. Seeing her husband fanboying over one of his favorite authors was enough to make her heart swell. Especially after everything they've been through in the last month. Seeing that wide smile appearing on his face was contagious to her and uplifted her own mood.

"Way to go," Donna commented from the side. "You and your babbling."

Agatha studied the two of them. "You make a rather unusual couple."

"Oh, no, no, no, no, we're not married," the Doctor clarified quickly, shaking his head vigorously and stepping away from her to gently place a hand on his actual wife's back.

"We're not a couple," Donna added. "Definitely not."

Rose inwardly snorted in amusement.

"Obviously not," Agatha said with a knowing smile. "No wedding ring on your finger, Miss Noble. I'd stay that way if I were you. The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture." Donna glanced down at her finger and grinned before the author turned to Rose. "You, on the other hand, have got one identical to his."

"Never miss a trick, eh?" Rose said with a smile as she shook the woman's hand.

"Not only with the ring you've got adorning your fingers that gave it away or the matching bracelets on your wrists, but the way you two look at each other is more than enough evidence," Agatha replied.

"Can make a person get cavities, they're so sickeningly sweet," Donna said with a snort.

"I'm Rose Tyler, by the way," Rose continued. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. You're amazing at what you do, I've read a bunch of your works. And don't mind my husband, he gets as excited as a child when he meets his favorite people," she added, looping her arm through his again and patting her hand on his chest.

"Not my fault we're in the presence of Miss Agatha Christie," the Doctor said with a grin. "It's truly an honor."

"Also, for the record, you've fooled him more than just the _one_ time. He's not as quick as he thinks he is."

"Oh, Rose Tyler, you wound me," he muttered, feigning hurt. She smiled sweetly at him and he playfully rolled his eyes.

"Such an affectionate couple you two make," Agatha said, watching them with amusement.

"Mrs. Christie," Lady Eddison said, stepping forward to pull the woman away. "I'm so glad you could come. I'm one of your greatest followers, I've read all six of your books." She paused. "Uh, is, uh, Mr. Christie not joining us?"

"Is he needed?" Agatha asked. "Can't a woman make her own way in the world?"

"Don't give my wife ideas," Hugh spoke up, causing some of the guests to chuckle.

Rose nudged the Doctor and arched an eyebrow at him. He made a happy hum and wrapped his arm around her waist and gave her a gentle squeeze. "You know, colonel, I've found that if a woman is determined enough to do something and to achieve whatever she wants in life that it's not wise to stand in her way."

"Amen to that," his wife said with a grin.

"Mrs. Christie," Roger spoke up. "I have a question. Why a Belgian detective?"

"Belgians make such lovely buns," Agatha responded, causing the guests to laugh.

At that moment, the daily newspaper on the Colonel's lap caught the Doctor's eye. Releasing his grip from Rose he slid over to the side while the crowd began to further discuss her books. His wife may have taken them here but that didn't mean she was aware of what the actual date was. Sometimes the TARDIS would take them to their destination but at a different time. Narrowing it down to the date was a little easier knowing that Agatha Christie's first six books have already been published, and if his calculations were right—and they usually always were—this time period had to have been some time after June 1926.

"Excuse me, Colonel," he whispered as he took the newspaper and moved to stand off to the side. Unfolding the paper in his hands to open up to the cover page his brows furrowed a bit at the date printed out on the front. A knot formed in his gut and he was more than positive that it wasn't a bout of bilious feelings again.

"Where on Earth's Professor Peach?" Roger asked, looking around. "He'd love to meet Mrs. Christie."

"Said he was going to the library," Golightly said casually.

Something about the man made Rose twitch with suspicion. She had the same feeling when they first arrived and seen him and the professor conversing in front of the mansion. She then looked over to find the Doctor peering at the newspaper with a frown.

 _"What is it?"_ she asked mentally. _"What'd you find?"_

 _"You'll wanna come and see this,"_ he replied, motioning for her and Donna to join him on the side.

Rose's nod was imperceptible as she lightly tapped Donna's arm to get her attention. She turned to her with a curious look and Rose jerked her head in her husband's direction to silently tell her that they had to move. Rose and Donna had made it and stood on either of the Doctor's side. "What's wrong?" the former asked quietly.

"Look at the date on this newspaper," he responded, showing it to them. It read December 8, 1926.

"What about it?" Donna asked with a frown.

Rose's stomach twitched again. "Oh, no."

"What, what is it?" Donna pressed.

"It's the day Agatha Christie disappeared," the Doctor said, rolling up the newspaper in his hands. "She just discovered her husband was having an affair."

Both women looked over at Agatha, who appeared relaxed and normal. "You'd never think to, look at her. She's laughing and smiling away," the redhead remarked.

"Probably brushed it aside," Rose said with a frown. "Knowing the posh and how they act they just walk around with stiff upper lips like nothin's wrong with them or the world."

"That's exactly the point," the Doctor added. "She's British and moneyed. That's what they do—they carry on," he added with an affected posh accent that made Rose give him a look.

"Please don't do that," she told him.

He scratched his sideburn. "This is different, though. This time is an exception. No one knows exactly what happened—she just vanished. Her car will be found tomorrow morning by the side of a lake. Ten days later she turns up at a hotel in Harrogate. Said she'd lost her memory. She never spoke about the disappearance 'til the day she died. But whatever it was—"

"Is about to happen," Rose finished. Nothing new, time was always in flux.

"Yep," he said, popping the 'p', then changing his voice to sound like a reporter. "Right here, right now."

Rose rolled her eyes at her husband before they heard Miss Chandrakala running out of the house yelling something out of shock and fear.

"The professor! The library!" she hollered. "Murder! Murder!"

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a glance before wasting no time in hurrying into the house. Came for a party and might just deal with a murder mystery. This was their lives, what else would they expect?

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Bursting into the house without a problem, the Doctor and Rose were the first ones to make their way into the library with Donna and Agatha close behind. Upon entering they saw the prostrate figure of the professor lying on the ground with his arms spread out and a bloody contusion on the back of his bald head. They both knelt beside the body for examination, both consciously slipping on their glasses.

"Oh, my goodness!" the butler exclaimed from behind.

"Bashed on the back of the head," the Doctor noted. "Blunt instrument." He looked over at the man's wrist which was adorning a watch and tapped it with a finger. "Watch broke as he fell, time of death was quarter past four."

"Maybe there's something on the desk," Rose suggested, standing to her feet. "Killer leaving a note or other clues that escaped from them."

"Could be," he responded.

Rose moved over to the desk and examined the piles of papers scatter across the wooden surface, filing through them for any kind of clues. Donna had taken her spot and knelt by the lifeless body's head.

"Bit of pipe," she commented. "Call me Hercule Poirot but I reckon that's blunt enough."

In the corner of Rose's eye she caught Agatha glancing over at something by the fireplace before bending over to pick it up. From where she stood it looked like an unburnt piece of paper that she had slipped into her purse before returning to her normal position, unaware she was being watched. She couldn't stay away from the mystery, but she could be concealing evidence.

Rose didn't say anything out loud, but she did alert her husband about it. _"Agatha took a scrap of paper."_

 _"I know,"_ he answered. _"I saw her reflection in that bookcase over there."_

 _"She's got a clue and not telling anyone."_

 _"Let her be. We'll worry about that piece later on and call her out on it if we can. Right now we need to focus on what could've killed this man."_

 _"Another Holmes and Watson case."_

He glanced up at her over the rim of his glasses with raised brows before speaking out loud in a low voice. "Nothing worth killing for in that lot, dry as dust," he commented.

"Hold on," Donna said softly to him. "The body in the library? I mean, Professor Peach, in the library, with a lead piping?" The Doctor cocked an eyebrow at her. "It's like _Cluedo_? You know, the game?"

"I'm familiar with the game, yes," he responded, his eyes fixed on the prone figure. "This is no game though, Donna, it's real."

"If we run into a Colonel Mustard then I know I've been in enough games," Rose muttered from the side.

"Let me see!" Lady Eddison called out from the halls as the other guests were arriving.

"Out of my way!" her husband said.

Finally the woman entered and gasped on the sight. "Gerald!"

Soon the others arrived and gasped in shock, their eyes glued onto the corpse lying in the center of the room. Rose moved away from the table to address the group. "Everyone stay calm," she said gently. "The Doctor can solve this, he's good at solving mysteries, just step into the hall."

They began chattering and saying things out of fear until Agatha spoke up. "Someone should call the police," the author suggested.

"You don't have to," the Doctor said, rising to his feet to whip out his psychic paper. "Chief Inspector Tyler from Scotland Yard, known as the Doctor. My wife, Rose Tyler, who has a knack for deduction, and Miss Noble is the plucky young girl who helps me out."

 _"_ I say," Lady Eddison said, placing a hand on her chest.

"Mrs. Christie and my wife were right," he continued. "Go into the sitting room and wait there. I will question each of you in turn."

"Come along," Agatha said, moving towards the door and leading the others out. "Do as the Doctor says. Keep the room undisturbed."

A moment later everyone exited the room leaving the trio alone with the corpse. "'The plucky young girl who helps me out?'" Donna repeated indignantly.

"There were no policewomen in 1926," the Doctor said as he stretched himself out on the floor to examine. "I was able to stretch it out with Rose since she's my wife, but I couldn't make it both of you. Don't wanna give off the impression that we believed in bigamy or we'd _really_ be in trouble."

Rose snorted. "Yeah, the horrors of _marriage,_ right?"

"I'm a _one_ -woman bloke," he replied, briefly glancing up at his wife.

"Why didn't you just tell 'em that I was a _secretary_?" Donna asked, objecting. "At least that would be more suitable for me than a plucky sidekick."

"It was either the plucky sidekick or a secretary of some sorts, and I've nothing needed to be typed or faxed at the moment, so I went for the odds."

"I'll pluck you in a minute," the redhead muttered. "All right then, why don't we phone the _real_ police?"

"The last thing we want is PC Plod sticking his nose in. Especially…" He trailed off when he stopped at a crack in the floor where some kind of substance was stuck. "Now that I've found this."

"You better not lick the floor," Rose warned, standing over him with her arms crossed. "You know the punishment."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to. For Rassilon's sake, Rose, I don't go licking _everything_ in sight."

"That's why you licked that wall back in Queen Victoria's castle," she reminded him. "And that pole back in Manchester. Should I go on?"

He sighed. "I'm fully aware of the consequences if I were to do that right now, and I know better. Besides, I've got this."

He pulled back and reached a hand into his jacket to pull out a small tool with a thin sharp tip and stuck it into the crack of the floor, gently pulling the sticky substance up. He stood to his feet and held a hand beneath the tool to prevent it from dripping.

"What is it?" Rose asked, eyeing it.

"Morphic residue," he answered.

"Morphic?" Donna repeated. "Doesn't sound very 1926."

"Gets left behind when certain species genetically re-encode," he continued.

"So we're dealing with a shapeshifter?" Rose asked.

The Doctor looked at her proudly. "It's highly likely, yes."

"The murderer's an alien?" Donna said.

"Oh, yes. Which means that one of that lot out there is an alien in human form."

"Just another case for Shiver and Shake," Rose remarked.

"Yeah, but think about it," Donna said as the Doctor held out the probe to Rose for her to smell. "There's a murder, a mystery and _Agatha Christie_."

The Doctor furrowed his brows. "So?" He moved the residue up to sniff it next, noting his wife's pointed stare to make sure his tongue stayed in his mouth. "Happens to us all the time, nothing out of the ordinary."

He held the residue out to Donna, who recoiled and rolled her eyes. "No, but isn't that a bit weird? Agatha Christie didn't walk around surrounded by murders. Not _really_. That's like meeting Charles Dickens and he's surrounded by ghosts. At _Christmas_!"

Rose exchanged a look with the Doctor as they hesitated, recalling their past adventure to Cardiff to meet good old Charlie boy and dealt with the Gelth. "Well…" he began, tilting his head. "There was this one time—"

"It only happened once, though," Rose cut in.

"Oh, c'mon, you've gotta be kidding me!" Donna exclaimed. " _That's_ what happened when you two met Dickens? You were surrounded by a herd of _ghosts_?"

"Technically they weren't _ghosts_ ," the Doctor clarified. "They were a species whose bodies were reduced to a gaseous form during the War and broke through the rift to use dead bodies as vessels."

"Okay…" Donna drew out slowly.

"And it was the first time you said I looked beautiful," Rose added with a sweet smile

He returned the smile warmly. "Not considering your humanity, mind you."

"I knew it." Her smile faltered when she caught him tasting the substance with the barest touch with the tip of his tongue and she groaned. _"Why the hell do I even bother?"_ she thought _._

 _"Just this one time, I promise,"_ he assured. _"Needed a little more analysis."_

"Okay, so you ran into aliens that were kinda like ghosts but really weren't," Donna said, bringing them back on track from their nostalgia and mental conversing. "It's not like we could drive across country and find Enid Blyton having tea with Noddy." The Doctor froze when he was about to lick the stuff again and glanced over at Rose. "Could we? Noddy's not real, is he? Tell me there's no Noddy."

"There's no Noddy," both he and Rose said in unison before pocketing their specs and making their way over to the open door. "C'mon, let's go."

Donna followed them into the hall as they made their way to the stairwell. "Next thing you'll be telling me is that it's like _Murder on the Orient Express_ and they all did it."

" _Murder on the Orient Express_?" Agatha questioned, coming out of another doorway where she was waiting for them.

"Oh, yeah," the ginger woman said brightly. "One of your best."

"Ehm, but not yet," the Doctor said through clenched teeth.

"Marvellous idea, though," Agatha mused with a faint smile.

Donna's face lit up. "Yeah, tell you what—Copyright: Donna Noble, yeah?" Rose cleared her throat and pressed her lips together, getting her attention. She got the hint then. "Or…maybe not."

"Annnnyway," the Doctor drawled. "Agatha and I will question suspects. Donna, you search the bedrooms, look for clues." He leaned over to whisper. "Any more residue, be on the lookout." He moved back and pulled out a large magnifying glass from his jacket pocket and raised his voice back to a normal tone. "You'll need this."

She eyed the object and gave him a pointed look. "Is that for real?"

"Go on," he urged with a blank expression but he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth to twitch upward a little. "You're ever so plucky."

With a glare, the ginger woman took the magnifying glass with and made her way upstairs. Rose flitted her eyes between her husband and their friend and rolled her eyes. He was having a ball with this and Donna was on the verge of slapping him. All in a fun day's work, really. She didn't really want to spend time around those guests and felt like snooping around this place more in hopes of finding some more clues.

She nodded and moved to the steps. "'Kay, we'll join you both in the sitting room," she said, moving to follow Donna only to be stopped by the Doctor when he gently reached for her hand.

"Where're you off to?" he asked.

"To go with Donna," she answered. "Figure that I can help her out."

The Doctor took a deep breath, looking ready to protest, but refrained. "Be careful," he warned. "Watch out for anything suspicious and be on the lookout for any more clues."

"Yes, sarge," she replied with a lazy mock salute before pulling him in for a quick kiss then proceeded up the stairs. She caught up with Donna who turned around with a surprised look.

"He actually let you out of his sight for once?" she said. "He's always having you glued to his side, that one."

"He can manage without me," Rose said. "Besides, we'll probably have more fun than him. All he'll be doing is interviewing people."

"And what more do you think we'll be doing besides clueing?"

She smiled and shrugged. "With a bit of luck, maybe run into trouble."

* * *

 **I posted the link to Rose's outfit on my profile along with the ones she's worn in the past stories in this series in case anyone was interested. Just copy and paste them to view them. I'm not one with an eye for fashion, but I think she'd rock it ^^**


	29. The Unicorn and the Wasp Part 2

**A/N:** **As always, much love and many thanks to all of you lovely viewers! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated! :D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 28: The Unicorn and the Wasp Part 2**_

The Doctor wasn't too pleased to have his wife wandering around a posh mansion with a murderer of alien origin lingering in the quarters. He'd much rather prefer Rose to be by his side, but he trusted her enough to let her go off and do her own thing when investigating. He turned back to face the author and noticed her watching him.

"Your wife helps you solve murder cases?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied with a nod. "Like I said earlier, she's very observant and a natural when it comes to making deductions. Can't really stay away from the excitement, right then!" He bounced on the balls of his feet, a wide grin on his face. "Solving a murder mystery with Agatha Christie. Brilliant!"

"How like a man to have fun while there's disaster all around him," she commented with a frown.

His smile faltered. "Sorry. Yeah."

"I'll work with you—gladly—but for the sake of justice, not your own amusement."

"Oh."

She brushed by him and he winced. He should've known that this amazing author with a great mind would be unhappy with him and his casual attitude to solving a murder case with her, but how could he not? It was Agatha Christie. Of course, he had to go off with his gob. Maybe it was a good thing Rose had chosen to go with Donna. Otherwise he'd have to hear another comment about him being Mr. Rude and Not Ginger. Didn't matter though since she still ribbed him through their bond barely a moment later.

The interviews went smoothly and not too lengthy, but gave enough evidence. Which, in other terms, ended up not being too helpful. Each of the guests recounted their stories of what they were doing at a quarter past four this afternoon.

Reverend Golightly claimed to have been alone in his room unpacking, adding that when one is 'with the Lord, one is never truly alone.' Roger claimed to have been outside walking alone, but based on the way his pupils were dilated as he spoke in the same way they had been when the young man was standing beside Davenport, it lead to belief he was having a tryst with him. Colonel Hugh claimed he was reading military memoirs in the study, but based on his faraway look, it was likely that Rose's earlier guess at what the man was reading was true. Good thing there wasn't a bet made on that one. Robina claimed to have been using the toilet, preparing herself while buzzing with excitement about the party and meeting Lady Eddison. Dodgy, he noted. Finally Lady Eddison claimed to having been drinking tea as her custom, but the smell of alcohol on her breath was evident.

Long story short, there were no alibis.

The Doctor and Agatha paced around the sitting room, gathering their thoughts and discussing everything they learned. He had a cuppa in his hand and drank from it, feeling it warm up his insides in a way he never had felt before. Why was that? _Really good tea,_ he thought.

"The secret adversary remains hidden," the author said. "We must look for a motive. Use the little grey cells," she added with a Belgian accent.

"Oh, yes, little grey cells," he said, placing his cup in the dish and plopping down in the chair. "Good old Poirot. Y'know, I've been to Belgium before. Yeah…"

His mind went off into recounting as he remembered a past adventure where he, Rose, and Donna arrived for a feast at a castle where Charlemagne held court. It was an accidental route, but they tried to make the best of it. Charlemagne was meant to become the Roman Emperor until he was abducted by an insane computer and the history was endangered. They had searched for him, roaming deep in the Ardennes trying to find Charlemagne with a bow and a quiver. And there was something about a poisonous soup. They warned him at the end about it when everything was fixed and told him he should treat the odd events as if they were a dream caused by too much cheese the previous night.

 _"What the hell are you doin'?"_

His eyes snapped open at the sound of Rose's voice in his mind which, by chance, was also at the same time Agatha had called him. "Sorry," he said to both women. He quickly sent a mental note to his wife and she said they found nothing yet.

"Charlemagne lived _centuries_ ago," Agatha said, confused.

"I've got a good memory," he answered casually.

"For such an experienced detective, you missed a big clue."

He arched an eyebrow. "What, that bit of paper you nicked out of the fireplace?"

"You were looking the other way!" she protested, shocked that he knew.

"Yeah, but I saw you reflected in the glass of the bookcase," he replied.

Agatha smiled. "You crafty man."

He smirked. "I can't take all the credit, though. Rose caught you too, right in the corner of her eye."

"A wily pair you make. Very observant." She reached into her purse and pulled out the scrap. "This is all that was left."

The Doctor leaned forward and placed his tea on the small table before sprinting over to have a look. A word was printed out on it but the first letter was smudged. "What's that first letter? 'M' or 'N'?"

"It's an 'M'," Agatha said. "The word is 'maiden'."

"Maiden!" he shouted, causing her to jump. He lowered his voice. "What does that mean exactly?"

Agatha sighed and shook her head. "We're still no further forward. Our nemesis remains at large. Unless Mrs. Tyler and Miss Noble have found something."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Still wandering through the halls upstairs in the manor, Rose and Donna worked in companionable silence as they searched through every bedroom they came across. They had to have been at this for over twenty minutes and they found no further clues to the murder case of the professor in the library, not even another smudge of the residue. It was getting tedious, but they weren't stopping until each and every crack in this place was examined.

Through their bond Rose was able to pick up little tidbits of information that the Doctor had leaked in regards to the guests he and Agatha were questioning. From what she gathered from the pieces he sent her none of the guests had an alibi and the case was in the same spot it was since they first found the body. He did say to keep a close eye on on each of the guests. Everyone was a suspect no matter what they claimed to have been doing at the time of death, so they needed to be cautious around others and try not to trust them. So far there hasn't been any other scraps of evidence that could put the pieces of the puzzle together.

He did let her know that he called her out on the unburnt piece of paper found by the fireplace she had taken, as he said he would. And of course he was proud of himself for noticing. The Doctor wouldn't be himself without that massive Time Lord ego of his. He didn't take all the credit though and let her have some as well, as he should. Sometimes he would miss things so it was always a good thing she was, as he said earlier, a natural when it comes to deductions. He informed her that it read 'maiden' for some reason and didn't really answer anything.

"Rose?"

She blinked a few times and saw Donna watching her. "Sorry, zoned out for a bit."

"Talking with your mind again?"

"Yeah. Apparently none of the guests have an alibi."

"That's weird."

"You can't really believe them, though. One of them is a shapeshifter, so we gotta be careful and watch each of them closely."

Coming up to another room both women entered and searched thoroughly, sifting through papers on the wooden desk as well as the bookcases and other shelves. "Anything?" Rose asked Donna, who was on the other side of the room searching beneath the bed.

"Nothing but dust bunnies," she replied, pulling out of the space to push herself up. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm still thinking about slugging that husband of yours for calling me plucky and giving me this," she added, lightly shaking the large magnifying glass in her hand.

Rose snorted at that. "Not too hard, I hope. There's a chance he could actually blow up after taking a wild shot."

"Well, he's taken a few hard blows from you and he hasn't changed much."

"Nope. Still the same bloke—Mr. Rude and Not Ginger."

Donna shook her head and joined her by the table. "Rude's a bit of an understatement when it comes to him."

"Yeah, I'm usually the kind one. Pay no mind to him, Donna. Things like this and history just make us feel…" she trailed off with a head tilt, trying to find the right phrase to perfectly describe it.

"Like you got tarantula moving around in your stomach?" the ginger woman suggested.

Rose laughed and set her pile of papers back in their place on the desk. "That's one way to put it, I guess. But remember, you're far from bein' a plucky sidekick. You're our best friend and companion. Our partner in crime, mind you."

Donna offered a smile. "The super-temp with the large magnifying glass," she said, holding the object over her shoulder, making Rose chuckle again.

She was glad that they had taken this trip. While yes, the murder was depressing and unfortunate, it added more to the excitement around them. Now all they needed was for trouble to come into the picture. It was getting dull and boring having to look around every room on the floor—which were bland in their own rights and only added to the dullness—so they were in need to run into something at some point. Between them snooping around upstairs and the Doctor lingering in the sitting room the odds of them running into trouble was greater than his. As long as it wasn't the killer themselves, something else would make things more interesting around here.

Exiting the room after taking one last inspection around the room the women left and went back into the hall. Rose was leading the way while Donna closed the door behind them. "This is getting hopeless at this point," she commented with a sigh. "We still haven't found anything."

"We still have to keep looking," Rose said, walking down the hall. "Every room needs to get checked."

They went down to the last door at the end and went to open the door, only to find it locked. Rose frowned. That was odd. None of the other rooms were locked. Unless something was hiding in this room that could be an important clue to this case. "It's locked?" Donna asked.

"Yeah, wonder what's behind door number…whatever number this one is," Rose muttered.

She reached into her dress pocket and was about to pull out her sonic screwdriver but stopped herself when the butler suddenly appeared behind them and made her and Donna jump in surprise.

"You won't find anything in there," he said.

"How come it's locked?" Donna asked.

The butler tilted his chin up a bit. "Lady Eddison commands it so," he responded.

Rose licked her lips and nodded, keeping a professional manner. "Well, I'm afraid we're gonna have to make you open it, Mr…I'm sorry, what was your name again, sir?"

"Greeves, my lady," the butler answered with a small bow.

"Right. Mr. Greeves, we'll need to have this room unlocked. It's a part of this investigation so we have to check every room. We promise to let you lock it back up once we're finished."

Greeves nodded stiffly before moving to unlock the door with a key he kept in his pocket. "Why's it locked in the first place?" Donna asked.

"Many years ago, when my father was butler to the family, Lady Eddison returned from India with malaria," the butler explained. "She locked herself in this room for six months until she recovered. Since then, this room has remained…undisturbed."

Rose arched an eyebrow. Undisturbed?

When the lock clicked he stood out of the way and she pushed the door open. It creaked loudly from disuse and inside the room was unappealing like the others, but unlike those this one was covered in blankets of dust and spider webs. The room was bare save for a bureau, some shelves, a few chairs, a fireplace and a bed nearly kept with a faded teddy bear sitting at the foot. Entering she could taste the dust coating her tongue with every inhale and pulled a face.

"There's nothing in here," Greeves insisted. "Just everything kept the way it was when it was last used."

"How long's it been empty?" Donna asked, stepping further inside and looking around.

"Forty years."

"Sealed off for that long?" Rose said. "Why would she do that? Too scared about another malaria outbreak to somehow pour out?" Keeping a room closed off for forty years after an illness would seem a little too extreme, if she were honest. Why would someone keep a room locked away like this?

"All right, we need to investigate," Donna said to Greeves. "You just…butle off."

The butler turned and shut the door behind them, leaving them to survey the area. Rose took out her sonic and scanned the room in case of any alien signals or clues while heading over to the bureau. Small picture frames containing faded black and white pictures were on display, the figures barely perceptible through the covering of dust on the glass. The books on the shelves hadn't been touched and had cobwebs.

"'S a child's room," she concluded. "An abandoned kid's room."

"Looks like it," Donna said from her spot by the bed. She had picked up the teddy bear and studied it.

Suddenly Rose's ears perked up when a strange buzzing sound came to her attention. "D'you hear that?" she asked, switching off her sonic. "That buzzing."

"Yeah," the other woman said, placing the bear back on the bed. "1926 and yet they've still got bees."

"Remind us to look into that," Rose said, pocketing her sonic. "The thing with the bees disappearing."

"Blimey, what a noise!" the ginger woman exclaimed as she walked over to the drape-covered window. "All right, busy bee, I'll let you out. Hold on. I shall find you with my amazing powers of detection," she added with an affected accent.

Rose chuckled at it and continued searching the room. Then something had occurred to her. "Um, Donna?" she said with a frown. "They said this room was sealed off for forty years, yeah?"

"Right," she responded from the window, looking back at her from over her shoulder.

"Then how could a bee fly in here if everything was shut?"

Donna shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe it's outside."

Rose arched an eyebrow. "Must be a pretty _big_ bee to be heard through the window," she muttered.

She made her way over to the bed and was about to check beneath the bed when she felt a chill shoot down her spine and she froze up. The buzzing was getting louder and she twitched at the pitch. She slowly turned to look at the drapes where Donna was standing with the magnifying glass and was about to pull them back to let the sunlight in to find this bee. And it clicked.

"Donna, don't!" Rose yelled, running over to the woman to stop her but she was too late.

When she pulled back the curtains they found the bee—which turned put to be a massive sized wasp lingering by the window. Donna screamed when the insect backed up a few inches and broke through the glass, shattering the window and sending shards flying through the air. Luckily Rose was close enough to pull her friend away from the blast and stood back by the head of the bed.

"That's impossible!" Donna cried.

"Never say impossible!" Rose yelled, whipping out her sonic and aiming it at the wasp.

She turned it on a high pitch and it made the bug screech a bit, but it was still coming at them. Cursing she maneuvered to lead the wasp away from the Ned and Donna, becoming a diversion. It wasn't wise, but she gave it a shot.

"Doctor!" Donna shouted.

"Donna!" Rose called, moving back to the foot of the bed.

Thinking fast the redhead ran over to the open space where the window had been and raised her magnifying glass up reflect in the sunlight, the beam aiming straight for the wasp. It connected with its thorax and burned it, causing it to screech in pain and flail.

"C'mon!" Rose hollered as they bolted for the door and slammed it shut behind them. _"Doctor!"_ she alerted mentally.

 _"What's wrong?"_ he said immediately, alarmed. _"What is it?"_

 _"Pest problem! Just get up here!"_

 _"On my way!"_

"Doctor!" Donna yelled down the stairs.

"He's coming, don't worry," Rose assured. "I called him."

"Who needs phones when you two got your minds?"

At that moment the wasp's stinger came through the closed door, making the women shout and jump back. Thankfully it was at the bottom where they couldn't be pierced with it. The thing was huge and thick, looking to be the size of of a forearm. Rose pushed herself away from the door and leaned against the wall when spots formed before her eyes, blurring her vision momentarily. Her head felt like it was swimming but it eased up quickly. Must have been from the rush.

Not a moment later the Doctor and Agatha came darting down the hall. "What happened?" he asked hurriedly before placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "You okay?"

She nodded. "I'll let you know in a second. Just a little dizzy, that's all."

"There is a giant…wasp!" Donna gasped out.

His brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean, giant wasp?"

"Just what it means, a _wasp_ that's _giant_!" Rose said, her brows hitting her hairline. "What other way is there to put it?"

Agatha chuckled, clearly not buying that. "It's only a silly little insect."

" _Little_?" Rose repeated with a snort. "That ain't a _little_ bug we just saw!"

"When we say giant, we don't mean big," Donna drew out before snapping. "We mean _flippin' enormous_!" She gestured at the bottom of the door where the stinger was embedded in the wood. "Just look at its sting!"

"Some _little_ insect, huh?" Rose said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Let me see," the Doctor said as he pushed the door open and entered the room. It was empty and the wasp was nowhere to be seen. He walked around and took in the area. "It's gone," he said, moving over to the window. "Buzzed off."

"You just _had_ to say that didn't you," Rose groaned at his bad but perfectly timed pun.

"Can't help it," he said with a cheeky grin before looking out the busted window, carefully avoiding the broken shards of glass on the window pane. He pulled back and scratched the back of his neck, turning around to observe the room. "What's the story behind this room?"

"It was locked when we came across it," Rose answered. "The butler let us in and told us that Lady Eddison kept it sealed shut for forty years."

"What for?"

"Apparently she came back from India with malaria and quarantined herself in here. No one's been in here since then. Or…at least until today, rather. And what a day to bust in, just when there's a giant bloody wasp waitin' for us."

The Doctor's mind was buzzing as he thought. He came forward and placed his hands on her upper arms. "It's gone right now, Rose, it's okay. You're not hurt? Either of you?" She shook her head. "Good. Don't worry, we'll find it and get rid of it."

"But that's fascinating," Agatha said with wonder as she knelt by the broken stinger plunged into the door.

"No no no no, don't touch it!" the Doctor barked as he rushed over to join her. "Don't lay a finger on it, it could be venomous. Just let me." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pencil and a vial with a stopper. Carefully he gathered a small sample of the substance smothering the point. "Giant wasp…well, there are tons of amorphous insectivorous lifeforms but…none in this galactic vector." He finished up and put the stopper on the tube before putting the objects away.

"I think I understood some of those words," Agatha said. "Enough to know that you're completely _potty_."

Rose snorted at that. "You should hear the things this one says. They're usually a _lot_ worse." The Doctor shot her a look and she arched a brow at him.

"Lost its sting, though," Donna pointed out. "That makes it defenseless."

"A creature this size?" the Doctor said, moving his eyes over the length of the stinger. "Gotta be able to grow a new one."

"Oh, wonderful," Rose said. "Comforting to know that there can be a whole swarm of these things."

"Uh, can we return to sanity?" Agatha spoke up. "There are no such things as giant wasps."

"Exactly!" the Doctor said, rising to his feet. "So…the question is, what's it doing here?"

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Leaving the bedroom the Doctor led the women down the stairs to come up with their next strategy. They needed to keep their eyes peeled for anything else suspicious in order to catch who the wasp was able to turn into. Which kind of species could this be? He was flipping through every possibility he could think of, making his mind buzz. No pun intended. Not even reaching the bottom of the flight of stairs a loud scream followed by a heavy thud came to their attention and made them freeze. He exchanged a look with Rose before dashing down the rest of the way, leaping over steps in the process to find the source.

Making it outside they saw Miss Chandrakala lying on her back on the entrance gravel path to the mansion with one of the large stone gargoyles that were placed on the corners of the roof on top of her. They ran to kneel by her side—the Doctor and Rose on one and Donna and Agatha on the other. A small trickle of blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. Rose placed a hand to the woman's head but she knew there was nothing they could do. The woman was dying from her injuries.

"The poor…little…child," she gasped out quietly before breathing her last breath, her eyes slowly slipping shut.

The Doctor placed a hand on his wife's back and looked up at where the statue had fallen from. From this position he was able to see where the statue once was on the roof, noting how the structure didn't appear cracked from natural causes—it was by force. Intentionally, at that. Judging by the size of the statue it would have to require an incredible amount of strength to shift it forward barely an inch.

A loud buzzing caused him to whip his head around to find a large insect lingering in the air above the building with a new stinger, barely blocking the sunlight. "There!" he shouted, making the others jump up. It looked to be debating its attack, but they would be coming right at it. "Come on!"

Grabbing Rose's hand he led the way as he dashed inside with the ladies hurrying behind him, making their way back up the flights of stairs to apprehend the creature.

"Well, this makes a change," Donna commented from behind. "There's a monster and we're chasing it."

"Not really much of a change, really," Rose commented.

"Can't be a monster," Agatha said, still in denial. "It's a trick. They do it with mirrors!"

They reached the top of the flight of stairs and came to a sudden stop when they found the wasp trying to enter the house through the skylight, its newly grown stinger moving around as it tried to wiggle inside.

"By all that's holy…" Agatha gasped out in shock, her complexion paling.

"Oh, but you are _wonderful_!" the Doctor said, an enthralled expression covering his face.

Rose shook her head. Of course her husband would be captivated by an oversized insect, it's what he did. Much like when they were trapped in Scotland with Queen Victoria and he was in a state of complete wonder when he caught sight of the werewolf that ravaged the area—at the time when they were trying to run away from the creature. Even the most threatening creature was beautiful to him.

The wasp managed to get inside the house and had its eyes set on him. "Now, just stop there," the Doctor tried to reason, holding a hand out to show peace.

Without warning the wasp rushed at them to attack, but they all ducked and dodged it. The Doctor shielded Rose as he brought her to the ground, noting how she shivered when the insect passed by their heads.

"Oi! Flyboy!" Donna called out, getting the wasp's attention as she held up the magnifying glass to threaten it with a shot of focused sunlight. It was smart and quick-witted since nothing happened, choosing to fly into the next hall.

"It's gonna attack someone else!" Rose said.

"Don't let it get away!" the Doctor yelled, rising to his feet along with his wife. "Quick, before it reverts to human form!"

They were chasing it again and entered the hallway where it had travelled. It was longer with various doors where it could have chosen to hide in.

"Where are you?" he shouted. "Come on! There's nowhere to run, show yourself!"

In unison every door opened up and each of the suspects came out, staring down the hall at him in confusion. No wasp. It switched back to human form.

His shoulders sagged. "Oh…that's just cheating."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Two murders had taken place in the house and right now they needed answers. The Doctor called all of the other guests to gather in the sitting room. He moved over to lean against a chair with Rose standing by his side, resting her elbow on his shoulder. Donna moved to sit on one of the sofas as the people entered.

"My faithful companion!" Lady Eddison cried as she sat herself down on the opposite sofa beside Roger and took out a handkerchief to dry her eyes. "This is terrible!"

"Excuse me, my lady," Davenport said as he wheeled in the woman's husband in the room to sit by her. "She was on her way to tell you something."

"She never found me," the woman said as Roger slung an arm around her shoulders. "She had an appointment with death instead."

"She said, 'the poor little child'," the Doctor told them. "Does that mean anything to anyone?"

"No children in this house for years," the colonel said with a shrug before giving Roger a sharp look. "Highly unlikely there will be."

"Mrs. Christie, you must have twigged something," Lady Eddison said, looking at Agatha. "You've written simply the best detective stories."

"Tell us…what would Poirot do?" Reverend Golightly asked.

"Heaven's sake!" the colonel piped up, almost in a desperate plea. "Cards on the table, woman! You should be helping us!"

"Oi!" Rose spoke up, annoyed. "Will you all just leave her alone? There's been two murders in this house and you lot are ganging up on her. Just _stop_."

"What more can we do right now?" the colonel said. "She has experience in this field with her works, she should know what to do in a situation such as this one!"

Agatha shook her head. "But…I'm merely a writer."

"But surely you can crack it," Robina told her. "These events, they're exactly like one of your plots."

"That's what I've been saying," Donna spoke up from her seat. "Agatha, that's got to mean something."

The author looked too overwhelmed by everyone pressuring her. "But what? I've no answers," she replied sadly. "None. I'm sorry, all of you, I'm truly sorry, but I've failed. If anyone can help us, it's the Doctor, not me."

The guests turned their heads to look at the Doctor expectantly, awaiting for him to do something. He arched an eyebrow and remained silent, keeping his eyes fixed on his toes. Rose's heart went out to the poor woman. These people were in a complete state of shock and how could they not be? Two suspicious murders suddenly happening on a posh estate in the middle of a party. That was hard for anyone to deal with and would make even the one with the most stone-like characteristics jitter in fear that they could become the next victim on the list. Just because Agatha was a famous writer and created some of the most brilliant and clever works and stories didn't mean that she could solve all of their problems.

She noted that the author herself had slipped away from the room altogether. Rose frowned and turned to the Doctor, who nodded once at her. He knew what she was about to go do. _"Go on, go do what you do best,"_ he thought to her. _"I need to analyze the residue in the TARDIS to see what it is we're dealing with."_

 _"'Kay. Just don't—"_

 _"Relax, I won't lick it, I promise. I'll use necessary equipment to make more accurate analyses."_

 _"Only telling you for your own good. You need to be told more than a couple hundred times."_

He rolled his eyes and sighed. She slipped her arm away from his shoulder before leaving to follow the woman. As she walked by she caught Donna's eye and nodded in the direction she was going, prompting the redhead to join her. Searching through the house they found their way outside by a small gazebo where the woman was sitting. She sat with her elbows on her knees and her head low, staring at the ground almost in a defeated way.

Rose exchanged a look with Donna as they approached her. She appeared to be wiping away her tears and straightened her posture when she noticed them coming. "Agatha? You all right?"

"Yes," she replied, folding her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry. I just…needed a minute to collect myself."

"You don't have to be sorry," Donna said as they both took a seat beside her in the gazebo area. "After the way they were acting, it was uncalled for."

"They were acting like a bunch of swarming vultures in there the way they were ganging up on you like that," Rose added. "We'll figure this out, we promise."

"They expect me to be this _heroine_ ," Agatha said, shaking her head. "This person that can come up with strategies to help, but I'm not the one for that. I'm not the heroine they expect me to be, that's the truth of it. Not when everything is falling apart all around me."

Rose looked at her sympathetically, her heart going out to this woman. After hearing the Doctor's words on how this was a hard time for her to deal with what with her husband having an affair, she could only imagine the pain she was feeling. She was no stranger to dealing with self esteem issues, and if there was one thing she learned in her years with travelling with her husband it was that everyone was important, no matter how much they doubted themselves or put themselves down. Everyone mattered.

She reached over and placed a hand on her arm. "You're a strong woman, Agatha," she said softly. "Experiences like these are rough, believe us, we know. But that doesn't make you weak or worthless. Sometimes we have to go obstacles and pain in order to make us stronger. To prove to ourselves that we're resilient and confident to keep on going."

"Do you know what I think?" Donna put in. "Those books of yours, one day they could turn them into films. They could be talking pictures."

"Talking pictures?" the author said with a frown, confused. "Pictures that… _talk_? What do you mean?"

"Not yet," Rose whispered behind her hand.

"Oh, blimey, I've done it again," the redhead said with a sigh.

"I appreciate you two trying to be kind," Agatha said. "But you're right—these murders are like my own creations. It's as though someone's mocking me. I've had enough scorn for one lifetime."

"Yeah," Donna said quietly. "Thing is, I had this bloke once. I was engaged, and I loved him, I really did. Turns out he was lying through his teeth. But you know what? I moved on. I was lucky—I found the Doctor and Rose. It changed my life. There's always someone else."

Agatha's face was stone. "I see. Is my marriage the stuff of gossip now?"

"No, no," Donna said quickly. "I just—sorry."

"We're so sorry," Rose said gently. "You know how those tabloid people are like. They come after people the second they get a little bit of success and suddenly your life's turned upside down and in the public eye. It's not your fault, that lot would do anything to make a quick buck."

The author sighed, her expression becoming sad again. "No matter. The stories are true. I found my husband with another woman. A younger, prettier woman. Isn't that always the way?"

Rose frowned, being reminded of a similar incident happening to her so long ago. Back way before the Doctor ever came into her life and she ended up being around that bastard Jimmy Stone, probably the biggest regret of her life and something she could never take back. But it was all behind her now. She moved on.

"I know how you feel," she said softly, gently squeezing the woman's hand. "Before I met the Doctor I was with this bloke, and I thought I was living the greatest life. I thought it was perfect, but he wasn't the man I could find myself being with for the rest of my life. Turned out he was a liar, too. Someone who only found new ways to hurt me. He never cared for me. But I moved on with my life and left that one behind me. Then I was lucky enough to run into the man I call my husband today. He changed my life forever." She leaned closer. "There's always something else to live for, Agatha. It'll find you, you just have to give it time."

The author took a deep breath and nodded. "I hope you're right," she replied. "It just hurts knowing that I wasn't good enough for him and he went on to another woman."

"Well, mine was with a giant spider but there's not really much of a difference," Donna commented with a slight shrug.

Agatha smiled and laughed at that. "You two and the Doctor talk such wonderful nonsense."

"Been told that before," Rose said with a tongue-touched grin.

Donna snorted before turning serious. "Agatha, people love your books, they really do. They're gonna be reading them for years to come."

"If only," Agatha said with a sad smile. "Try as I might, they're hardly great literature. No, that's beyond me. I'm afraid that my books will be forgotten like ephemera."

"Don't think that way," Rose said. "With your plots and twists? They're so amazing that you'd have to read them over and over again just for the mystery and suspense."

The woman smiled faintly at that, but she appeared to be distracted by something. "Hello, what's that?" She stood up from the seat and moved closer to the flower bed down the end of the gravel path, her eyes studying the foliage. Rose and Donna followed her and crouched down with her. "Those flowerbeds were perfectly neat earlier. Now some of the stalks are bent over."

Rose narrowed her eyes as she studied the flowers. "What is it?"

Agatha then proceeded by reaching into the center of the bed and pulled out a small leather box that had been hidden.

"Way to go, Agatha!" Rose said with a beaming smile.

"Who'd ever notice that? You're brilliant!" Donna praised.

She smiled shyly as the three of them stood and made their way back inside the house, ready to share their discovery with the Doctor.

* * *

 **Response to _newboy:_ Thanks! I'll start studying :D**

 **Response to _Meow:_ Ah, lover of angst you are, huh? I mean, I love angst and all but they really _do_ deserve some happiness, you know. But I know things aren't always perfect for them so ****there's gonna be some things happening in later chapters. Oh, that sounds sadistic lol Nothing _too_ serious but still some things to stir them up.**

 **Response to _waka waka waka_ : Thanks a lot! ;D Yup, you're not the only one looking forward to that scene. It'll be in the next chapter ^^**


	30. The Unicorn and the Wasp Part 3

**A/N: And now for the part that you all have been waiting for:** **that famous detox scene! Now with a change. ^^** **Much love and many thanks to you lovely viewers! Your feedback always brightens up my days, and I've needed them lots in the last bunch of days. ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 29: The Unicorn and the Wasp Part 3**_

The Doctor stood in the console room of the TARDIS, studying various test tubes and other scientific equipment littering the area as he analyzed the liquid from the wasp's stinger. He broke it down from every enzyme and chemical to identify which species was buzzing around. Again, no pun intended. His mind kept flipping through the possible species that could be accountable for taking a human form and murdering two others. He had taken a small sample of the residue and tried to decipher its compounds by his usual method using his tongue—much to his wife's dismay—but he wasn't able to break down the compositions.

The Old Girl hummed around him, alerting him that the tests were completed and the chemicals were pulled apart for identification. He leaned against the edge of the console before inhaling a sharp breath when he felt his mind clouding up momentarily, but he got over it quickly and shook himself. After effects from the Gallifreyan sickness that lingered inside of him for the last month. They should be gone within a few days, they never lasted long. He pressed his finger to push his glasses further up as he studied the results and arched an eyebrow.

"Oh…" he drew out. "Now that's interesting." Various chemicals and enzymes made up the compound of the stinger's liquid. He peered closer at the test tubes then at the results. "What are you doing all the way over here?"

It was venom from a Vespiform, an ancient and wise insectoid race bred in the hives in the Silfirax Galaxy. Powerful creatures with large stingers able to be re-grown within a few hours, just like he concluded earlier. It was a long way from their home, so why was it here? They tended to be found on planets with richer atmospheres and gravity lighter than Earth, from what he knew. But what seemed strange was that this was a race not known for fits of violence and aggression.

According to the readings he received the substance was able to stop one's blood flow and lose the immunity that would spread the components that made up the venom. He frowned. That seemed a bit off. Unless there was some sort of mutation that corrupted its genetic DNA coding that changed it altogether. Something that was making it have the urge to kill, perhaps? It seemed a bit odd, and it only added more confusion to the puzzle filled with dozens of missing pieces.

Straightening up the Doctor slipped off his specs and pocketed them. Whatever reason this creature was in 1920s England at a party with Agatha Christie was beyond him, but it was good that he knows what he was dealing with. Now if only the whos and whys would be answered. He took the test tube filled with the liquid and carefully placed it back in a vial and made his way back to the mansion.

The Doctor made his way back into the sitting room to find it was still emptied just as it had been before he left. The butler, Greeves, came in and asked if he would care for a drink. He ordered the same thing from earlier and took a seat in one of the chairs, folding his hands in his lap while he waited for Rose and Donna to return, hopefully with Agatha behind them.

He shut his eyes for a moment and tried to settle his stomach, which was starting to churn a little. Once again it passed a few moments later. Remnants. Nothing too serious, like always. Some more lime should do the trick. Although he should have supplied himself with some extra antidotes while in the TARDIS. No matter, he's suffered through worse illnesses.

 _"You alright?"_

He kept his eyes shut and acknowledged his wife's mental note. _"Somewhat pleased as punch,"_ he replied then grimaced at his choice of words.

 _"You're not gonna say that again either, huh?"_

 _"Probably not."_

Rose chuckled. _"We're coming back._ _Where are you?"_

 _"In the sitting room. Everything okay?"_

 _"Yeah, everything's fine. We've found something out in the garden. Something that's probably linked to the murderer."_

 _"So have I. I was able to analyze the liquid substance in the TARDIS with some experiments, so we could have a lead in this now that I know what it is we're dealing with."_

 _"Yeah? Anything good?"_

 _"It's a bit strange but maybe it could be connected to what you've found."_

Soon the ladies entered the room with what looked to be a black leather case. He sat up straighter as they came over to him.

"Perhaps this will help the investigation," Agatha said as she handed it to him.

He took it and placed it down on the small table in front of him while the women each took a seat, Rose next to him and Agatha and Donna in front of him. Opening the case his brows shot up when he lifted each compartment, revealing an array of various tools.

"Ooh," he commented. "Someone came tooled up…the sort of stuff a thief would use."

"The Unicorn—he's here!" Agatha said.

"The Unicorn and the Wasp."

"Great title for a novel," Rose remarked. "But where could it be? It can be any of the guests in here."

"That's the problem," he muttered. "It's in hiding now. He's walking among us and we don't have enough information to know which one could be it."

The floorboards creaked as Greeves entered the room with a tray of beverages. "Your drinks, ladies, Doctor," he said, coming over to them.

"Very good, Greeves," the Doctor said, rising to his feet and patting the man on the back and taking his drink.

"Thank you, Greeves," Rose said kindly, taking her drink like the others before the butler left. The Doctor noted how she ordered the service thing as he had earlier once again. Interesting.

"What about the science stuff?" Donna asked after taking a sip. "What did you find?"

"Vespiform sting," the Doctor said, leaning back in his seat as he pulled out the vial containing the liquid, dangling it between his fingers. "Vespiforms have got hives in the Silifax Galaxy."

"Must be far away from home," Rose said as she took a sip from her drink.

"Again you talk like Edward Lear," Agatha said with an eye roll.

"For some reason, this one's behaving like a character in one of your books," the Doctor said, taking a long sip from his glass as well before setting it down on the table beside him.

"Come on, Agatha," Donna said. "What would Miss Marple do? She'd've overheard something vital by now because the murderer thinks she's just a harmless old lady."

Rose inwardly gasped at the same time the Doctor's insides clenched, freezing up as they remained unnaturally still in their seats. Something didn't feel good.

 _"Doctor,"_ she thought to him, shakily and concerned. _"What's happening?"_

His eyes widened as he frowned, his eyes directed forward on the wall on the other side of the room. He gulped and felt his insides churning, like a brew was stirring up inside of him. And Rose must've caught onto it.

 _"Rose…"_ he ground out. _"This isn't good."_

 _"I…can feel that."_

"Clever idea," Agatha was saying. "Miss Marple—who writes those?"

"Um, copyright: Donna Noble," Donna replied with a faint smile. "Add it to the list."

"Donna," the Doctor said, his voice hoarse as he reached for Rose's hand.

"Okay, we could split the copyright," the redhead said breezily.

"Doctor…" Rose breathed out, her eyes widening.

"Rose…something's inhibiting my enzymes," he said before jerked forward violently when his stomach did an entire three-sixty and lurched. "Aaaaaahh!"

Rose gasped and fell to her knees but kept her hand locked firmly in his, dropping her glass in the process. Their heads were swimming in a cloud of fog, he could feel it. "Doctor!" she cried just as Donna and Agatha rushed over to their side. "What's happening?"

"Poison!" the Doctor ground out through clenched teeth, the nails of his opposite hand digging into the chair's upholstery.

He felt his muscles tighten as the convulsions wracked through his whole body. And echoing in his wife's since its remnants were being transferred briefly into her due to the amount. All levels of bad.

"What do we do? What do we do?" Donna asked frantically.

"Bitter almonds," Agatha said, sniffing his glass. "It's cyanide. Sparkling _cyanide_!"

"Doctor," Rose said, her voice urgent and her face full of fear. She noticeably trembled and was becoming a bit pale, but maintained herself. "Doctor, look at me." She raised her unoccupied hand to the side of his face. "What d'you need, tell me. What do we do?"

The Doctor bent forward, feeling like he was about to vomit and have his head explode, but he still managed to ground out. "Kitchen!"

He pushed himself out of the chair with the help of his wife keeping a tight grip on his hand as they hurried out of the room and searched for the kitchen, staggering and nearly tripping over their own feet. Both Donna and Agatha followed close behind as they ran through the halls. He felt Rose's fear and tried his best to reassure her that they'd be okay, but his mind was so wired like the rest of his body that he could barely process another thought. Thankfully she wasn't suffering as much as him but he wasn't pleased to have her suffering at all. Unless she must have been poisoned too. If so then he was taking the majority of the side effects without protest.

Fighting past the spasms they finally burst into kitchen trying to catch their breaths. He briefly let go of Rose's hand to run up to Davenport and grabbed the man by the lapels. "Ginger beer!" he gritted out.

"I beg your pardon?" the man said, perplexed.

"You heard him, he said he needs ginger beer!" Rose yelled, looking around the shelves for the object. "Where is it?"

"The gentleman and lady's gone mad!" one of the female cooks exclaimed.

"Thanks for the help!" Rose snapped as she moved various bottles aside.

The Doctor pushed himself away from the man and stumbled over to a table, holding himself up with some leverage. His chest was heaving as he tried to steady his breathing. The wind was being taken out of him with every inhale, and he could feel it affecting his wife as well when he noticed her form trembling.

"Got it!" Rose proclaimed as she ran over with a bottle of ginger beer and handed it over to him. He quickly chugged it down his throat before pouring some of it over his head and suit then returned it to his mouth. "Doctor, are you gonna regenerate?" she asked shakily.

He shook his head violently, still downing some of the drink. He's been poisoned a bunch of times over the years and was able to reverse the process before the substances could kill him. He wanted to kick himself for not catching the poison like he normally would. If only he had a celery stick handy in a time like this.

"I'm an expert in poisons, Doctor," Agatha said frantically as she and Donna entered and joined them. "It's fatal! There's no cure for ingesting cyanide!"

He spit out the drink and handed over the bottle to Rose to set it down while he gripped the edge of the table. "Not for me! I can stimulate the inhibited enzymes into reversal. Protein! I need protein!"

Donna and Agatha dashed around the kitchen in search of an antidote while Rose held onto the Doctor's hand tightly. He began to take quick rhythmic breaths like a woman in labor. If the situation didn't turn out to be deadly and serious, she would have laughed and teased him about it, but she wasn't eager to have her husband going through another body. She rather appreciated him as he was and wasn't ready to lose another so quickly. If she didn't feel as sick and weak she would help the others, but she felt like the whole world was spinning around her in a circle and she could pass out at any given second. So she stayed beside her husband as his support.

Donna rushed over with a jar in her hands. "Walnuts!"

"Brilliant!" The Doctor grabbed the jar and shoved them in his mouth, resembling as chipmunk by the way his cheeks puffed out. As he chewed, he tried to talk again, but couldn't get any words out. So he then began to move his hands about.

"What is it?" Donna cried. "Rose, what's he saying?"

"I can't…" Rose said, shaking her head. "I can't tap into his mind, he's blocked off! Doctor, tell us what you need!"

"How many words?" the redhead asked. He held up one finger and continued his spasms and motions. "One word." He then began to shake one of his hands.

"S-shake?" Rose guessed, holding onto her stomach when she felt it lurch again.

"Milk?" Donna asked. "Milkshake! Milk! No, not milk. U, shake, shake—"

"Uh, shaker!" He nodded quickly, his mouth still full and his mind still clouded.

"Cocktail shaker!" Donna burst out. "What do you want, a Harvey Wallbanger?"

The Doctor was finally able to swallow the walnuts and looked at her incredulously. "Harvey Wallbanger?!"

"Well, I don't know!"

"How is Harvey Wallbanger one word?"

"Doctor, focus!" Rose yelled, moving her hand behind his head.

"It's not like I can read your mind like your wife can!" Donna cried. "And she can't even do that right now, she's looking as sick as you are!"

"What d'you need, Doctor?" Rose asked.

"Salt!" he gasped. "I was miming a salt shaker! I need something salty!"

The women went back to their search while Rose stood by his side. He threw his head back with his face twisted in pain as he panted. If she were able to tap into his mind she would've been able to get the information with ease, but his was screeching in pain from the poison and she felt every ounce of it. It would be better than having him become a mime. She didn't know which was worse; his pantomiming or Donna's guessing. She brought a hand up to the side of his face and turned him towards her.

"Breathe, love," she soothed, ignoring the burning in her chest as she did so. "Just breathe, you'll be alright."

"How 'bout these?" Donna asked, coming over with another jar.

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"Black olives."

"Not salty enough!" the Doctor ground out.

"Not salty _enough_?" the redhead parroted, running over to retrieve a brown paper bag. "What about this?"

"What is it?"

"It's salt."

"That's too salty!"

"Oh, that's _too_ salty," Donna said with an annoyed eye roll as she ran back over to the counter.

Agatha came running over with a jar without a label. "What about this?" she asked, holding it out.

The Doctor must have recognized the item and didn't hesitate as he grabbed the jar and downed the contents roughly in one go. Rose's vision was blurry as she tried to make out what her husband was consuming. "What's that now?" she asked.

"Anchovies," the author answered.

Rose grimaced. That wasn't really something she'd want to taste when she kissed him, but if it was what he needed then she had no right to complain right now. He grunted and she turned back to him. "What is it, what else?" she asked.

Dropping the jar he tried to swallow the contents while gesturing with his hands again, holding his hands up with his palms out, opening and closing them.

"It's a song," Donna guessed, mimicking him with jazz hands. "' _Mammy_ '. I don't know." He bared his teeth and widened his eyes, his miming more vigorous. "' _Camptown Races_ '?"

"' _Camptown Races_ '?!" he gaped before trying to catch his breath, wheezing a little.

"Well, alright then. ' _Towering Inferno_ '."

Rose studied him. "Scare?" she guessed. His hands moved even quicker, like she was on the right track and it had finally clicked when she felt a wave fighting its way through their bond. "Surprise! Shock!"

He nodded, motioning with his hands. "Yes, shock! It's a shock! That's it! I need something shocking!"

"Alright, then," Donna said, coming to stand in front of him. "Need a shock? Here you go!" She slapped him across the face, the crack echoing in the silence of the room.

"That's not really a _shock,_ Donna!" the Doctor said irritably.

"Well, I dunno what to do!" she protested.

Rose took a deep breath, thinking of something she'd never think she'd ever say and something they'd ever hear. It was all she had at the moment, so she gave it a shot to put an end to the charades of death.

"Big shock, right?" She pulled him up to his full height and kept her hands firmly on his shoulders, looking him straight in the eye. "Doctor, I'm pregnant!"

His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and his jaw dropped down to the floor, a choking sound followed by gurgling coming out. He moved himself away and threw his head back, black smoke pouring out of his mouth. Rose gasped and placed a hand over hers when a tremor shot through her body and she made a heaving sound. She coughed and she saw a trickle of black smoke come past her fingers. Removing it, she leaned against the table and regained her breath when she felt the pain being ripped out of her system. Her knees still felt weak, but she was returning to normal as well as her husband. He groaned and she felt his mind becoming more stable, the hysteria fading away until it was completely gone.

"Ah! Detox," the Doctor said, wiping the residue and anchovy juice dribbling from his mouth with the back of his hand. He shook himself and grinned. "I must do that more often."

"Not while I'm around you're not," Rose grumbled, taking deep breaths. "This isn't somethin' that I'd _ever_ wanna go through again, thank you very much."

"Maybe not, a little bit too mad." His form straightened up as he came over to her and placed a hand to her cheek. "You alright?"

"Getting better," she replied. "I guess I was poisoned too, huh?"

"Probably only had a hint of it," he said, pulling her into a quick hug. "Whoever put it in our drinks must not have used as much in yours like they did in mine, thankfully. The majority of what you felt were some of the effects from my body transferred into you, but I kept everything to myself so you wouldn't feel too much. It could've been a lot worse."

"Dunno, it was pretty bad." She bit her lip when they pulled back and hesitated. "Doctor…about what I said to help you…"

He sighed. "I know, Rose."

"It just came to me, I didn't know what else to say for a shock."

"It worked, though," he said with a sympathetic look, his voice soft as he brushed a loose strand of hair that had escaped from her bun behind her ear and chuckled breathlessly. "Quick thinking. I wasn't expecting that at _all_."

She nodded and straightened out her skirt. "Someone must be really upset with us."

"Very." He moved closer to kiss her briefly, but she made a noise of protest a second later, her hand hitting his chest to break it up and push him away.

"Yechh, anchovies," she said, pulling a face.

The Doctor chuckled and scrunched his nose up, shrugging with his face full of innocence. "Sorry. Needed to be used."

"It _would_ have to be something that tastes horrible."

"At least I didn't lick the floor."

"Yeah, but this is worse. I'm sorry, love, but you're as rank as a Slitheen."

"Oi!"

"Doctor," Agatha spoke up, her face full of shock herself. They turned to her, noting Donna's gaping look. "You and your wife are _impossible_!"

He clicked his tongue and winked at her.

"Been told that before," Rose said with a tongue-touched grin.

"Who _are_ you people?"

"Just travellers," the Doctor said casually, slinging his arm around Rose's shoulders.

Agatha arched an eyebrow then turned to Donna, who merely shrugged. "We're all friends," the redhead said. "Friends and travellers. And detectives."

Moving his eyes over to where a bunch of items had fallen from the shelf where Rose had searched through, the Doctor noticed a jar that was broken. It was filled with a certain spice that might just come in handy with the investigation.

 _"What's goin' through that Time Lord brain of yours?"_ Rose thought to him.

He arched an eyebrow. _"Rose Tyler, you're **brilliant**."_

 _"What'd I do now?"_

 _"Gave me an idea."_

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Nightfall came with storm clouds, thunder and lightning included. Inside the mansion, the guests were gathering in the dining room preparing for dinner, completely calm. Rose eyed them warily. The house was peculiarly crooked with a murderer loose and yet they were all brushing it aside. She may never understand the lives of the rich. Greeves moved around the room with a bottle of wine and filled each glass while other servants placed white bowls filled with a hot steaming soup. In the corner of her eye she noticed the Doctor casually walking in from another room before taking his seat next to her. He took the napkin and tucked it into his collar. She was grateful that he had washed himself and dried himself thoroughly with the help of his sonic and smelled more like himself and not a Slitheen baking in the summer heat.

 _"Did you do it?"_ she asked him mentally.

 _"Taken care of,"_ he said, resting his elbows on the edge of the table with his clasped hands pressed against his chin. _"_ _I made sure to be very discreet and slipped the stuff in when no one was looking. Now we'll be able to get a good look at the suspect."_

Rose's nod was imperceptible as she twirled her spoon in her bowl. _"Good, 'cause I didn't really wanna eat any of this stuff in case we'd have to go through another one of those detox episodes again."_

 _"No need to worry about that,"_ the Doctor said confidently as he moved his eyes over each of the guests as they each took their seats and prepared to dine. _"I was able to do a quick analysis of the soup—not with my tongue, with my nose this time. Didn't smell any toxic chemicals."_

She turned to him with an arched eyebrow. _"You didn't smell anything earlier when you drank your soda, and that was laced with the cyanide."_

He pursed his lips. _"Yeah…that's true. That's because I didn't think to take precautionary measures with it, but this time I made sure. There's nothing in it, it's safe to eat."_

 _"Exactly how much did you put in here?"_

 _"Oh, about five pinches. Should be enough."_

 _"For spiciness, yeah."_

 _"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to, Rose,"_ he said gently. _"But you haven't eaten anything since we landed, so you really should get something in your stomach other than lime soda."_

Rose inwardly sighed as she dipped her spoon in the soup and brought it to her lips, blowing on it before trying it out. The smell alone was enough to make her nostrils tingle and her insides quiver a bit, but she needed to eat something. It tasted good and not too spicy, much to her relief, so she continued to eat some.

 _"Delicious?"_ he inquired with a smirk.

 _"Two thumbs up."_ He made a happy hum. _"Just please don't try to give me another heart attack today."_

He threw her a quick wink. _"Promise."_

The Doctor licked his lips and studied the guests carefully. Only a couple of them had tried the soup and nothing was happening to them. The side effects wouldn't be delayed, they'd happen right away. He was able to knock out a few of the guests off the suspect list, but he was still watching them closely.

"A terrible day for all of us," he addressed. "The professor struck down, Miss Chandrakala cruelly taken from us, and yet, we still take dinner."

"We are British, Doctor," Lady Eddison said as she sipped her wine. "What else must we do?"

"Posh," Rose muttered under her breath.

"And then someone tried to poison me and my wife…" he continued, drawing it out slowly. He noted how everyone was about to try the soup at the same time. "Any of you had the chance to put cyanide in our drinks. But Rose's brilliant methods of searching and a little bit of clumsiness gave me an idea."

"And what would that be?" Reverend Golightly asked.

He tilted his head. "Well, poison." Everyone froze in place, their spoons not yet touching their lips to drink the soup. He smiled slyly. "Drink up," he told them. They all raised their heads to look at him curiously. "I've laced the soup with pepper."

"Ah, I thought it was jolly spicy," Hugh said with a chuckle.

"But the active ingredient of pepper is piperine," the Doctor said. "Traditionally used as an insecticide." A crack of thunder crashed in the far distance as everyone hesitated. "Oh, anyone got the shivers?"

 _"A little,"_ Rose murmured in thought when a chill shot down her spine.

Before he could give her a response the storm outside worsened as it broke around them, thunder roaring and lightning flashing. It was so strong the house shook beneath their feet. The lights in the room flickered before going out completely just as one of the windows slammed open with a gust of wind blowing out the candles, the whole room falling into darkness.

"What the deuce is that?" Hugh exclaimed.

"Shhh," Rose hushed when a faint sound came to her ears. "Can't you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"Listen!" the Doctor ordered, raising a single finger up. "Listen, listen!"

Another crack of thunder boomed but behind it came a loud buzzing. "No…" Lady Eddison whispered before crying out loud. "No, it can't be!"

Flashes of lightning were the only source of illumination since the electricity was out and it showed every nervous and frightened face of the guests as they figeted in their seats. Rose inwardly shivered again, but recovered a moment later.

"Show yourself, demon!" Agatha demanded as she stood from her seat.

"Nobody move!" the Doctor snapped when the guests each began to pull their seats back. "No, don't! Stay where you are!"

His words were ignored as the startled group began to flee. The colonel pushed his wheelchair back away from the table, Lady Eddison moved close to the wall, the reverend and Davenport ran, and Greeves moved close to Donna, knocking over a glass as he tried to usher her out of the room. The next thunderclap and lightning flash showed the wasp in all its anger as it hovered in the air by a painting.

"Don't go near it!" Rose yelled.

The Doctor grabbed her hand and moved away from the table, holding an arm out to keep her behind him and further away from the creature. He used his free hand to grabbed Agatha's arm.

"Out! Out! Out!" Quickly he ushered the women out of the dining room and into the hall where Donna and Greeves already were. "Not you, Agatha, you don't die here. You've got a long life to lead yet."

He reached over and grabbed a sword from the wall display over the fireplace and unsheathed it. Rose couldn't help but be reminded of their first Christmas when her husband was about to have a sword fight with the Sycorax using his 'fightin' hand'. She pushed the nostalgia aside and focussed on the current mayhem.

"Well, we know the butler didn't do it," Donna pointed out.

"Ruling out one suspect," Rose said lightly. "So who did it then?"

"Whodunnit for sure," the Doctor said as he rushed back into the dining room with the sword.

The dining room's lights came back on to reveal that the wasp had disappeared again. Reverend Golightly was hiding behind the colonel's wheelchair while Robina and Lady Eddison remained in their seats at the table, their faces still full of shock.

"My jewelry…" the older woman breathed out as she placed a hand to her chest where a large necklace was once adorned. "The Firestone—it's gone! Stolen!"

"Roger," Davenport said sadly from the side, his face broken.

That followed by a shriek from Robina as she covered her mouth with her hand caused everyone's attention to fall on the other figure who hadn't moved from their seat—Roger. The young man's lifeless body slumped in his seat with his face down in his soup bowl had a knife expertly plunged into his back.

"My son!" Lady Eddison cried in horror as she walked around the table to get to the man's side, sobbing in despair. "My child!"

Rose felt a deep pang of sympathy hit her when she watched the woman grieving over her son's slain body. She glanced over to see the same expression on the Doctor's face and reached over to grab his hand and squeezed it. His face was then etched with that ancient look and she knew what he was thinking. No more deaths in this house. This would be the last one.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The Doctor slipped into the sitting room with Agatha while Rose and Donna remained in the dining room with the others, offering them comfort and gathering as much information as possible as to what they saw when the lights went out. Every piece of information was crucial at this point, more than it had been since the start of this investigation. He stood by the fireplace, his hands thrust deep into his pockets and his mind deep in thought while Agatha sat on one of the sofas with a leg crossed over the other and her hand holding the side of her head.

Another person was dead, increasing the number to the three in the span of only a few hours. It was getting out of control and made him lose his patience with every second. If he had been smarter and more clever he may have been able to save at least one of the people. This creature was on a killing spree, but it didn't even need to do so. Its species of origin wasn't one of violence, but of wisdom. So why was it killing? More importantly, why was it toying with them when it could just take _every_ individual out? He tried to figure out the connection with the deaths—the professor, the housekeeper, and the future lord of the Eddison Estate. Something about those three chosen for death, but what? The lines in his face hardened. No one else was going to die tonight.

The door creaked open as Rose and Donna entered the room. "That poor footman," the redhead said softly as she came to sit on the sofa next to Agatha. "Roger's dead and he can't even mourn him. 1926. It's more like the dark ages."

"Lady Eddison's grieving, though," Rose said gently as she came to stand beside the Doctor. "She lost her son. At least she's acknowledging it." She looked up at him but his eyes were focussed on the other side of the room. "Doctor," she said quietly. "Those deaths weren't your fault, we didn't see them coming so fast." She slid an arm around his waist and gave him a squeeze. "Just focus on those who're still alive, who we can still _save._ We'll solve this."

He finally took his eyes away from the wall to look down at her, noting her usual empathetic and pertinacious glint. Those deaths could have been preventable had they been in the right place and the right time. He was fully prepared to take full responsibility for them, but his wife was always one to tell him otherwise, to remind him that he was doing all he could to save everyone around them.

"Did you inquire about the necklace?" Agatha asked.

"Lady Eddison brought it back from India," Donna answered. "It's worth thousands."

"Malaria wasn't the only thing she came back with, as it turns out," Rose commented.

"This thing can _sting_ ," the Doctor spoke, his voice low and hard. "It can fly…it could wipe us all out in _seconds_ —why is it playing this game?"

"I've been thinking the same thing," Rose said. "These things are powerful, yeah? What's taking it so long? Something's…off."

"Every murder is essentially the same," Agatha mused. "They are committed because somebody wants something."

"What does a Vespiform want?" the Doctor wondered.

"Doctor, stop it," the author said sharply. "The murderer is as human as you or I."

He and Rose exchanged a look before his brows shot up in realization. "You're right, of course!" he crowed. "I've been so caught up with giant wasps, I've forgotten the most important thing."

"That's it's also human?" Rose asked as they moved to sit on the sofa across from Agatha.

"Exactly!" he exclaimed with a wide grin. "It's been staring us right in the face all along. Agatha, you're the expert!"

"Look, I told you, I'm just a…purveyor of _nonsense_ ," the woman said with a defeated look.

"No, you're not, Agatha," Rose said softly. "You're so much _more_ than you give yourself credit for. You've got deduction skills like no other. You're _brilliant_."

"Thing is 'cause plenty of people write detective stories but yours are the best," the Doctor added. "And why is that? Why are you so good, Agatha Christie?" The woman looked at him almost helplessly and he continued. "Because you understand. You've lived…you've fought…you've had your heart broken. You know about people—their passions, their hope and despair and anger, all of those emotions. Tiny huge things can turn the most ordinary person into a killer. Just _think,_ Agatha." He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, face full of seriousness and confidence. "If anyone can solve this mystery, it's _you_."

Agatha flitted her eyes between him and Rose, looking unsure about herself again. But after a few moments a small confident smile appeared on the author's face. "Very well, then," she proclaimed as she stood from the sofa and smoothed out her dress. "Call in the guests, Doctor. We've got some interrogating to do."

A manic grin spread across his face. "Oh, yes!"

* * *

 **Response to _newboy_ : Cool :) I haven't read anything else on him yet since but I'll read up on him in between writing and maybe try to find the Classic Who episodes with him encountering Four, Five, and Seven. I don't watch new episodes anymore since Moffat's takeover and choose not to make his era canon, so whatever happened doesn't exist to me. Not that I had plans rewriting seasons after S4 anyway, but still. **

**Thanks, dude, I'll need all the luck I can get. ;) It's a lot of stuff to read but yes, I'll definitely keep the hate and the Doctor's fear. Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks again for your awesome reviews :D**


	31. The Unicorn and the Wasp Part 4

**A/N: *intense fangirling over the Jessica Jones teasers continues***

 **I** **had a blast with this episode.** **Many thanks and much love to every one of you lovely viewers! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated :D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 30: The Unicorn and the Wasp Part 4**_

Once all of the guests were gathered back into the sitting room Rose studied each of them closely, sitting on the arm of a sofa. The Doctor stood by the fireplace near Agatha while Donna sat on a wooden chair to the side.

"Now then," the Doctor said as he paced with his hands clasped behind his back. "I've called you all here on this endless night because we have a murderer in our midst. And when it comes to detection, there's none finer…ladies and gentlemen, I give you Agatha Christie."

Finished with the mini introduction the Doctor sat in the wooden chair beside Rose and Donna, an intrigued look on his face. _"Fanboy,"_ Rose thought to him. He waggled his eyebrows.

"This is a crooked house," Agatha began from her spot in front of the fireplace. "A house of secrets. To understand the solution, we must examine them all. Starting with you…" She turned her attention to Lady Eddison but then swiftly jerked in the opposite direction. "Miss Redmond."

Robina looked a bit taken aback. "But I'm innocent, surely," she protested.

"You've never met these people and these people never met you," Agatha replied. "I think the real Robina Redmond never left London. You're impersonating her!"

"How silly," the other woman said with a light chuckle, crossing her arms over her chest. "What proof do you have?"

"You said you'd been to the toilet…"

"Oh, I know this," Donna piped up in a whisper, leaning over to talk to the Doctor and Rose. "If she was really posh, she'd say 'loo'." Rose shrugged and the Doctor tilted his head.

"Earlier today Mrs. Tyler, Miss Noble, and I found this on the lawn," the author continued as she pulled out the black leather tool case. "Right beneath your bathroom window. You must have heard Mrs. Tyler and Miss Noble were searching the bedrooms and you panicked. You ran upstairs and disposed of the evidence."

Robina blinked a few times. "I've never seen that thing before in my life," she asserted.

 _"_ What's inside it?" Lady Eddison asked curiously.

"The tools of your trade, Miss Redmond," Agatha responded as she opened the case. "Or should I say…the Unicorn!"

Everyone in the room—save for the Doctor, Rose, Agatha, and Robina—gasped in shock when the author showed the guests the tools kept in the case.

"You came to this house with one sole intention—to steal the Firestone!" Agatha continued.

'Robina' moved her eyes around the room before settling on Agatha, then sighed. "Oh, alright then, it's a fair cop," she replied with a complete turn around from the cultured impression to a rough Cockney accent as she stood from her seat. "Yes, I'm the bleedin' Unicorn. Ever so nice to meet you, I don't think. I took my chance in the dark and nabbed it." She reached beneath her dress strap and pulled out the large purple necklace. "Go on then, ya nobs, arrest me. Sling me in jail."

She tossed the jewelry over and the Doctor, who had moved to stand next to Agatha by the fireplace, caught it deftly before moving to sit on the sofa where Rose was sitting on the arm. He inspected the item before handing it over to her. An odd tingling feeling jolted through her when she touched the jewel.

"So, is she the murderer?" Donna asked.

"Don't be so thick," the Unicorns sneered. "I might be a thief, but I ain't no killer."

"Well, that's definitely something to be proud of," Rose muttered from the side as she held the necklace in her hands.

"Quite," Agatha said with a faint smile before continuing. "There are darker motives at work, and, in examining this household…we come to you…" She moved her eyes around the room before stopping on the wheelchair bound Hugh. "Colonel."

"Damn it, woman!" Hugh said. "You with your perspicacity! You've rumbled me!"

To everyone's surprise their eyes widened when the man stood from his wheelchair, appearing mobile.

"Hugh!" Lady Eddison cried in astonishment. "You-you can _walk_? But why?"

"My darling, how else could I be certain of keeping you by my side?" the colonel answered, reaching for her hand.

"I don't understand."

"You're still a beautiful woman, Clemency," he said, raising a hand to gently stroke her cheek. "Sooner or later, some chap will turn your head. I couldn't bear that. Staying in the chair was the only way I could be certain of keeping you." Hugh turned back to Agatha. "Confound it, Mrs. Christie! How did you discover the truth?"

Agatha blinked. "Um, actually, I had no idea," she admitted, smiling weakly. "I was just going to say you were completely innocent."

"Ah…" the colonel said, visibly blushing. "Oh."

"Sorry."

"Well, shall I sit down then?"

Agatha nodded quickly. "I think you better had."

Hugh did just that and sat back in his wheelchair slowly, still keeping a hold on his wife's hand. Rose tried her hardest to bite back on a laugh.

"So he's not the murderer?" Donna piped up.

"Indeed not," Agatha told her. "To find the truth…let's return…" The Doctor gently nudged Rose in the side and she leaned over to hand the necklace to Agatha. "…to this—far more than the Unicorn's object of desire. The Firestone has quite a history." She turned to the woman on the couch. "Lady Eddison."

"I've done nothing!" she protested with a quiet voice.

"You brought it back from India, did you not?" Agatha reminded. "Before you met the colonel." Lady Eddison didn't reply. She closed her eyes, almost as if she couldn't bear the sight of everyone on the room looking at her as she was put on the spot. "You came home with malaria and confined yourself to this house for six months," the author continued to press. "In a room that has been locked ever since, which I rather think means—"

"Stop, please!" the older woman pleaded.

Agatha showed sympathy. "I'm so sorry. But you had fallen pregnant in India…unmarried and ashamed. You hurried back to England with your confidante, a young maid, later to become housekeeper; Miss Chandrakala."

"Clemency!" the colonel said in shock. "Is this true?"

"My poor baby," Lady Eddison choked out, bringing her handkerchief out. "I had to give him away. Oh, the shame of it."

Rose's heart went out to the woman. Raising a child as a single mother was hard and always was looked upon as disgraceful back home. Her own mother understood that well. But, unlike her, this woman wasn't married and had to give her child away. If the 21st century treated it with judgment then this era back in the old days was even worse.

"But you've never said a word," Hugh said gently.

"I had no choice," Lady Eddison replied sharply. "Imagine the scandal, the family name. I'm British—I carry on," she added, taking a sip from her wine.

"And it was no ordinary pregnancy," the Doctor finally spoke up.

"How can you know that?" Lady Eddison said in disbelief.

"Excuse me, Agatha, this is my territory," he said as he leaned forward in his seat. "But when you heard that buzzing sound in the dining room, you said, 'It can't be'. Why did you say that?"

Lady Eddison shook her head. "You'd never believe it."

"The Doctor has opened my mind to believe…many things," Agatha said as she sat down in a chair.

"My lady," Rose said to the older woman. "We've dealt with these types of situations before. We believe a lot more than you'd think. And, coming from experience, you're not the first person to fall in love with an alien."

"Excuse me?" the colonel said in disbelief.

"Aliens," she replied casually, noting her husband's glance. "From another planet."

He scoffed. "Please, all this talk of-of aliens and other planets as if they're real and they exist."

"Because they are, Mr. Curbishley," the Doctor replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

"That's absurd!"

"Seriously?" Rose asked with an arched brow. "There's an oversized wasp flyin' around and slaying people. What do you make of that, then? Imagination?"

The colonel's lips drew tightly together and he remained silent.

"And this child is part alien," the Doctor went on. "A whole other species, a hybrid. Its genetics could prove to be the reason behind the murders, sir."

"Can we get back to the story?" Donna asked from the side.

Lady Eddison told the story of how she met a man in India forty years ago and fell in love with him. He had made himself human and reveled himself to her, his true alien form. She loved him so much that she didn't care. But then in the year of the Great Monsoon, the River Jumna rose up and broke its banks, taking him at the flood. Before he was gone, he had left her a parting gift—the jewel she wore around her neck.

"Just like a man," the Unicorn said. "Flashes his family jewels and you end up with a bun in the oven."

"A 'poor little child'," Agatha deducted. "Forty years ago, Miss Chandrakala took that newborn baby to an orphanage. But Professor Peach worked it out. He found the birth certificate."

"And that's the 'maiden'," Rose remarked, putting the puzzle pieces together. "As in maiden name."

The author nodded. "Precisely."

"So she killed him," Donna said, chewing on some peanuts.

"I did not!" Lady Eddison cried.

"Miss Chandrakala feared that the professor had unearthed your secret," Agatha continued. "She was coming to warn you."

"So she killed her," Donna said again.

"I did not!" the older woman repeated indignantly.

"Lady Eddison is innocent," Agatha declared. "Because at this point…Doctor?"

"Thank you," the Doctor said as he stood from his seat. "Because at this point when we consider the lies and secrets and the key to these events, then we have to consider…it was you…Donna Noble," he added, turning around to point at the ginger woman.

Her eyes went wide. "What?" she squeaked. "Who did I kill?"

"Nobody," Rose told her.

"You said it all along, the vital clue—that this whole thing is being acted out like a murder mystery," he said. "Which means…" He moved his accusatory finger in the direction of another. "It was you, Agatha Christie."

"I beg your pardon, sir?" Agatha said indignantly.

"So she killed them," Donna said.

"No, Donna," Rose said, shaking her head as she dismissed that idea. She was sitting back and watching as her husband slowly deciphered everything, prostrating his words in a way only he could manage.

"She didn't," he clarified. "But she wrote. She wrote those brilliant, clever books. And who's her greatest admirer?" He pressed his tongue behind his upper row of teeth and twirled his extended index finger. "The moving finger points…at you, Lady Eddison."

"Leave me alone!" the woman pleaded.

"So she _did_ kill them," Donna said again with a frown.

"No," both the Doctor and Rose said in unison.

"Blimey, all this hype and excitement and it's hardly going anywhere to solve this case."

"Build up takes some time," Rose said with a slight shrug then turned to her husband. "Isn't that right, love?"

"All in good time, I'm sure," he said with a nod. "Nothing gets left aside. But just think…last Thursday night, Lady Eddison, what were you doing?"

"Uh…I was in the library," the woman answered. "I was reading my favorite Agatha Christie, thinking about her plots and how clever she must be. How is that relevant?"

"Just think—what happened Thursday night?" He then turned his body around to face Reverend Golightly, who stared at him with a blank expression and blinked.

"I'm sorry?" he said.

Rose caught on and nodded, moving from her spot on the chair to walk over and stand beside her husband. "Earlier today," she said, "on the lawn. You said that last Thursday was the day those boys broke into your church."

"That's correct," the reverend said. Rose noticed a quick shift in him and narrowed her eyes at him, watching him closely. "They did. I discovered the two of them—thieves in the night. I was most perturbed. But I apprehended them."

"Really?" the Doctor asked with an arched eyebrow. "A man of God against two strong lads? A man in his forties? Or, should I say, forty years old…exactly."

"Oh, my God!" Lady Eddison gasped, placing a hand to her chest.

"Lady Eddison," Rose said softly, the pieces finally coming together. "How old would your son be right now?"

"Forty," she answered with widened eyes, face full of amazement "He's…forty."

"Your child has come home," the Doctor told her gently.

Golightly laughed in derision at what he believed was the absurdity of the accusation. "This is poppycock!"

"Oh? You said you were taught by the Christian fathers, meaning…raised in an orphanage."

"My son!" Lady Eddison whispered in wonder. "Can it be?"

"You found those thieves, Reverend, and you got angry," the Doctor continued. "A proper, deep anger for the first time in your life and it broke the genetic code. You changed. You realized your inheritance. After all these years…you knew who you were. Oh, then it all kicks off 'cause this—" He moved over to grab the necklace that Rose had been holding again and stood behind the couch, holding it up. "—isn't just a jewel—it's a Vespiform telepathic recorder. It's part of you—your brain, your very essence. And when you activated, so did the Firestone. It beamed your full identity directly into your mind. And, at the same time, it absorbed the works of Agatha Christie directly from Lady Eddison. It all became part of you. The mechanics of those novels formed a template in your brain. You killed in this pattern because that's what you think the world is. Turns out we are in the middle of a murder mystery. One of yours, Dame Agatha," he added sitting on the arm of the sofa.

Agatha frowned and furrowed her brows. "'Dame'?"

"Not yet," Rose muttered, elbowing the Doctor in the side.

"Oh, right," he replied. "Sorry, not yet."

 _"Way to go."_

 _"Sorry,"_ he thought back to her. _"Little slip up."_

"So _he_ killed them?" Donna asked from the side, seemingly over all the false starts. "Yes? _Definitely_?"

"Yes," the Doctor responded.

Everyone stared at the man. Golightly was slightly miffed as he chuckled again before turning serious. "Well, this has certainly been a most entertaining evening," he said. Rose inwardly twitched. "Really, you can't believe any of this, surely, Lady Eddizzz—" When he tried to say the woman's name his head turned to the side a bit as a faint buzzing sound escaped from him.

"What was that?" Rose cut in. "Didn't catch that last bit, mate."

"Lady who?" the Doctor said.

The reverend glared at them, but when he tried to repeat the name he struggled again, more than before. "Lady Eddizzzon…"

"Little bit of buzzing there, Vicar?" the Doctor asked as he gestured at his throat.

"Don't make me _angry_ ," the man warned as he stood from the sofa and moved.

"Why?" the Doctor challenged. "What happens then?"

"Don't suppose you're gonna get all green and burly, are you?" Rose added with a crooked grin.

"Damn it!" Golightly snapped as he stood on the other side of the room, a derisive look on his face. "You humanzzz! Worshipping your tribal sky godzzz! I am so much more! That night, the universe exploded in my mind! I wanted to take what wazz mine. You, Doctor! You and your wife think you have such a higher power and authority over me! And you, Agatha Christie…" During his angry speech an eerie purple light began to shine over his skin from underneath. "With your railway station bookstall romancezzz."

"Oh, my dear God!" Lady Eddison exclaimed with a sob as she tried to reach out to the man. "My child!"

"What'zzz to stop me killing you all?" Golightly demanded.

The Doctor held an arm out and gently positioned Rose behind him beside Agatha. A creature this powerful was dangerous on many levels, they've already seen what it was capable of doing today. Now, though, they've exposed the shapeshifter and it would only be seconds away from trying to unleash more of its wrath. But there would be no other deaths here. He needed to give this man a chance.

"I can help you, Reverend," he said softly before slowly walking forward. He heard his wife sending him a mental alert and regarded it. "I can reverse the template in your mind and do away with it altogether. You could be able to function and live in this society properly. You just have to _stop_ this."

The man only twitched and buzzed more, the purple light becoming more lucent until his entire body was engulfed in a small cloud of smoke. When it cleared a giant wasp was hovering in his place, buzzing angrily.

"Forgive me!" Lady Eddison pleaded as she tried to run towards the creature.

"No, Clemency!" Hugh hollered as he and the butler moved forward and pulled her away by the door. "Keep away, my darling!"

The Doctor moved back, keeping himself positioned between the wasp and Rose. Donna had stood from her seat and hurried over to stand behind him as the wasp moved its head around the room, looking ready to strike again. He had gave the man a chance to stop his wrath and to accept his help. He should've known the man wouldn't take forgiveness, but he had to show empathy to him. He didn't ask for the way he was born, it was his inheritance.

"No!" Agatha suddenly yelled over the loud buzzing. She had moved by the opposite door of the room and held up the Firestone. "No more murder! If my imagination made you kill, then my imagination will find a way to stop you, foul creature!"

She ran out of the room and the Vespiform was about to charge with its stinger thrust out. The Doctor placed his hands on both Rose and Donna's backs and swiftly moved them away as they followed her outside, the wasp coming behind their heels.

"Wait!" Donna cried. "Now it's chasing us!"

"Back to the way it usual is," Rose remarked as they hurried down the halls.

They made it to the main entrance at the front drive and closed the doors behind them. It wouldn't be much since the Vespiform was a powerful species and could easily break through the wood with ease, but it was the only barrier they had at the moment. They heard a car honking in the distance, prompting them to turn their heads in its direction. They saw Agatha driving by the gravel path in one of the vintage cars.

"Come on!" the Doctor yelled as he grabbed Rose's hand and led them away from the door and ran towards the car. They heard the wood crash in from the Vespiform breaking through.

"Over here!" Agatha challenged, holding up the Firestone. "Come and get me, Reverend!"

"Agatha, what are you doing?" the Doctor asked, coming to a stop.

"If I started this, Doctor, then I must stop it!"

"You'll get yourself killed!" Rose told her. "Don't do this!"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Tyler. It's like you and your husband said—if anyone could solve this case it's me. I'm the one who can end this all."

She drove away down the road and the Doctor cursed in his native tongue. The wasp was approaching them so they made a run for it again. There was another car parked by the road so they made their way towards it.

"Come on!"

Rose shivered inside when she dodged the Vespiform as it stopped and hovered in the air. It hesitated, debating which direction it wanted to go before flying after Agatha. Coming up to the car, the Doctor wasted no time in leaping over the door and taking the driver's seat while Rose and Donna piled in.

"Is this Bessie 2.0, then?" Rose asked, half jokingly.

"Not a keeper since nothing could replace that car," he responded before pulling away to follow Agatha down the road with the engine growling in their ears and the wind blowing vigorously in their faces.

The Vespiform was closely behind Agatha's car as it swooped down in an attempt to strike with its stinger, but the author dodged the attack.

"You said this is the night Agatha Christie loses her memory," Donna recalled.

"Time is in flux, Donna!" the Doctor told her as he drove, his eyes locked on the road. "For all we know, this is the night Agatha Christie loses her _life_ and history gets _changed_!"

"But where's she going? She can't possibly out-drive it!"

Rose's stomach twitched again. She looked over at her husband briefly and caught him blinking rapidly. "Doctor," she said, placing a hand on his knee. "You alright?"

"Fine," he assured quickly. "It's just…I can feel the timeline tightening. We have to prevent her from taking her own life before it snaps completely."

There looked to be more to his discomfort than that, she couldn't put her finger on it directly, but there was. She then turned back around when they came further down the road and passed a sign that read 'Silent Pool'. "It's the lake!" Rose cried. "She's headed for the lake!"

"Oh, the lake!" the Doctor repeated with a frown. "What's she doing?"

Agatha screeched to a stop beside the lake and hurried out of the car. The Doctor was close behind as he parked the car at the path's end. "Here I am!" Agatha yelled as she held up the Firestone, now engulfed in a glowing purple color enough to blind. "The honey in the trap. Come to me, Vespiform."

"She's controlling it," Donna breathed out in realization as the Doctor and Rose quickly hopped out of the car.

"Its mind is based on her thought processes," he said. "They're linked."

"Quite so, Doctor," Agatha said. "If I die, then this creature might die with me."

"Agatha, don't!" Rose yelled as the trio approached her.

"Don't hurt her!" the Doctor commanded as he faced the Vespiform. "You're not meant to be like this. You've got the wrong template in your mind."

The wasp came closer and began to circle them. The Doctor held his arms out to keep the women behind him. There wasn't much they could do at the moment to delay until it would charge them with its stinger. There wasn't anything around to shield themselves from an attack.

"He's not listening," Donna said.

Out of impulse she grabbed the Firestone from Agatha's hand and threw it into the lake. It landed with a plop and sank down to the bottom. The Vespiform dove into the water after it with a large splash. Bubbles formed on the surface as a purple light shone from underneath. They all watched as a deep buzzing sound echoed from the depths. Rose glanced over to see the Doctor watching with a pained expression. She knew he wouldn't approve of the way their friend handled it, but it didn't appear that the reverend could be saved. There wasn't anything they could do. She reached for his hand and squeezed it.

"How do you kill a wasp?" Donna said sadly. "Drown it. Just like its father."

"Donna, that thing couldn't help itself," the Doctor admonished.

"Neither could I," the redhead replied.

Rose felt him tense up, so she squeezed his hand again. "He was too far gone," she told him quietly. "You tried to reason with him but he wouldn't listen. It's not your fault. She did what she had to."

He glanced back down at her, his jaw set tight as he looked like he was about to make a further comment. Instead he nodded imperceptibly and turned his eyes back to the water to continue watching the bubbles and the purple light in the water.

"Death comes as the end," Agatha spoke up. "And justice is served."

"Probably should write that down," Rose murmured, nudging the Doctor in the side. He smirked for a moment and winked at her.

"Murder at the vicar's rage," he remarked. Both Rose and Donna rolled their eyes at that. "Needs a bit of work."

"Just one mystery left, Doctor," Agatha said with a frown, turning to face him. "Who exactly are _you_? You _and_ your wife? Who are you really?"

He opened his mouth to reply but he was saved from giving an answer when Agatha doubled over in pain, letting out a small cry.

"What's happening?" Rose asked as she and the Doctor held the woman in their arms and carefully lowered her to the ground. "What's wrong?"

"Oh! It's the Firestone!" he said, flitting his eyes between the woman and the lake where the light still shone. "It's part of the Vespiform's mind! It's dying and it's connected to Agatha!"

"Can we disconnect it somehow? Like a reversal?"

"Too late now! There's nothing we can do!"

Agatha began to glow with the purple light illuminating her face, but it didn't last long when it soon faded from her body as well as the lake a moment later and she fell unconscious with a deep exhale. Rose placed two fingers to her neck to check just in case.

"She's still alive," she said. "What happened?"

"It let her go," the Doctor said with wonder. "Right at the end, the Vespiform chose to save someone's life rather than take them with it."

"Is she all right, though?" Donna asked.

"Oh, of course! The amnesia! The psychic trauma of the link between her and the Vespiform was severed so violently it wiped her mind of everything that happened. The wasp, the murders…"

"And that means that she won't remember us," Rose added.

He nodded. "Exactly."

"That's a little disheartening, wouldn't you say?" Donna remarked sadly. "Forgetting about us and everything we did."

"It's better that way," the Doctor said gently. "But besides that we solved another riddle—the mystery of Agatha Christie." He nodded off to the side. "And tomorrow morning, her car gets found by the side of the lake. A few days later, she turns up at a hotel in Harrogate…with no idea of what just happened. No one'll ever know."

"'Cept for us," Rose said.

The Doctor scooped up the unconscious woman in his arms and took her back to the vintage car and gently eased her down on the back seat. Donna moved to sit with her as she remained in a peaceful sleep while Rose took the passenger's seat beside him as he drove them down the road to where the TARDIS was parked. She rested her hand on his knee and teased him a bit about him driving manually in a car like he did with his old beloved roadster, Bessie, and he sniffed and tipped his chin up high. She noticed him blinking rapidly a few times again for some reason. When she sought out to ask him if he was okay he quickly assured her that he was. She hoped he wasn't having another sick spell again despite his word. Luckily he recovered quickly as they made it to the TARDIS.

Carefully taking Agatha into the ship, they set her gently onto the jump seat while he set in the coordinates for ten days later from their arrival to let history take its course in order to keep the established timeline. Landing smoothly, they noticed the author was starting to come to out of her rested state so they needed to be fast in keeping everything straight. Helping her up they led her out of the TARDIS before she could question why the blue police box was bigger on the inside and outside.

She woke with a start and had no idea how she ended up where she was. They told her that they found her alone and that someone in the Harrogate Hotel would be able to help her and take care of her. She looked confused by their directions but managed to slowly walk up to the front lawn leading to the large stone building then came to the steps of the patio. She paused for a moment and looked back at the trio, who stood by the TARDIS and waited for her to enter the hotel. The Doctor kept his arm wrapped around Rose's waist as Agatha climbed up the steps and made her way inside.

"I feel bad for her," Rose commented sadly.

"She'll be fine," the Doctor assured. "The timeline continues as it should and everything falls into place."

"What about Lady Eddison, the colonel, and all the staff?" Donna asked. "What about them?"

"A shameful story," he replied. "They'd never talk of it—too British."

"Doin' what they do best, the posh," Rose said with a snort before using an affected accent. "Carrying on."

Her husband chuckled before finishing his explanation. "With that lot keeping their mouths closed the Unicorn does a bunk back to London Town. That way she can never say she was there."

"And they won't know we were either," she added.

"Yup," he replied, popping the 'p'.

Patting her hip he pulled his arm away as he led them back to the TARDIS and unlocked the door, stepping aside to let them enter first before shutting it behind him.

"What about Agatha?" Rose asked as she rounded the console on one side and Donna on the other. "What happens to her now?"

"Oh, great life!" he said with a smile as he came up the ramp. "Met another man, married again. Saw the world. Wrote and wrote and wrote."

"She never thought her books were any good, though," Donna sighed. "And she must have spent all those years wondering."

The Doctor slung his coat off his shoulders and tossed it over the coral strut. "Thing is, I don't think she ever quite forgot. Great mind like that, some of the details kept bleeding through. Bits and pieces, just coming to her memory."

"Like…ripple effects," Rose breathed out.

His expression softened and he nodded once. "Yeah." He sniffed and placed his hands in his pockets and uplifted his mood. "Put to good use, too. All the stuff her imagination could use. Like Miss Marple!"

"I should have made her sign a contract," Donna muttered causing Rose to giggle.

"Oh! Hold on, where is it?" the Doctor said, probably most likely to himself as he kept his eyes fixed downwards and moved around the console.

"Whatcha looking for?" Rose asked, following him.

"Ah, here we go," he said, coming to a stop not far from where Donna stood. He crouched down and lifted a section of the TARDIS floor grating and pulled out a large chest labeled with the letter 'C'.

Rose arched an eyebrow at him as she came to kneel beside him. "Did you move that down from the attic?" she asked.

"Did a little bit of sprucing up," he admitted, dusting his hands off. "It was a long time since I cleared out the attic—a few centuries, even—so I reorganized some things."

"Do you even remember where you put everything?"

He hesitated. "Of course I do. And even if I did forget, the Old Girl could zap it up for us should we need anything."

"Hold on," Donna spoke up, holding her hand out. "You've got an _attic_?"

"Sure we have an attic!" the Doctor exclaimed before frowning. "Why wouldn't we have an _attic_?"

She shook her head. "Nevermind. So what's in that?" she said, gesturing at the chest. "Some more of your 'alien relics'?"

"Yep!"

"Should I be ready to see a severed foot or something pop out?"

His brows shot up. "What?" he cried incredulously.

Rose burst out laughing. "Over nine hundred years of travelling, I wouldn't be surprised if that happened!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Donna, I told you before: I don't go around chopping off my appendages nor do I go around the universe _collecting_ any from other species."

"Anything's possible with you, alien boy," the redhead said, crossing her arms.

"She's not wrong," Rose remarked.

He shrugged and opened the chest. "Here we go, 'C'. That is 'C' for Cyberman." He tossed a metallic Cyberman chest plate aside as he continued to rummage through the various collectibles. "'C' for Carrionites," he said, bringing out the globe still containing the imprisoned creatures. "Hold that for a second, Rose, don't drop it!"

Rose was swift as she caught the ball when he tossed it over at her. She snorted when she saw the haggard witches clawing at the surface. She shrugged and gingerly set it down to the ground.

"Could arrange your own garage sale or auction with all that," Donna commented. "And it's fitting for you since you talk a mile a minute."

Rose chuckled at that while he continued to search.

"Then we've got Caesar and Chaplin," the Doctor muttered as he set down a marble bust of Julius Caesar as well as an updated digital copy of _The Kid_ by Charlie Chaplin. A bunch of tangled wires got in his way but he quickly moved those aside as he searched. "And…Christie, Agatha. Look at that."

He pulled out a paperback book and held it up for the ladies to see. It was a copy of _Death in the Clouds_ that had a large wasp on the cover.

Donna grinned. "She _did_ remember."

"Somewhere at the back of her mind, it all lingered," he said with a smile. "And that's not all. Look at the copyright page."

He handed it over to Rose to take a peek and she smiled at what it said inside. "How 'bout that."

"What is it?" Donna asked. She handed it over for their friend to take a look. She read out loud. "'Facsimile edition published in the year…5 billion?'" she finished with widened eyes, shocked.

"People never stop reading them," the Doctor said. "She is the best-selling novelist of _all_ time."

"Even better than Dickens?" Rose teased with a tongue-touched grin.

He chuckled and brought his hand up to boop her nose. "They're both great in their own respective genres, but lots of people enjoy a good mystery novel every now and then."

"But she never knew," Donna said with a sigh.

"Nobody knows what's in their future, really," Rose reasoned. "No one knows what'll happen to them or how they're gonna be remembered one day. All you can do is keep your head up and hope for the best."

She turned to look at her husband, matching him with equally warm grins. He reached down and threaded his fingers with hers. "Well said," he told her. "Maybe that's what kept her writing all that time. The same thing that keeps us travelling." He turned back to Donna. "Onwards?"

The redhead nodded. "Onwards."

Squeezing Rose's hand the Doctor stood to his feet and helped his wife up along with him before moving around the console to pull the lever and send them back into the vortex, the trio smiling at the rose and fall of the time rotor.

"Before we head out somewhere else," Donna spoke up, "I wanna change out of this dress and get a bite. A jar of peanuts and cashews doesn't really fill you up."

"Sounds good," Rose said with a nod. "We'll be with you shortly."

"Don't stop off at another party without me," the redhead warned, pointing at them.

The Doctor held his hands up. "Weren't planning on it."

She smiled. "Maybe even catch a flick. _Murder on the Orient Express_ good?"

"Why not?" Rose said with a grin. "Sounds like a plan."

Donna nodded before heading down the corridor. Once their friend was gone the Doctor nudged Rose's shoulder. "So…you had a little surprise trip for me, eh?"

"Didn't really go as planned," she said with a shrug. "I was only intending to check out one of your favorite authors, not to have a murder mystery. Then again, it was more exciting than what I thought, in the end. Without the madness."

He beamed. "Of course it was, we just solved a mystery with _Agatha Christie_! A great surprise for sure! Tons of fun!"

Rose returned the grin. "Yeah? Was it more fun than Dickens?"

"Can't really separate those two," he replied. "Both were equally amazing." He licked his bottom lip and arched an eyebrow at her, taking in her ensemble yet again and lowering his voice. "And, in both incidents, you were wearing equally breathtaking dresses. As you always are. It would be a crime to choose between both."

She giggled. "That's not enough to stop you from debating."

He tilted his head. "Doesn't matter. I've got my always stunning wife by my side until the end of time. How could I choose one specific point where she was beautiful when it's every second of every day that she is?"

Rose blushed when she bit her lip and before stepping up to him and placing a hand on his arm. "You know," she said sweetly, "you still owe me a dance."

He hummed. "Yes, I do."

"Before we join Donna for movie night you wanna take it back to the roarin' 20s?"

The Doctor grinned as he spun around the console. "And how!"

His hands moved in a flash as he activated the music player wired into the TARDIS, causing jazz music to blast from the speakers. Rose laughed before taking his hand offered to her and began to move to the rhythm of the music.

"You're really on the up and up!" she told him when he twirled her around and released their hands to do solos. "The Cat's Meow."

"You know the slang!" he chirped as he slid an arm around her waist and grabbed her other hand in his. "Gold star for you!"

"You're not the only one on the trolley," she said with a wide grin. He laughed happily and spun her around the console with ease. "You sure you should be movin' around like this?" she asked.

"Why not?"

"'Cause I don't want you throwin' up everywhere."

"C'mon, Rose, I told you. It's passed. No nausea at the moment."

"I believe you, but just please don't ruin my dress," she teased. "Really went to the trouble to pick out something I liked."

A low growl escaped from him. "If you're worried about it so much then I can help you take it off, if you want."

She threw him a sultry grin. "The honor's always yours, Mr. Tyler."

"Always a pleasure, Mrs. Tyler."

He extended his arm, letting her go out and twirled her back to him, pulling her in for a sweet passionate kiss. They both hummed along to the music before they felt themselves melting into each other, their little number coming to an end. The loud, upbeat tune switched to a slower one, its volume softer. With his hands on her hips he gently moved her backwards to press her against the edge of the console, letting their mouths do the moving. The bank was never closed when it came to them.

This dance was over, so they moved on to the next one.

* * *

 **Yes, those are actual slang terms from the 1920s. I'm a glutton for research *n_n* Also be ready for the next chapter…**

 **Response to _lucky lemur_ : Yes, I couldn't resist that little nod to Five with the celery stick ;D Glad you enjoyed it, thanks a lot!**


	32. Interlude: Right Place, Wrong Time

**A/N: A little break away from our gang to see what's happening somewhere else. I'll be waiting for you lot at the end of this one.** **As always, much love and many thanks to all of you lovely viewers! You keep me same whilst I lose my mind with this story.**

* * *

 _ **Interlude: Right Place, Wrong Time**_

 _Somewhere years into the future_

Professor River Song was wandering around her room in search for her suitcase. These last few weeks have been some of the greatest she's ever had, if she was honest. Just travelling around and seeing some of the most beautiful sights the universe had to offer. But, as life worked for her, she had a job to attend to and needed to pack up and be ready to leave as soon as possible.

She had received a job hiring from Strackman Lux who was in charge of funding an expedition for a group of archeologists to investigate something that had happened a hundred years ago at The Library in the 51st century, an entire planet containing the largest collection of books from all across the universe from many centuries of the past and present. Apparently the man had received an odd cryptic message that said something about four thousand and twenty-two people were saved and that there were strangely no survivors. Whatever it was couldn't be good, so she would have to make a call once she leaves.

It was still fairly early in the morning, at least by what she thought, and her husband was still sound asleep in their bed. He was never one to be under the covers so much, but after these last few weeks of non-stop travelling and…other activities, he deserved to rest up as much as he could. Quietly, she moved to the other side of their room and retrieved her suitcase, placing it on the work desk in the corner as she gathered her belongings—extra change of clothes, toiletries, beauty products, among other items. She then moved to their armoire and pulled open a drawer where some of her smaller necessities were located, some…rather interesting ones, but she carried them a lot in the last couple weeks.

Especially the screwdriver given to her.

It was still a mystery to her as to why she would even receive this. No reason whatsoever, just handed it to her. Rose has given her many items over the years but…her screwdriver? She wanted to question further, but she bit her tongue and just accepted it, no protesting. She was sure there was a perfectly good explanation for it, so she would just wait until the time was right to ask more about it. She wondered when she would get a screwdriver of her own.

She continued to pack and came across a pair of handcuffs. She arched an eyebrow, debating whether or not she should take these. There was really no need for her to bring these since she only used them for…role-playing. She pressed her lips together and shrugged. Who knows, maybe she'd have a reason to use them. Better to be equipped with anything. She dropped them in her bag.

"Leaving already?"

River turned around at the sound of her husband's voice, catching him laying on his back with his head leaning against the headboard and his fingers laced together and rested on his stomach. He watched her thoroughly, almost as if he were trying to convince her to come back to bed with him. Truthfully, she would love to, but she had a job waiting for her.

"I have to, sweetie," she told him with a small smile. "You know how much my job means to me."

His bottom lip protruded in a pout. "Don't I mean something, too?"

She threw a small cloth at him. "Oh, stop it. Do I have to prove it to you?"

"Uhhh…" he threw her a crooked grin. "No, but I might be able to create a good enough distraction to keep you from leaving."

"I don't think someone even with as much star power as _you've_ got is going to be able to change my mind, I'm afraid," River said, walking over to stand by the side of the bed.

"We'll see about that."

He outstretched his arm to reach and grabbed one of hers, bringing her down onto the bed, causing both of them to giggle. He planted a kiss to her lips, trying his best to divert her train of thought from her current situation. Mornings like this always made everything worth it and she treasured times like this, but if she didn't finish up packing the last of her things she was going to miss the shuttle.

"I _really_ need to go," River told her husband with a laugh.

"Come on, curls, it's only a little trip," he tried to reason. "Nothing different from the others you've gone on."

"No, not this time. It's very different. You sure you wouldn't wanna come with me? We could always have a little fun and, who knows, maybe get in a little bit of trouble," she added with a sly smile.

He returned it. "Nothing excites me more than that, but you know how I feel around archaeologists. They make me feel…" He finished with an exaggerated shudder.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Is that how you feel around me, then?"

"Yes. But in the good way. Not even good, _bloody great_. Woo!"

River grinned as she cupped his cheek and gave him another kiss. She always enjoyed when he would come along with her in other expeditions, but she wasn't forcing him to go if he didn't want to. She did, however, know two other people who would enjoy checking out something strange.

"What's so special about this one?" he asked after she broke the kiss. "Can't you just call in and tell the man in charge that you changed your mind or something?"

"If it were another organizer, then I'd probably have a chance," she replied with a sigh. "Mr. Lux, on the other hand, is one known for kicking up a fuss when it comes to his expeditions."

The smile dropped from his face, the color going with it. "What did you say?" he asked.

River furrowed her brows at him in confusion. "Mr. Lux," she repeated slowly. "Didn't I tell you about this trip yesterday?"

"No, you didn't."

"You sure?"

"I would've remembered if you did, River. You never told me about that."

"Well, he's funding an expedition to check out something at The Library. I can't back out of it now."

He remained still, almost as if he'd seen a ghost for a slight moment but he seemed to recover. Shock value, perhaps? What other reason could there be? She placed a hand to his cheek.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked gently. "You alright?"

"Yeah, fine," he replied with a small smile. "I'm always alright, curls, you know that."

River studied him for a moment. She could read her husband well and knew what could be running around his mind, but something seemed off. He swore that he'd never keep things hidden from her and she believed him, unless it was a well-received surprise he was planning. That was the only exception. But there had to be something he wasn't telling her. She'd question him later since she needed to finish packing her things. She slid off the bed and headed for the en suite to grab the last of her items, humming to herself.

Unbeknownst to River, her husband's mind was racing and screaming while his breathing increased. He scrubbed both hands down his face and held his chin, wishing that he had heard her wrong, and that he was imagining everything. But as much as he was hoping that it wasn't true and this was all a dream, he knew he was wrong. It was time. The vision returned to him.

He could feel the timeline stretching beneath his fingers and tightening in his gut. He didn't want to let his panic become noticeable and concealed it as much as he could when within eyesight of her, but he felt like a thousand buckets of ice water were dumped onto him, freezing him up. His wife was completely unaware of what she was about to put herself into, and worst of all he couldn't even warn her. Couldn't say a word. He's kept it to himself for years without slipping up. She was going to die.

No. No, he wouldn't let her. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. He wouldn't look into her timeline, and he always believed the vision to just be a nightmare. But…what if it wasn't? Trying to steady his breathing, he ran a hand through his hair and tried to collect his thoughts. River was headed for The Library. The timelines were about to cross and be disorganized since it would mark the first meeting between her and…the Doctor and Rose. At least on _their_ end.

River was a smart woman, and he knew that she would be heedful with anything said in conversation to not let any spoilers slip out. He believed that wouldn't be the problem. But his insides shivered when he recalled the events of what would happen to her and them during this trip. He shut his eyes and shook himself. There was still a light of hope in all of this. For years he's been preparing himself for this moment, coming up with the perfect plan to save her and to avoid her death. He was certain it would work. It just _had_ to. If his wife was involved, then he would only go through with it if he were a thousand percent sure.

Covering every bit of shock and horror behind a convincing smile, he watched as River exited the en suite and finished up her packing, looking engrossed in her thoughts and priorities. He desperately wanted to launch himself over to her and pull her in his arms and tell her not to go, but he couldn't do that. It was important to keep the timelines running smoothly. He had to let her go. But he would save her. He's done it before, he'll do it again.

"Alright," River proclaimed as she shut her case and held the handle in her hand. "I think I've got everything now. I'll be off."

"But I didn't even get to give you a proper goodbye," he whined as he stood from the bed and walked over to her.

"That's because your _proper_ goodbyes are always too prolonged and time consuming."

"But you love every second."

"Be that as it may, I don't wanna be late. I can't afford to."

He sighed. "Fine. Wait!" He rushed over to the side table to retrieve a thick silver necklace. Well, what looked to be a necklace, but it was much more than that. "Before you go…here, put this on."

River eyed the item curiously. "Jewelry? Haven't you given me enough already?"

"There's never enough for you, love," he replied with a smile, trying to ignore the fact that his stomach was twisting in knots. "But I made this one myself, so it's extra special than all the rest."

"So all the others you've given me weren't top value?"

"No, but this one tops the rest, I'm sure of it."

She rolled her eyes playfully and he moved around behind her to carefully place it around her neck. Locking the clasp he gently traced his fingers over the cool metal and felt a little at ease. Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek before she turned around to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a lingering kiss before going towards the door.

"Thank you. But if I don't go now, I'll miss the take-off."

"Alright. If you come across something remotely interesting, just touch the necklace and imagine I'm there with you to complain about how boring it is, and that there's so many more intriguing topics."

River snorted and shook her head. "I will." Before she left she stood in the doorway and threw him a sultry grin. "And I'll hold you onto that proper good _morning_ when I get back."

He returned the grin and tapped his nose, winking at her. "You can count on it."

And then with one last smile she hurried out of the room and made her way outside to get to the shuttle. The vessel that would lead her to death.

 _No_ _!_

He smacked his forehead. _She was fine_ , he kept thinking to himself. She was going to be safe, he knew she would. He was sure of it. He knew that by the time she boarded the shuttle she would be making a call. And now he had to make one himself.

Hurrying over to the nightstand he searched for his phone and dialed a number. The only ones he could call at the moment. He held it up to his ear and tapped his foot impatiently while waiting for one of them to pick up. Knowing them they were most likely engaging in another one of their…intimate moments, not that he liked to think about it, but they were always touchy-feely with each other. He was subjected to it for as long as he can remember.

Finally the end clicked on and he heard giggling before a voice came through, sounding far too husky and not directed to him. _**"—insatiable little minx."**_ He rolled his eyes. Every time. After some more shifting around and some more giggling then a throat was cleared and the tone was much chipper. _**"Hello?"**_

"It's time," he replied without hesitation, his voice shaking. "River's gone to The Library."

The Doctor was silent on the other end and he could hear Rose in the background asking what was wrong in the middle of the pregnant pause. _**"How long has she been gone?"**_

"About a minute."

 _ **"Did you give her the necklace?"**_

"Yeah."

 _ **"Alright. We're gonna come pick you up in a few minutes. Just…try to calm down until we get there."**_

"I'm _trying_ to, and it's not as easy as it seems," he snapped. He paused and took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sorry, I just…I know this has to work. It just has to. I can't be wrong, I…I won't live with that if I am."

There was shuffling before Rose came on the line. _**"Listen, everything's gonna be okay,"**_ she said softly. _**"** **We'll be right over."**_

He took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay."

 _ **"We're gonna save her,"** _ came the Doctor's voice again. ** _"I know in that timeline we might not know who she was or what's about to happen, but I promise you she'll be saved."_**

"I know she will."

 _ **"Right then. Allons-y."**_

The Doctor hung up the phone at the same time he did. He tapped his phone nervously against his mouth and steeled himself for a moment before moving to his wardrobe to get dressed.

* * *

 **Ayyy look at that. I'll try not to make things too confusing, but yep, many many changes coming.**

 **Response to _Huntxr:_ Happy belated birthday! :D Hope you enjoyed it!**


	33. Change of Plans

**A/N: I loved seeing you guys freaking out over the last chapter. My lips are sealed on who the mystery man is, so don't expect an answer to that. I'll just leave you guys guessing.** **Many thanks and much love to all of you amazing viewers! You guys brighten my days with your reviews ;D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 31: Change of Plans**_

 _Present Time_

A couple days later the trio went on a few other planets, all for the sake of fun. Not that any other world they landed on wasn't exciting with adventures but the Doctor had such a blast since they met Agatha Christie and had a party in the TARDIS that he wanted to take the ladies on vacation spots. Well, they weren't holiday planets per se, but they were ones that buzzed with electricity from all of the activities they could do.

Keeping a promise he made a month ago he landed them in the 63rd century planet Zazz, which was basically an entire planet filled with jazz loving humans and would dance for hours on end. Being around the 1920s era had prompted him to land in this world for some time now, more than it had before. It was going smoothly until the Doctor felt himself peeking at another brief sick spell. He assured he was okay as they continued to move to the music. Rose was a little concerned for him and didn't want him to get sick again. Apparently this periodical Gallifreyan sickness was stop lingering in his system, just not as severe. These last bunch of weeks had shown that it wasn't too serious, much to their relief, perhaps only extended a little. Whatever had entered his system just didn't want to come out.

Then they went to Dioscuros, which Rose thought was yet another driving misdirection from the Doctor since it was a desert planet, but as it turned out he landed there intentionally. He told them that he had wanted to stock up on some more exotic flowers to plant in the TARDIS garden to add to his seemingly never-ending collection. They had walked through the sweltering heat for about fifteen minutes until they stumbled across the specific foliage. Only there was a small problem. Small creatures that were practically pocket-sized and resembled a cross between a lizard and a bird gathered around the flowers, almost like it was their nest.

The Doctor chose not to tamper with them, but he must have given off some kind of effect to the creatures as two of them flew into his touseled mop of hair. He made a noise of surprise while Rose and Donna simply laughed at how the creatures mistook his wild hair for a nest. He assured the ladies that they weren't poisonous and that they just needed to be led away by the flowers they kept so close to them. Somehow after their laughing fit ended they managed to lure the creatures out of his hair and back to the sand and with the flowers.

Rose _did_ say that his hair was becoming a bit too wild. If it was drawing in wildlife as a nesting ground, then it was time for a haircut.

While heading back to the TARDIS, she offered to help trim his frenzied locks while Donna had another thing in mind. She told them that trudging through a desert was exhausting, but gave her an idea of their next trip. She wanted to go to a beach planet. It seemed appropriate since a nice holiday would be nice, not to mention it's been a while since they've taken some much needed down time. The Doctor agreed to that and told her they would be doing it as soon as possible, probably their next stop. He needed to take care of a few things beforehand.

Occupying one of the simulation rooms, the Doctor was seated on a stool with a towel around his shoulders and a waste bucket by his feet set up in a living room resembling Jackie's flat. Rose chose it out of wanting to surround herself with her home of nineteen years. Not only that, but it was amusing since she could perform her skills with hairdressing. It wasn't the first time she did so, but after one little incident a couple years back where he cut his hair a little too short and caused him to freak out, she assured him that she would be the one handling his styles from now on. It was like cutting a child's hair, but he was obedient and would stay still. Mostly.

"Nothing too drastic," he said. "Just a trim."

"Gotcha," Rose said with a nod.

"Although…" he drawled out, squinting an eye. "I wouldn't mind if you were to put your own spin on it."

"Like what?"

"Well, what about the time when we ran everything down the center from the front to the back? I wouldn't mind that again, it was different."

"Doctor, you looked like a bird with that style," Rose said with a laugh. "A little more than usual."

"Oi!"

"'M kidding. But remember that time when we landed on some planet afterwards and that big flappy dinosaur-bird or whatever it was came down and grabbed you then flew away with you and dropped you in its nest in the mountains?"

He blinked a few times, recalling the event. "Oh. Right. Forgot all about that. Nevermind, we'll do that another time. Do whatever you like."

Rose patted his shoulder before walking over to a drawer and grabbing a pair of scissors along with a water bottle. When she came back over to him she sprayed his hair until it was wet enough and began to work.

"You were really due for a haircut," she commented as she moved the scissors around the side of his head with careful snips. "Growin' like a weed, these are."

"Haven't heard any complaints from you," he pointed out. "You rather enjoyed my hair as it is, even if it was slightly longer than how I usually keep it."

She smiled. "Yeah, I love your hair. You know that. It's _gorgeous_."

He sniffed and straightened his posture, preening. "Have to look my best for my wife."

She grinned warmly. "As much as I adore your hair, sometimes it gets too out of control. I don't mind it as long as it's been, but on other planets it can be mistaken for a nest if you keep it this way."

He huffed. "Flattering as it is to some species that it looks like a suitable home for them to nest, I'm perfectly fine with having no drifters reside in my scalp."

Rose chuckled as she maneuvered around him to get to the back of his head, gently running her fingers through the spots. He let out a content hum that vibrated through her. She gently flicked him. "Careful," she told him. "Try not to make so many movements."

"Right, I don't wanna have to lose an ear because of my responses," he replied jokingly. She lightly slapped his shoulder and he snickered. "And about growing my hair out," he continued. "At least I'm able to do it with this body. My last one could barely grow an inch on his head."

"Oh, so you just wanna make up for lost time, then," Rose said.

"Not necessarily. Just…"

"Taking advantage of it?"

He hesitated. "Well…guess you could put it that way, yeah. At least I have sideburns. I love my sideburns, I wouldn't want to get rid of them."

Rose snorted from behind him. "Attachments," she muttered. He made a happy sound as she rounded the stool to stand in front of him. "As long as you don't have some of those other haircuts you've had in the past then you'll be okay."

"Hey!"

"Come on, Doctor, even you have to admit you've made tons of questionable choices with your styles."

He sighed. "They were just phases I went through, Rose. Each body has its own unique sense of style. What I wore back then certainly wouldn't be fitting for me now."

Rose snorted. "Yeah, I'd probably slap you if you made yourself look like exploding rainbows again."

He chuckled through his nose. "I know you would."

She was thankful that her husband wouldn't dare to wear some of those dubious attires he had worn in the past. Not all of them were odd for him, but there were a number of things he wore in his previous bodies that were…strange. She loved him dearly, but if he were to wear anything like some of his choices back then she'd definitely have a say in his outfits.

His stomach made an odd sound causing her to stop snipping. "'Nother spell?" she asked with a frown.

The Doctor lightly shrugged a shoulder. "Could be on the brink."

"What's wrong with you? I mean, you claim to never get sick and for the last bunch of weeks you've been having these symptoms. You sure you didn't eat anything that didn't agree with you?"

"Of course not," he said confidently. "Not with my—"

"Superior physiology, right?" Rose said with a smirk as she lightly worked on his sideburns.

He grinned. "Yup! Exactly."

"Sorry to break it to you, love, but as it turns out even _you_ get sick."

"Doesn't last long, though. Things can enter and leave my system with ease. This periodical sickness is nearing its end, I know it is."

Once he was good and trimmed with his hair free from anything wild or slime residue, Rose slid her fingers across his scalp. "All done." She walked over to the side to retrieve a mirror and handed it to him. "No more tumbleweed hair."

He snorted before beaming at the finished result. "Brilliant! Great skills you've got, love."

"You had doubts?" she said, arching an eyebrow.

"Never. You always do a very good job with shaping it just right."

"Someone has to. You know you're useless when it comes to things like that."

The Doctor rolled his eyes playfully and stood to his feet, taking off the towel from around his shoulders and brushing the cut hair into the bucket. "There we go, all dashing and neat."

"Just the way I like it," Rose said with a tongue-touched grin.

He hummed before giving her a peck on the lips. "Thanks, love."

"You don't have to thank me," she replied. "Now you don't have to worry about gettin' sea creatures in your hair for when we go to a beach."

"Ohh, definitely don't want that. But before Donna comes out and we can take leave I'm gonna head over to the medbay and stock up on some medicine. Even though the sickness is nearing its end one can't be too careful and courteous when around others."

"Yeah, having you vomit all over the place isn't a nice highlight of a day," Rose said with a teasing smile.

He made a happy noise before kissing her on the forehead and gathering the objects around them and moving them back in their original spots. They exited the room together before going their separate ways in the corridor. Rose slipped away to enter the library to find something to do to wait for her husband and their friend. It's been a long time since she sat down and enjoyed a good book, so she figured she'd take some down time while the Doctor tended to his brief sick spell and stocked up on some medication and Donna went to her room and took a shower and a quick kip.

Upon entering the room, she stood by the doors and inhaled deeply. She enjoyed the smell of the grand collection of endless books the Doctor had collected over the years along with the pleasing scent of bananas that the TARDIS vented in the systems to swirl around the atmosphere—which of course was her husband's idea. She walked by the fireplace and studied the pictures and knick-knacks and other various items that were displayed on the mantle, just some mementos. She grinned at them before moving around the couch and to one of the large spiraling staircases.

Choosing a book manually wasn't necessary since the Old Girl was always kind enough to bring down whatever selection someone would pick instead of having to look through the vast collection amassed over the centuries, but Rose didn't mind searching for her own once in a while. Climbing up to the third level shelves—which she knew were mystery and detective novels—she placed a hand to her chin as she looked through the titles and waited for one to jump out at her. It had to have been a short while until something caught her eye. She came across one and reached up the ladder for it and read the back summary. Seemed like a decent story with a bit of a historical background myth.

"What d'you think Old Girl?" she asked, raising her eyes to the ceiling. "A good pick?"

She hummed, sounding like she approved of the book choice. She'd most likely approve of just about every title placed on the shelves since She kept them all neatly arranged. The sound of the doors creaking open came to her attention as she looked over her shoulder to see the tiny speck of the Doctor's figure from her great height off the ground.

"Rose?" he said, his voice echoing off the walls.

"Up here!" she called down to him, waving the arm that held her book.

"What're you doing up there?"

"Sightseeing," she replied sarcastically. She heard him roll his eyes through their bond. She giggled. "'M looking for something good to read."

"You didn't have to climb all the way up there, you could have just asked the TARDIS for a suggestion."

"I know," she told him as she carefully made her way down the ladder with her book tucked under her arm. "Sometimes I like to get a nice view from up here."

The Doctor snorted as she reached the bottom of the staircase where he sauntered over. "If you wanted a nice view you could've asked the Old Girl to open the ceiling and play a projection or even gone up to the attic and have a good look at the stars."

"I'll keep that in mind for the next time I wanna read something," she said with a smile as she reached the bottom. "You finished getting stocked up on your medicine?"

"Yep, fully prepared for any small attacks," he said, patting his breast pocket.

"Good. No more having to worry about ruining your clothes."

"Nope. So what'd you pick?" he inquired then, without giving her a chance to respond, snatched the book from her hands to study the title. " _The Daughter of Time_?"

"Thought it sounded interesting," Rose said with a shrug. "Any good?"

"S'pose so," he said, placing a hand in one of his pockets. "It's a unique and unlikely detective story that presents the centuries-old mystery that questioned of Richard III actually murdered his way to achieve the crown."

"I know. I read the back of it."

"Not only that, but it only furthers the argument rather than giving any evidence. It's an imaginative piece, it really is, analyzing history the way humans tend to do and question if things really are what they seem. Of course it's not without its flaws. It's not the traditional kind of mystery, but it's worth a read, I suppose."

He handed the book back to her and she took it, her brows raised as she nodded. Leave it to him to give a small report on a book she hadn't read yet. "Thanks for not spoiling everything," she said. "I was debating on whether or not I'd wanna read this or _The Nature of the Physical World_."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Really, Rose? You'd actually wanna read _Eddington's_ theories?"

"Why not?" Rose asked. "Eddington's a genius." He snorted at that before leaning against the staircase's railing. "What? Don't believe in the theorem about abstract devices that could produce endless random sequences of letters and symbols?"

"Well…"

"What about the probabilities with the infinite strings where each symbol is picked at random and occurs as a substring at some position? Or the same principal with infinite sequences that can occur as a prefix? Don't you think that's true and not fallacious?"

The Doctor blinked and just stared at her for a moment before smirking. "Have I ever told you how unbelievably sexy you are when you get theoretical?" he asked in a low, slightly husky voice.

"Down, boy," she replied cheekily.

"Not possible," he ground out.

He came over to her and placed his hand under her chin, tilting her head up as he leaned down to give her a sweet kiss, grinning against her lips. He swept his tongue over her seam and she opened up for him, sighing in contentment. She ended up dropping the book on the ground and wrapping her arms around his neck, melting into the fervent kiss before sliding her hands down to his tie and tugging him along with her towards the sofa in the center of the room.

Hours later, somehow in the midst of yet another passionate interlude, the Doctor managed to find the forgotten book that Rose had dropped and began to read some passages from it, entrancing her with the unlikely mystery that it was. She thought it was an interesting read, but she could let her husband read words from a dictionary and she'd enjoy it. Anything to hear his soothing voice. They were both laying in their bed—which surprised them at how they were able to find their way out of the library, but, thankfully, the rational parts of their brains reminded them that Donna could still be awake and might wander around and find her way into that room. Most definitely not something any of them would want to happen. Bad enough there's been a few incidents already.

So now they were in their own room, snuggled beside each other as he kept an arm wrapped around his wife and traced circles over her back, holding the book up with the other. He read the last passage of the book and closed it before setting it aside on the nightstand along with his specs.

"So?" he asked after a moment. "You like it, or would you have rather had me read Eddington's theories?"

"Wasn't bad," Rose answered. "Although I do have one question."

"Just one?"

"More like a bunch." He chuckled at that. "No, but the main one that's bothering me has to do with the title of the book. Why's it called _The Daughter of Time_ when it's supposed to be about a bloke trying to figure out if Richard III was a murderer? It never mentioned anything about that."

"No, but actually it's relevant to the story and plays against the theme of the book," he explained. "You see, the title comes from the phrase 'truth is the daughter of time, not authority', meaning that, given time, the truth will be revealed and clear a case rather than a court or any other person of high authority."

Rose nodded. "So basically it's just sayin' that the only way to prove if Richard was innocent or guilty is to let time run its course until the facts come out."

"Yup, exactly that," he said.

"So…did he actually do it?"

The Doctor shrugged. "No one knows. It's a mystery."

Rose snorted and poked his chest. "You mean to tell me that you don't know something? That's not shocking at all."

"Oi," he said firmly as he tickled her ribs, making her giggle. "You know…you've given me an idea."

"Don't tell me you actually wanna go back to solve the mystery of Richard III and if he was a murderer or not."

"No no, it wasn't that," he told her. "Although that would be something interesting to find out. No, I was just thinking of another destination I've yet to take you to."

"Yeah? Where's that then?"

"The Library."

Rose frowned. "Uh…okay."

"The _planet,_ I mean," he clarified. "An entire planet containing every book ever written."

She elevated herself to rest on her elbow, her interest perked. "Seriously? The whole _planet's_ a giant library?"

He nodded once and smirked. "Yep."

"And it's got more books than the TARDIS' collection?"

He hummed in thought, raising his eyes to the ceiling. "Well…pretty much, yeah. _Millions_ more, really."

Rose's brows hit her hairline. She always thought that the Old Girl's collection was massive enough, but there was a whole _planet-sized_ library out there in the universe. That was definitely worth seeing. With the way both of them would enjoy getting lost in a good book every once in a while, they could have went years ago. Then again the universe has so many places they've yet to step foot upon, so they had all of time to see them.

"Wanna go one day?" the Doctor asked.

"Sure," she answered with a smile. "Would be a nice place to check out after we go to a beach, yeah?"

He grinned and began to trace his fingers over one of her palms. "I'd think so. It's been a while since we've gone anywhere remote and…" He trailed off and licked his bottom lip before placing his tongue over his upper one. "It's been a while since we've gone swimming."

She threw him a cheeky look and trailed a finger across his jaw. "Regular swimming, or… _naked_ swimming?"

"Both," he ground out before turning serious. "Although, we'd have to make a rain check for the second one. Reckon Donna wouldn't be comfortable with that."

"Yeah, that's _way_ too much," Rose chuckled. "That's only somethin' for us. It's fine, though, we don't _have_ to do that. Besides, we've got the pool in our library. Maybe one night we can run a couple laps."

An inquisitive look crossed his face. "I dunno. You might not win the next few rounds again."

"I'm still entitled to my rematch," she told him. "And you cheated the last few times."

" _Cheated_?" he said incredulously. "Me? How so?"

"'Scuse me, but you've got your respiratory bypass to aid you."

"That's not cheating, that's just friendly advantages," he said, booping her nose. "Not my fault it's part of my physiology."

She swatted his chest playfully. "It's unfair and you know it. You're a right old cheater."

He scoffed. "No, I'm not."

"Yeah, you are."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Nope."

"Yes."

"Alright, then," he said with an arched eyebrow. "How do you plan to settle this?"

Her tongue made its way between her teeth as she smiled. "You know how."

"Hm, I do. But I don't think you'll get the truth out of me."

She shifted to sling her leg over his waist, sitting herself upright. "Wanna bet?"

He waggled his eyebrows. "Try me."

Rose chuckled as she leaned down to claim his lips, but a moment later she felt something tickling her mind. She broke the kiss and blinked a few times, her eyes raised to the ceiling.

"Rose?" the Doctor asked, placing a hand to the side of her face. "What is it?"

"The TARDIS," she said. "She alerted me for something."

He frowned. "What for?"

"I…dunno. Hold on."

She carefully slid away from her husband, noting his inward groan at her removal, but was soon replaced with concern, and made her way over to the side where their pile of forgotten clothes was. She dug around until she came across her jacket and rummaged around her pockets, the TARDIS telling her to grab a specific item. Her fingers brushed across her psychic paper and she took it out, looking at the wallet with a frown. She flipped it open and her eyes widened when she saw a message being scribbled onto it. That was new. Then again, she should've expected it. But…who was it?

"Rose?" the Doctor asked from behind. "What's wrong?"

Standing to her feet Rose made her way back over to their bed, her eyes still glued on the wallet. She knelt on the side and he quickly sat up.

"Someone's calling us," she told him.

"Does it say who it's from?"

"No…but I think we won't be going to the beach yet."

She turned her paper around to show him. A crease formed on his brows as he studied the message written.

 _Come to The Library as soon as you can. xo_

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Donna walked out of her room with curiosity when she felt the TARDIS jolting a bit. It woke her up, so it must have been something important. She knew her friends would never go off on an adventure without her, especially when they promised to go to a beach for their next spot. Of course, she knew it was their ship and they could do whatever they wanted, but she wasn't even dressed for a beach yet. She may not know about any alien beaches on other planets, but she knew one thing was certain: she needed more sunblock. If sunburn on Earth was brutal then it must feel like burning lava on some other planet.

Maybe the Doctor was doing some more maintenance in the console room. It was one of his hobbies and he did it quite often—even if it meant he hit the wrong control and Rose had to make fun of him for it. A centuries old spaceman and he still doesn't know how to fly his own ship. She was telling the truth when she said that his wife should take the wheel more often. Strolling down the corridor Donna found her way back into the console room to find Rose sitting on the jump seat with a small book in her hands and tapping it while the Doctor stood at the console fiddling with something. Neither one of them looked prepared for a beach. Unless…maybe they packed their things in their pockets?

"Bit of a bumpy ride," she commented. "What happened, spaceman, you narrowly escape rear-ending a planet?"

Rose laughed and placed her book to the side. "I'll bet he's done that before."

"How many times do we have to go over this?" the Doctor groaned. "It's not my _driving_ that's horrible. It's the _universe_ that's too…wonky…and it affects the Old Girl when She tries to make a landing."

"Then how come that doesn't happen when Rose drives?" the redhead asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Uh, well, thing is…that might have something to do with the fact that the TARDIS likes her more than me."

"Another point for me," Rose said, pulling her arm towards herself in a victorious gesture.

He turned around with an arched eyebrow and reluctantly nodded. He could have made a list for every time the Old Girl proved to always be on his wife's side rather than his. Probably could have made a book even. Speaking of which…

"Anyway," he spoke up as he moved around the console. "Had a small change of plans. Found ourselves drifting close by an amazing place and figured we can stop by for a little bit."

"So where's that then?" Donna asked.

"Books!" he exclaimed with a wide grin as he flicked the lever before they landed. He bounced over to the coral strut and grabbed his coat and shrugged it on before moving towards the doors. "People never really stop loving books."

"Some of the greatest weapons in the world, right?" Rose said as she grabbed her bomber jacket and put it on.

"Of course!" he said with a happy hum. "But that's when in danger and a last resort. There's no need to worry about that though. Just a quick breeze around to take in the vast collection." He stood outside and held the door open for the ladies as they exited the TARDIS.

They found themselves in a large dimly lit room that must have been the reception area. Small beams of light shone through the windows placed high on the walls, casting over the wooden floor. On the other side of the room was a huge main desk with no one occupying it and a group of tall white statues by the front. Rose couldn't help but notice the dust floating around and on the wheeled carts in the corners filled with thick publications.

"51st century," the Doctor went on. "By now you've got holovids, direct-to-brain downloads, fiction mist, but you need the smell. That lovely smell of book, just take a deep breath. The aromatic anisol, benzaldehyde, terpene, aliphate, oh, it's lovely!"

"And it all adds up to the smell known as the 'old book' smell," Rose said with a smile.

"Yep," he said, popping the 'p'.

He inhaled deeply at the same time the women did, stepping away from the TARDIS to stand beside Rose and take her hand. Something about this place didn't sit right in her gut. They crossed the room, the sounds of their shoes echoing in the silence as they came to a door. A large staircase was placed there and they found their way into a series of twisting hallways. Rose looked around, almost skeptically. She noted how every door they were going through was unlocked and needed no use of their sonics. That never happened. It was odd and it made her feel a little unnerved. Some mystery person called for them to come to this place for some reason.

It didn't seem like a distress signal or a sign of trouble, so what was it?

* * *

 **I should give you guys a heads up…I'm not fond of River. She had a lot of potential, but I dislike the way she was written. If you love her, cool. We're all entitled to our own opinions. But just know that her history and future is headed for _serious_ dramatic changes. Author Victorious strikes again.**

 **Response to _lucky lemur_ : I agree with you. I never liked the thought of her being the Doctor's wife. I could go on a fury-based rant about it but I won't burden others with it, especially if they enjoy her in later seasons. Awww thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it, thanks for sticking around!**

 **Response to _Kaichairs-69_ : Yeah, basically :3**


	34. Silence in the Library Part 1

**A/N:** **Here we go, kiddies. I'm not crazy about this two-parter, which some of you already knew, so writing this kind of slowed me down a bit.** **As always, much love and many thanks to every one of you lovely viewers! You guys are all stars! ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 32: Silence in the Library Part 1**_

Coming across a massive wooden door they pushed it open and came to another set of steps. Just like the area they entered in it was a vast, cavernous room. The structure resembled that of an ancient monument with high ceilings and pillars lining the way. They found their way into an open area, following the smell of the books, and came to see the surface. Both women's jaws dropped when they saw an enormous city with wall-to-wall book shelves towering over the roads and the chasms.

"Oh, my God," Rose breathed out as she took in the surroundings. An entire planet of books. A bookgasm for a bookworm. When she was younger she never read too many books, but as she's been travelling with her husband for years, she's occasionally engrossed herself in literature. "It's amazing."

"The Library," the Doctor proclaimed, slinging an arm around her shoulders as they came to the railing. "So big and impressive it doesn't need a name. Just a really great big 'the.'"

"What, like you?" Donna said with a snort. "'The Doctor'?"

He chuckled through his nose. "Well, I _am_ impressive, so…" He straightened his tie before placing his hand in his pocket.

"Donna, don't inflate his ego," Rose groaned. "It'll be as huge as this place." The Doctor rolled his eyes and she nudged his shoulder.

Donna snorted again. "Too late, innit? I'll bet that your actual name is something embarrassing and that's why you only go by 'the Doctor."

"What?" he said indignantly.

"No one is supposed to know his true name, Donna," Rose told her.

"You do," the redhead pointed out.

"Exactly, _Rose_ is the only exception," the Doctor informed. "It's for her to know, and her _only._ No one else."

Donna gave him a pointed look. "Alright, cool off, spaceman. I'm not interested in your personal things like that. Leave that business to you and your wife, it's not my speed." She returned her eyes to the scene in front of them. "More than a regular library, this is. It's like a city."

"It's a world," he clarified. "Literally a _world._ An entire _planet_ of _books._ The whole core of the planet is the index computer, the biggest hard drive ever." He gestured around them. "And up here, every book ever written. Some of which I'm not really fond of, but still soon-to-be classics included in the collection."

"Lemme guess, a whole lot of Eddington's works are somewhere close by," Rose chimed in with a teasing grin.

He shot her a look. "It's very likely, yes."

"I'll bet that you've got more of his stuff than this place does though."

"Oh, you shouldn't make another bet on literature, Rose Tyler," he said with a smirk.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Why's that? 'Fraid you'll have another bill to be put on your debt?"

The Doctor tilted his head. "No, I know for a fact that I'd _win_ that bet."

Rose snorted. "Yeah, and even if I _were_ to lose, you'd still owe me for the other times you've yet to pay for."

He waggled his eyebrows at her, giving her no response as he moved down to peer over the railing. He leaned over briefly, feeling his insides tremble a bit from the massive distance. The vertigo didn't last as he craned his neck up to take in the area.

"An entire planet of every book in the universe," he went on as he backed away to slip an arm around his wife's waist. "Whole continents of _Jeffrey Archer, Bridget Jones, Monty Python's Big Red Book._ Brand new editions, specially printed. And, judging by the extensive warm breezes passing b,y we're near the equator, so that means…" He brought his opposite hand up to lick his finger then lifted it up in the air to feel the wind. "This must be…biographies!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. "Brilliant!"

"Lovely, something that ends with death," Donna muttered.

"Not _all_ of them do, though," Rose pointed out softly. "Not every story ends with death. Some have a happy ending where no one dies. Look at the Queen, she's had how many biographies written about her? There's not always a death in the end, she's still runnin' around."

She shrugged, a small smile on her face. "That's true."

The Doctor grinned and pressed a kiss to Rose's hair. "Well said, love. Well said."

 _"Think we'll find one about you in here?"_ she teased mentally. _"Travelling around for so long, you had to have inspired some up-and-coming author."_

 _"Nah, don't think so,"_ he told her. _"Besides, you know everything about me already. Kinda seems redundant to wanna read it all on paper since you've seen it all."_

 _"Still would be an interesting read in my book."_

 _"Well, ours isn't over, it's gonna keep on going. I reckon that this place wouldn't get their hands on it if it ever was completed. It's still near the beginning."_

Rose giggled and patted his chest. Their story was going to be a long one, one to last forever and to be written across the stars. Off to the side they noticed Donna had picked up a stray book that had been laying on the banister and was looking through it.

"Oi," the Doctor said as he reached over and snatched it from her. "Careful now, spoilers!"

"What?" she said, confused.

"These books are from your future," he said, gesturing with the book. "You don't wanna read ahead and spoil all the surprises. It'd be like peeking at the end."

"'Scuse me, but what about the library in the TARDIS?" Rose asked. "She's got all kinds of volumes from the next few centuries, and those are only the ones I've come across over the years."

He pursed his lips. "Ah, well, that—"

"Not to mention all the movies we've seen that won't be coming out for another hundred or more years."

"Ehm…"

"Yeah, travelling with you one _big_ spoiler," Donna piped up, placing her hands on her hips.

The Doctor flitted his eyes between his wife and their friend, noting how outnumbered he was at the moment. "I…try to keep you away from major plot developments," he said before scratching the back of his neck. "Which, to be honest, I seem to be very bad at."

"'S what we've been doing wrong all these years, right?" Rose inquired with a teasing smile.

He snorted at that before all traces of humor left his face as he looked around the area, something imperative that came to his attention. It had came to his wife's as well since they were called to this place by someone and yet…no one else was around. Only them.

"But you know what's been bothering me since we've arrived?" he asked out loud. "This is the biggest library in the universe. So where is everyone?"

"I've been thinking the same thing," Rose said, looking around and over the railing. "It's too quiet."

"Exactly. It's silent. Not a whisper, not a shuffle, not a breath, not _anything._ You'd be able to hear the slightest sound of anyone around."

"Doctor," Rose said, tapping his arm. "Maybe that booth holds some information."

He turned to see a small information terminal in the corner. "Oh! Good eyes, love." He took out his sonic and ran it over the screen until the words of the planet appeared in green letters. "Maybe now we could find another soul around here."

"You're talking about it being too quiet," Donna said as she came to his other side. "You mean the library?"

"No, the whole planet," the Doctor clarified as he typed on the keyboard. "The entire planet's silent and that's unusual."

"Maybe it's a Sunday," the redhead suggested.

He shook his head. "No, I never land on Sundays. Sundays are boring."

"I can think of a few Sundays that weren't boring at all," Rose said with a tongue-touched grin.

" _Those_ are the only exceptions," he said with a low voice, throwing her a wink.

"What about those visits to my mum's? Were those boring?"

He bit his lip and cocked his head. "Not really. I'd say they were more along the lines of entertaining. Well, most of them. At least the ones without interrogations in regards to my anatomy, among other things. Those weren't fun at all."

"They were for me."

"Okay…" Donna drew out. "If it's not Sunday then maybe everyone's _really_ quiet."

"But if that was the case they all would've still shown up on the system," Rose said as she studied the screen with a frown. No readings whatsoever. _"Doctor, the messages on our psychic papers said to come here,"_ she thought to him. _"If nobody's showing up on the systems…then who could've called us?"_

 _"I've got no idea,"_ he replied, his eyes glued on the screen.

"Doctor, why are we really here?" Donna asked.

"Oh, you know, like I said, we're just passing by, " he said casually. "Found ourselves drifting nearby, thought we could check out some newer editions not found on the TARDIS."

"No, seriously," the ginger woman pressed, clearly not buying it. "It was all, 'let's hit the beach' then suddenly we're in a library. How come? I honestly don't believe that you'd rather take a detour to check out some books than to see your wife in a bikini."

Rose bit her lip. She didn't want to keep the truth from their friend at the real reason for why they were here but just before she could try to tell her, the Doctor spoke up about something on the monitor.

"Now, that's interesting," he commented.

"What is it?" Donna asked.

"Scanning for lifeforms. If I do a scan looking for your basic humanoids—you know, your book readers, few limbs and a face…"

He hit a few keys to let the monitor show results and gestures at it. The screen read _'Filtered humanoid lifeform scan: 3: complete'._

"It only shows us," Rose said.

"Exactly. Nothing else, nobody home. But if I widen the parameters to any kind of life…" He pushed more keys to show various numbers being calculated and running on the screen quickly until it stopped, indicating that the life form number had reached its maximum record. "See that? Gives up after a million million. Nothing after that."

"But there's nothing here," Donna said. "There's no one."

"Could it be something we can't see?" Rose suggested. "Like…maybe somethin' with a perception filter?"

The Doctor hummed and placed his hands in his pockets, staring at the screen. "Dunno," he said softly. He turned his attention to look at the city. "A million million life forms, and silence in the Library. Not even a whisper."

"But there's no one here but the books," Donna said. "I mean, it's not the _books,_ is it? Books can't be _alive._ Right?"

"Not unless this was like _The Pagemaster_ ," Rose remarked. "And…we've dealt with a _lot_ weirder than that if it were true."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow then all three of them looked over at the ledge of the railing where piles of the books were left. Cautiously, they went over to one and he reached a hand out to touch one, but just before he could make contact with it a voice echoed in the unnerving silence and made them jump in surprise.

 ** _"Welcome!"_** an automated voice intoned.

"That came from back there," Rose said shakily as she pointed in the direction from which they came from.

"Yeah!" the Doctor proclaimed, steeling himself from the little scare. "Of course it did. Let's go check it out."

They made their way back to the reception area. Rose shivered. The silence was too eerie and made her insides twitch. Her husband noticed her discomfort and immediately reached for her hand and squeezed it. They've come across a lot of strange adventures in the past—Slitheen running around in politicians' skin in Downing Street, drawings coming to life, pig men created from Daleks. The list went on and on and, while she wasn't as spooked by those, wandering around a planet-sized library filled with books and the most uncomfortable silence was giving her the did she want to just pop back into the TARDIS and get out of wherever it was they landed, but her gut was telling her this wasn't a good place to be.

Coming through the door to where the TARDIS was parked, they heard some mechanical sounds emitting from one of the tall white statues by the main desk. As they went up to it the head turned around to show what looked to be an actual living face mounted into the marble. Rose looked at it warily and Donna made a quiet gasp.

 ** _"I am Courtesy Node 710/aqua,"_** the statue said. _ **"Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers regardless of species or hygiene taboo."**_

"Doctor," Rose spoke up. "That face…it's too lifelike."

"I know," he said, staring hard at the object. "Don't worry about that right now."

"But a statue with a real face, though," Donna commented before smiling a little. "It's a hologram or something, isn't it?"

The Doctor took a deep breath. "No, not really."

Rose studied him then observed the statue. It was more that met the eye and made him uncomfortable by the way he was eyeing it. She could feel a shiver shooting down her spine. _"Is it what I think it is?"_ she asked mentally.

He hesitated. _"Yes,"_ he said thickly.

 _ **"Additional,"**_ the Node continued. **_"There follows a brief message from the head librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows. 'Run. For God's sake, run. No way is safe. The Library has sealed itself, we can't…oh, they're here. Arg. Slarg. Snick.' Message ends. Please switch off your mobile comm units for the comfort of other readers."_**

Rose narrowed her eyes and shivered again from the statues's chilling expressionless message. Something dangerous was in the Library and they were called to investigate it. _"Call for help,"_ she thought to the Doctor.

His nod was imperceptible as he curled his bottom lip into his mouth. "So that's why we're here…" he muttered out loud before addressing the Node. "Any other messages, same date stamp?"

 _ **"One additional message,"**_ it said. **_"This message carries a Felman Lux coherency warning of five, zero, eleven—"_**

"Yeah, yeah, fine," he interrupted impatiently. "Just play it."

 ** _"Message follows. 'Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember…if you want to live, count the shadows.' Message ends."_**

The trio stared at the statue before the Doctor moved his eyes around the room, scanning the area for any signs or clues. His hand made its way towards his wife's and he gave her a comforting squeeze, keeping her close. Her uneasiness was pronounced and it passed through him as well, but they needed to be aware of their surroundings. "Rose, Donna…" he said quietly. "Stay out of the shadows."

"Why, what's in the shadows?" the redhead asked.

He didn't respond as he went to another door. Both he and Rose looked back at the TARDIS briefly, considering on running as the cryptic message told them, but if the messages on their psychic papers called them here for help then they would respond. They arrived in an aisle between bookshelves that reached several feet high, ladders stacked up against them and going up as far as they could see.

"So why are we really here?" Donna asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't think we were just in the neighborhood."

The Doctor leaned back against the shelves and blew a puff of air past his lips. "No, we weren't. We sort of…lied a bit."

"We were about to tell you sooner," Rose spoke up. "But we've been a bit…distracted by something."

"What's that?" their friend asked.

"We both got messages on our psychic papers," the Doctor told her just as Rose reached into her jacket pocket and pulled it out, handing it over to Donna. "Must be a cry for help since it said to come as soon as we could."

Donna arched an eyebrow skeptically. "A cry for help…with a hug and a kiss?"

"As it turns out."

"Who's it from? You said both of you got the same message. Obviously it has to be someone who knows you, right?"

Rose shrugged. "The only person I thought it could be was Jack, but there's no way it's him. Not enough flirting. He'd've signed it with a lot more than just a hug and a kiss."

"Too right," the Doctor muttered with a snort. "Probably would end it with something far more obscene."

"Plus I've got my phone. If he really wanted to see us he could have just called us that way." She retrieved her leather wallet and stared at the message again, frowning. "There really isn't anyone else."

"Whoever it is must have a sufficient psychic ability," her husband mused. "Otherwise we wouldn't have received it in the first place."

In the distance the Doctor heard an electrical cackle from the opposite end of the aisle. He turned his head in its direction and froze, studying the shelves and the lights as they dimmed down even more. _"What was that?"_ Rose asked mentally, catching on.

Donna, however, didn't realize the change. "Why don't we just—"

"Donna!" the Doctor hollered, getting her attention. The trio turned to look at the far end of the corridor to see a set of the lights going out. And then another, the darkness advancing on them as if it were alive.

"What's happening?" Donna asked warily.

"Run!" Rose yelled as she grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled him away. The darkness was following them and her insides were trembling. It was unnatural. They came to a sudden stop when a door came to their sights. He let go of her hand and began to pull the handle, but it was locked.

"Come on!" he grunted.

"The _one_ door in this place that's _locked_!" Rose said irritably as she quickly fished around her pocket for her screwdriver.

The Doctor cursed in his native tongue. "It's jammed! The wood's warped!"

"Sonic it, then!" Donna cried. "Use those magic wands of yours!"

"Magic _wands_?!" he said indignantly.

"I'm gettin' it now!" Rose yelled as she pulled it out.

"It won't work on the door, it's wood!" the Doctor told her.

"It doesn't _do wood_?" Donna said incredulously.

"You said you added more properties to mine!" Rose cried indignantly. "You didn't bother to think of putting in the _wood_ setting?"

He rolled his eyes. "I can't think of _everything,_ love, it slipped my mind!"

She snorted. "Way to go!"

"Hang on a second," he said in a rush before snatching her sonic and running it over the surface. "If I can vibrate the molecules and fry the bindings, I can shatterline the interface…"

"Oh, get out of the way you two!" Donna yelled before she took a step back then swiftly kicked the door open. They burst into the room, both women slamming the doors shut just as the Doctor ran over and grabbed a book to slide through the handles, bolting it shut. Donna leaned against them while Rose lightly smacked the Doctor's arm.

"I know, I should've thought to add a setting to help with wood," he said sheepishly, handing her sonic back to her. "Remind me to make some adjustments to that later."

"I'll hold you onto that." She pocketed it, but then something had caught her eye. There was a sphere hovering in the air at about eye-level in the center of the room. She tapped his arm and nodded in its direction.

"Oh! Hello!" he said in his usual friendly tone. He placed his hands in his pockets and walked forward. "Sorry to burst on you like this. Is it okay if we stop here for a bit?"

The sphere shook slightly before falling to the ground. They looked at it curiously. "What is it?" Donna asked as they circled around it.

"Security camera," the Doctor replied. He gently nudged the sphere with his foot. "Switched itself off." He knelt to the floor and picked it up, examining it with furrowed brows.

Rose stood over him and watched as he ran his sonic over the sphere with intense concentration. "You said security cameras, yeah? You think those are what the system picked up? Guards or…?"

"Could be…" he replied, the suggestion seeming a bit up in the air. "Something tells me it's much more than that. Something more…"

"Dangerous?"

"Yup. Nice door skills, by the way, Donna," he said to their friend who was looking around the room.

"Yeah, well, you know, boyfriends," the redhead replied with a shrug. "Sometimes you need the element of surprise."

"Been there before," Rose murmured, earning a look from her husband before she patted his head and let him continue examining.

"What was that back there?" Donna asked. "Did we just run away from a power cut?"

"Possibly," the Doctor said distractedly.

"Still gives me the creeps," Rose commented. "There's something off about this place."

"Are we safe here?" Donna asked.

"'Course we're safe," the Doctor said nodding off to the side with a faint smile. "There's a little shop over there."

Rose and Donna turned to see the sign over the corner shop, the former chuckling. "Gotta love a little shop," she remarked.

He made a happy hum in the back of his throat. Soon the cover on the security's camera popped and the lens opened. "Gotcha!" he crowed as he lifted it up.

Words began to scroll by in red letters on a small display. _No, stop it, no, no!_ it read.

"Ooh, I'm sorry," he said gently. "I really am, I'm so sorry."

Rose came closer to see the words and frowned. "It's a talking machine?" she asked as the Doctor carefully put the sphere back down.

"It's alive," he said, almost in wonder.

"You said it was a security camera," Donna said, coming towards them.

"It is," he said, rising to his feet. "It's an _alive_ one."

More text began to scroll across in a loop. _Others are coming. The Library is breached. Others are coming._

"'Others are coming?'" Rose repeated. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know," the Doctor replied, pocketing his sonic.

"Well, then let's just ask one of those statues," Donna suggested as she walked over to another Node off to the side. "Excuse me, what does it mean, 'others'?"

"That's barely more than a speak-your-weight machine, Donna," he said. "It can't help you."

She turned to face him. "So why's it got a face?" she challenged.

The top of the statue turned around to reveal a different face, this time a male's. _ **"This flesh aspect was donated by Mark Chambers on the occasion of his death,"**_ it spoke.

Donna's eyes widened in horror as she took a step back. "It's a _real face_?!"

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck and Rose bit her lip. "Oh, my God," she whispered.

 ** _"It has been actualized individually for you from the many facial aspects saved to our extensive flesh banks,"_ ** the Node said. _ **"Please enjoy."**_

"It chose me a dead face it thought I'd _like_?" Donna said, shocked. "That statue's got a real dead person's face on it…"

"It's the 51st century," the Doctor said gently as he and Rose walked over to the horrified ginger woman. "A different time with different cultures. For them it's…basically like donating a park bench."

She turned to them. "It's donating a _face_!"

Out of horror and reflex she quickly backed away from the Node, but something came to the others' attention at what was behind her. An odd triangular shaped shadow appeared on what used to be an open space with light. And that wasn't there when they came in.

"Donna, stop!" Rose yelled.

"Get back!" the Doctor hollered as he stepped forward and grabbed her around her middle to prevent her from stepping onto the shadow by her feet.

"Oi!" she scolded, slapping his hands away. "Don't get frisky with _me,_ alien boy! Your wife's right over there!"

"That shadow," Rose said, pointing at it.

"What about it?" Donna asked.

"You almost stepped on it."

"Okay…and why's that so bad?"

"'Count the shadows,'" the Doctor reminded her quietly, his eyes fixed on the floor.

Donna shrugged. "There's just one shadow. There, I counted it."

"Yeah…one shadow," Rose drew out as she craned her neck to look up at the ceiling and the rays of light coming down. She looked back at their level to see nothing It could be hitting at its angle. "But what's casting it?"

They each looked back up into the large open dome where the light came through the circular window. There was nothing around that was blocking out the beams, nothing that could've created that shadow or any other for that matter.

"Oh!" the Doctor suddenly shouted, stepping back and making both women jump in surprise. "Of course!"

"What?" Rose asked. "What is it?"

"Look at me, I'm old and thick!" he said, smacking his forehead with both hands. "Head's too full of stuff, I need a bigger head!"

"Dunno, I think your head's big enough as it is," Rose joked.

"Apparently not," he said before moving to the side to look down another corridor branching off from the room. There was another sound of the electric crackling from a light hanging on the ceiling, the light flickering and buzzing.

"Power must be going," Donna said.

"No, this place runs on fission cells," he explained. "They'll outburn the sun."

"Then why's it dark?" Rose asked.

"It's not dark."

Donna stared at him. "You should keep those glasses of yours on 24/7, spaceman. 'Cause your eyesight's going with your age."

"My eyesight is fine, I'm telling you, it's not dark," he told her.

Another shiver shot down Rose's spine, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up a bit, almost as if something had moved behind them. It prompted her to turn around and her eyes widened at what she didn't see. "Doctor," she said. "The shadow…it's gone."

His face was stark. He reached over and grabbed Rose's hand and squeezed it. "C'mon, we need to get back to the TARDIS."

"'Bout time," Rose murmured.

"Why are we leaving all of a sudden?" Donna asked, her attention still on the 'dark' corridor.

"'Cause that shadow hasn't gone away, it's _moved_ ," the Doctor told her with seriousness. "Let's go."

 _ **"Reminder,"**_ the Node suddenly intoned, stopping them from going any further. ** _"The Library has been breached, others are coming."_**

It began to replay the same message on a loop, but the sounds were drowned out when one of the closed doors burst open and shook the floor with a blinding ray of light. The Doctor shielded the women, placing them behind him. A figure dressed in a white spacesuit, presumably the leader, entered the room followed by five others in the same attire and cam up to the trio. The leader came up to the Doctor and Rose and raised a hand up to switch their helmet's visor to transparent to reveal their face. It was a female and she flitted her eyes between the two of them, smiling.

"Hello cuties."

"Get out," the Doctor told her flatly, his tone void of any amusement. He moved forward, noting his wife's mental note to be careful. "All of you, turn around, get back in your rocket and fly away!"

"Pop your helmets, everyone," the woman instructed. "We've got breathers."

Everyone took off their helmets and the Doctor stared at them pointedly. These people could all be in danger with these shadows creeping around and popping up, and yet they look ready to go exploring. He wanted to grab his wife's hand and lead her and their companion back to the TARDIS and to get as far away from this place as soon as possible. And now he had a group of people putting their lives in danger. He was telling them to leave, that wasn't too hard to understand, was it? He didn't think so.

"Is it _me_?" he asked as he turned to Rose, gesturing at himself. "Why is it that nobody ever listens to me when there's danger? Is it my face?"

"You've usually got an honest face," she told him truthfully. "But I guess to some people it's not super serious."

"Was it more like that with my last one?" Rose shrugged and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"How do you know they're not androids?" one of the other figures asked cautiously, another woman.

"'Cause I've met androids before," the head woman said as she removed her helmet and shook her sandy curls tied up and grinned. "They're dull." Reluctantly, the others followed suit and removed their helmets.

"Who is this?" an older man demanded as he stepped up to the strange curly headed woman. "You said we were the only expedition, I paid for exclusives."

"I lied," the woman said with a shrug and a half smile. "There's always bound to be others." She turned and knowingly smiled at the Doctor and Rose.

Rose studied the woman closely. Something felt…off about her. She could feel her insides twitching fitfully. She couldn't really describe it on words or in feelings, for that matter. This woman was acting a little too familiar for someone they've never met before. She looked over at her husband to see if he was thinking the same thing, but he seemed to be too preoccupied with the group as a whole.

"Miss Evangelista," the older man said, snapping his fingers at a young girl with black hair who stood behind him. "I want to see the contracts." The girl reached into her pack and fumbled around before pulling out three sheets of paper.

The head woman moved towards the Doctor and Rose. "You came through the north door, yeah?" she asked. "How was that, much damage?"

The Doctor arched an eyebrow at her, giving her a nearly patronizing look. He placed his hands on his hips. "Listen to me, just go and leave. I'm asking you properly, just lea—hang on." He moved his eyes over the group. "Did you say expedition?"

"My expedition, I funded it," the older man said, tipping his chin up.

The Doctor let out a long suffering groan. "Oh, you're not, are you? Tell me you're not archaeologists."

"Got a problem with archaeologists?" the woman asked.

"I'm a _time traveller._ I point and _laugh_ at archaeologists."

"Rude," Rose muttered, elbowing him in the side. Leave it to the usual Time Lord arrogance to come out.

"What, it's true," he muttered.

"Remind me to never make you watch any of the Indiana Jones movies then."

"Ah," the woman said before smiling and extending her hand. "Professor River Song, _archaeologist_."

The Doctor shook it hurriedly. "River Song, lovely name. Now, as you're leaving," he began with a voice of command. "Which will be right now, you need to set up a quarantine beacon. Code-wall the planet, the whole planet. Nobody comes here, not ever again. Not one living thing, not here, not ever." Movement caught his eye when he noticed one of the people slowly walking into the shadows. "Stop right there!" He grabbed the young black girl's arm and pulled her back over into the light. It was the one who thought they were and round when they arrived. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Anita," she answered.

"Right, Anita, stay out of the shadows. Not a foot, not a _finger_ in the shadows 'til you're safely back in your ship, okay?" He returned his attention to the rest of the group. "That goes for all of you. Stay in the light. Find a nice, bright spot and just _stand_ there."

"'S like red light, green light," Rose muttered to herself as she shifted in her spot.

The Doctor arched a brow. "S'pose it is. A more dangerous version of it anyway. But still, you all need to know just how serious the situation is. If you understand me, look very, very scared."

Professor Song barely regarded him as the corners of her mouth twitched upward a little, as if she were amused by everything. Rose kept her eyes locked on the woman. She couldn't be treating this like a joke, would she? Because she herself had the chills. The others only looked at him blankly with confusion. Granted, they were unaware about these moving shadows since the Doctor didn't explain the reasoning for why they should be afraid, but when it came to lives in danger he would always be intense.

 _"They're not buying it,"_ she thought to him, briefly catching River arching a brow after.

 _"Definitely my face then."_ He glanced around the people, noting each individuals' confused look—as well as the professor's intrigued one. "No, bit more scared than that," he said out loud.

His words fell to the ground as he watched the group remain the same with their expressions. The only one who looked a little afraid was the young girl with long black hair—Miss Evangelista. It was a start.

"Okay, that'll do for now," he said before pointing at one of the other members standing near the wall. "You, who are you?"

"Dave," the young man answered.

"Okay, Dave—"

"Oh, well Other Dave," the man said, gesturing with the flashlight in his hand to another man in their group. "Because that's Proper Dave the pilot. He was the first Dave, so when we—"

"Other Dave, then," the Doctor said, cutting him off as he put a hand on the man's arm and headed over to the door the group burst through. "The way you came, does it look the same as before?"

"Yeah," the young man said automatically.

"You're sure?"

Other Dave blinked. "Oh…it's a bit darker."

They both looked down the corridor to see the lights dimmed, the corner pitch black. The Doctor arched a brow. "How much darker?" he asked with seriousness.

"Oh, like I could see where we came through just like a moment ago," the young man responded, gesturing down the hall. "I can't now."

He pulled a grim expression. "Seal up this door. We'll find another way out," he ordered before walking back to the center of the room.

He stood beside Rose and shook his head. It was already getting worse and these people were now stuck with them and needed to get out of here as soon as possible. He needed to come up with a plan as to how they would get out without crossing a single shadow. His wife reached over and squeezed his hand, noticing his discomfort.

"We're not looking for a way out," snapped the man who was funding the expedition. "Miss Evangelista?"

The young girl came forward with blue papers in her hands. "I'm Mr. Lux's personal…everything," she said hesitantly. Her next set of words that came out were being mouthed along with the man in charge. "You need to sign these contracts agreeing that your individual experience inside the Library are the intellectual property of the Felman Lux Corporation."

"Right, give it here," the Doctor said, holding a hand out.

"Brilliant, ta," Rose said next.

"Yeah, lovely, thanks," Donna said as she moved to stand with them.

With their papers in their hands ,the three didn't bother to glance at the documentations as they each tore their pieces in half in unison then tossed them without care to the floor.

"Sorry, but we don't sign contracts," Rose said gently. "We're freelancers and do things by our own rights, no offense."

 _"Ooh, nice one,"_ the Doctor thought to her. She threw him a quick wink.

"My family built this Library!" the man—Mr. Lux—told them, stepping forward with a stern look. "I have rights."

Rose arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, you're right. You _do_ have rights—and one of them should be the right to get out of this place alive safe and sound."

"And who gives _you_ the right to come here and act as if you own the place?" the man snapped.

"Only the highest authority in the universe," she shot back. "So you better keep that mouth of yours shut so we can save you from what's creepin' around here." Mr. Lux looked annoyed and opened his mouth to protest further but River cut him off.

"You really _do_ have a mouth that won't stop," she remarked from the side with an eye roll before turning to Rose. "You think there's danger here?"

"Something came to this Library and killed everything in it, killed a whole _world_ ," the Doctor spoke up, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Danger? Hmm, maybe just a _little_." Rose almost snorted at how his words almost came out Northern.

"That was a hundred years ago," River pointed out. "The Library's been silent for that long with nothing else. Whatever came here is long dead."

"Bet your life on it?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.

River smiled warmly at him. "Always."

* * *

 **I originally planned to exclude these episodes from this story since I didn't want River to exist in this 'verse, but oh well. She's an outlier in this series so I included her anyway. But her backstory would be _totally_ _different_ than from the show. **


	35. Silence in the Library Part 2

**A/N: Just a brief note to clear some things up: _The Doctor and Rose are married_ ; they'll _always_ be together. River is married to _someone else,_ but it'll be important roles in their lives. ****The Ponds don't exist in this universe. Don't kill me for that. I said her history was headed for serious changes.**

 **As always, much love and many thanks to you lovely viewers! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated ;) And I hope you guys enjoyed _Back to the Future_ day yesterday.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 33: Silence in the Library Part 2**_

The Doctor regarded the woman oddly while Rose narrowed her eyes. She apparently enjoyed playing games when in the midst of danger. Granted, Rose and her husband would find themselves cracking a few jokes or even exchanging some witty and coquettish quips when dealing with a serious situation, but judging by the way her gut was making her feel she still believed that this woman seemed off.

A whirring sound of tools caught everyone's attention as they turned to the source. Other Dave still stood in the doorway of their entrance. "What are you doing?" Mr. Lux demanded as he moved over towards him.

"He said to seal the door," the young man replied innocently, gesturing at the Doctor.

"You're taking orders from _him_?" the leader said incredulously.

"Kinda strange, wouldn't you say?" Rose commented, looking over at her husband with a teasing look. _"Not one for orders, huh?"_

He rolled his eyes and chose not to respond before walking up and snatching the torch from the man's hand, waggling his eyebrows. Barely acknowledging the older man's annoyance, the Doctor walked back to the other side of the room with the large flashlight in his hand and shone it into the shadows, almost as if he were searching for something. Rose stood beside him with Donna on the other side, inwardly shivering again when she swore she heard a slight movement. She wrapped her arms around her middle to stop her trembling.

"Rose?" her husband said softly, switching the flashlight to his opposite hand to place one on her shoulder. "You alright?"

"Just have the jitters, I guess," she replied, looking around. "Not really the greatest feeling in the world to have somethin' lurking around in the dark."

"Too right."

He brushed her shoulder with his thumb before sliding a hand around the back of her neck to gently massage her skin, trying to rid away some of the tension. It was helping her a little, but it didn't stop the twitching in her stomach. He returned his attention to what was in front of them, shining the light over the corners and crevasses enshrouded in pitch darkness.

"Any ideas?" Donna asked from the side.

"Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark," he said quietly. "But they're wrong. 'Cause it's not irrational. It's the Vashta Nerada."

The name sent a chill down Rose's spine. "Never heard of them before. What're they?"

"It's what's in the dark," he replied. "It's what's always in the dark."

"So, what, you mean with kids being afraid of the dark that it originated from these Vashta Nerada?"

"In a sense, maybe. Not _entirely,_ but they had a small part in it." Rose's brows raised. Must have made monsters under the bed look like ponies.

"What about monsters in the closet?" Donna mentioned. "You gonna tell me there was some freaky alien lot that created that?"

He sniffed. "Weeell…technically…"

"Blimey, life's like a giant fairytale with you two," Donna said.

"Yeah, thanks for the comparison, Donna," the Doctor said before moving the light to another corner. "Right now we're not dealing with something from fantasies, this is reality. Predators lurking in the darkness."

"Then we'll need lights," Rose said, turning around to address the rest of the group. "All of you, get out your lights."

"Excuse me?" Mr. Lux said.

"You heard me," she replied firmly. "Get out your lights."

"Any source of light," the Doctor added, whirling around and tossing the flashlight back over at Mr. Lux.

Rose dug around in one of her massive pockets, searching for a certain object before coming across a sleek black flashlight, noting how the group of archeologists, save for River again, were giving her odd looks. Bigger-on-the-inside pockets never fail.

"Brilliant preparation, Rose," the Doctor praised with a smile.

"Never know when you'll need one," she said with a shrug. "Good thing I stocked up on one."

"I probably have one, too, I'd have to look. But as for the rest of you, find any kind of light. Flashlights, candles—although, better yet, maybe not those. Just any kind of light will do."

Mr. Lux snorted. "You can't be serious."

"When it comes to my wife I think you'll find that I'm _very_ serious," the Doctor stressed, his hands on his hips. He nodded at Rose. "And, take my word for it, you better do as she says. Now then, have you got anymore lights?"

"We have some spares packed just in case of emergencies," River replied. "What for?"

"Because it could help you _survive_ ," he said before gesturing around the main platform in the center of the room beneath the dome. "Form a circle, all of you. A safe area as big as you can with the lights pointing out."

"Do as they say!" River ordered, turning to the others while the Doctor crouched down on the floor and stretched himself out to look into the shadows. Rose stood behind him, but looked over her shoulder to study the woman again.

Usually whenever they found themselves in a dangerous situation and had a small group of people hanging around them the others would always disregard them and not believe in the danger they could be in and brush it off without listening to a single word they told them. But this woman was quick to believe them and was doing what they would say. That almost never happened. She was an archaeologist, so she must have had her fair share of expeditions and travels to worlds and surroundings…but she was acting so familiar. Why? Rose shook her head before returning her attention to the darkness ahead.

"You're not _listening_ to these people?!" Mr. Lux demanded, disbelieved.

"Apparently, I _am_ ," River replied, crossing her arms. "Anita, unpack the lights. Other Dave, make sure the door's secure, then help Anita. Mr. Lux, put your helmet back on, block the visor. Proper Dave, find an active terminal. I want you to access the Library database, see what you can find about what happened here a hundred years ago."

River walked over to the side office area where a desk was placed with an information terminal. "Professor Song," Mr. Lux spoke up. "Why am I the only one wearing my helmet?"

"I don't fancy you," the woman said cheekily.

Rose bent down beside the Doctor, who was still laying on the ground with one eye open as he peered into the darkness. She tapped the back of his head. "Maybe we should find something to do," she said. "Like help one of them."

"Good idea," he concurred as he pushed himself up. He looked around and stopped when he saw Proper Dave standing at another one of the information terminals. "Looks like a good place to start."

"The special technician's coming in, right?" Rose joked with a smile.

He made a happy hum and nudged her shoulder. "Better with two. Can't be done right without my special lady beside me."

"Making sure you don't hit the wrong buttons, right?"

He snorted when she elbowed his side before they both started walking over to the man at the database while the rest of the group were busy with their own duties. "Don't let your shadows cross!" the Doctor warned. "Seriously, don't even let them touch, not even a little. Any of them could be infected."

"How can a shadow be infected?" Other Dave asked.

"Don't bother asking questions, mate," Rose told him gently. "The answer's not gonna make you believe it even if it's true."

They came up to Proper Dave, both simultaneously reaching into their jackets and slipping on their specs while studying the screen. "We can probably help you," the Doctor said, raising an arm to lean against the machine. "Bit of a whiz with tech, we are."

"Just checking it out, that's all," Rose said. "Don't mind us. Or at least _him,_ he's a science geek."

He gave her a look and she smiled sweetly at him before one came across his own face. She turned her attention to the screen but the readings morphed and became distorted when her vision blurred for a second.

 _"You okay?"_ the Doctor thought to her.

 _"Yeah, the screen's really bright, that's all,"_ she said. _"Nothing serious."_ He arched a brow, not buying her excuse. _"Seriously, 'm fine. Just focus on the monitor."_

Nodding once after studying her, the Doctor turned back to the screen. In the corner of Rose's eye she noticed Miss Evangelista wandering around the area looking for something to do.

"Excuse me," the young girl asked her two partners, who sat on the ground looking for supplies. "Can I help?"

"No, we're fine," Anita assured.

"I could just…you know, hold things."

"No, really, we're okay," Other Dave replied.

The young girl hesitantly nodded before moving over to stand by her boss, who had taken his helmet off. The others seemed to be chuckling and shaking their heads at her. Rose watched the poor girl as she walked around the room, helplessly. She was being kind and wanted to be involved, and it looked as of they were making fun of her. Before she could move away to tell off the members on the ground Donna passed by her and held a hand up, telling her to stay and work with the Doctor at the terminal. Rose nodded and turned back to the screen. At least their friend was here and could handle it. She showed compassion for others just like she did, and that was the type of people they enjoyed being in the company of.

"Pretty people, with me," River called from the other side of the room.

The Doctor moved forward to get a closer look at the readings on the database while Rose crossed her arms over her chest and watched as Proper Dave did his job. It wasn't until she heard River calling again that made her turn away for a moment. Her eyes moved around the room to find the woman standing by the desk with her hands out wide, her brows raised in a look that made it like she had dribbled on their shirt and she was pointing it out.

"Oh, you mean _us_?" Rose asked, gesturing at herself and the Doctor.

"I said 'pretty people' didn't I?" River said with a smile. "Come on, blondie, you and your hubby step into my office."

Rose arched an eyebrow and ran her tongue over her teeth. Her suspicions only increased. "Doctor," she said quietly, tapping his arm.

"Hm?" he responded, distracted by the monitor.

"River summoned us."

"Did she?" He turned to her with a frown. "Wait, is that who she was talking about when she said 'pretty people'?" She nodded and he straightened his tie. "Well…not the first time I've been called pretty."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Just what we need, someone else attracted to you."

"C'mon Rose, she said 'people'. Ergo, you were included. You know you're beautiful," he added with a low voice, winking at her _. "Actually…I've other, and more accurate ways of descriptions,"_ he added in his mind.

She grinned wickedly before blushing a little when he sent her a reel of suggestive images. She lightly shoved him and he chortled.

"God, you two can _never_ quit being ridiculously in love with each other," Donna snorted from the side when she passed by. "Save it for later, won't you?"

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Right. Sorry, Donna. Good work you're doing, by the way." He looked over at River then back at the terminal. "Ehm, Rose? You wouldn't mind if I—"

"Go 'head," she interrupted with a sigh. "Stay here and do your technobabble with Proper Dave. I'll just…" She looked over her shoulder to look at River by the desk, who was sifting through her things. _"I'll just…see what the strange archeologist who seems too familiar with us wants,"_ she added mentally.

 _"How familiar?"_ he wondered.

 _"Really? The fact that she didn't even question or disagree with us didn't even strike as somethin' weird?"_

 _"Yeah…"_

 _"She just makes me feel…something about her feels off, I can't really explain it."_

 _"Just keep an eye on her, then."_

Rose nodded before making her way over to River by the little shop. The closer she was approaching the more she felt static, but she did her best to conceal any signs of being uncomfortable when she came up to her. She continued to take things out of her pack and set them off to the side before glancing up and smiling slyly.

"Was wondering how long it would take for one of you to break it up," the woman said. "I can feel the tension from all the way over here. Whoever said married life was dull obviously never saw you two." Rose bit her lip. "I'm guessing that's why he chose to stay on that side to work on the terminal. Probably knew he'd get ribbed if he came over here. But then again us girls always stick together, am I right?"

River resumed her activities of unpacking and taking out various items from her bag, one of which being a large flashlight. But what came out next made Rose's breath hitch and her eyes widen in shock. It was a battered blue book designed to look like the TARDIS. Her vision was glued onto it. It was similar to one she kept for herself, save for the double lock around it. How did she get a hold of a book like that? Her mind swam again and she shook her head.

"What's the matter?" River asked.

"Nothin'," Rose said, waving it off.

"Dizzy spell?"

"A brief one, nothing serious."

"You sure about that?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

River didn't answer that. Instead, she changed the subject. "Thanks, by the way."

Rose blinked out of her daze and looked up. "For what?" she asked.

"For coming when I called," the other woman said as she looked through her book.

She arched an eyebrow. " _You_ were the one who called?"

"It's a good thing we're able to keep track," River said lightly. "That husband of yours is usually rubbish with coming at the right times like mine. Well, that and his take on domestics, but he's improving with that since he's got you. Good thing too. That Cashel incident with them…" she trailed off with a snicker. "At least he was able to keep his hair in check, which looks great, I might add. Hard work being a time traveller's wife, huh?"

Rose only stared at the woman.

River glanced back up. "I'm assuming there's a reason for why you three are acting like you don't know me," the older woman said.

"Yeah, a _very_ good reason," Rose replied, eyeing her warily.

River bit her lip. "Okay then. A little mishap, nothing to worry about. Let me just check my diary." She grabbed her TARDIS-shaped book and began to flip through it. She raised her head to study Rose. "Let's see…judging by yours and his clothes, I'd say it's early days." She licked her thumb and began to go through the pages, humming in thought before stopping on one. "Hm, here we go. Mystery trip to Siralos, have we done that yet?"

Rose remained silent, having no idea what the other woman was talking about.

"Going by your silence, ringing no bells," River said before turning several more pages. "Right, okay. No problem. Let's see. Oh, scavenger hunt at Thegeros. Have we done Thegeros yet, Rose?"

Again, Rose didn't answer.

"Obviously not," River said slowly then huffed. "Blimey, _very_ early days then. So much hard work when travelling around so much. Must not be as good at keeping track like I thought," she muttered. She stopped at lifted her head, her eyes lighting up. "Look at you," she breathed out in wonder. "You're so _young_ , both of you."

Rose offered a faint lopsided smile. "Can't say the same for my husband, really."

"No, but you _are_ ," the other woman said, moving a little closer. "I can see it in your eyes. You're younger than I've ever seen you. Aside from a few pictures I've come across, but all the same for in person."

"Uh, look. I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are," Rose told her honestly, holding her hands out.

"Wait a minute, let me just go back…"

River scanned through her pages with determination. Rose only watched curiously, not letting her trembling insides make themselves come to the surface. She chanced a glance by trying to take a peek at what was in the book, but the other woman backed away, blocking her view.

"Sorry, no looking," she said.

Rose frowned. "What?"

"Spoilers."

"You sure you don't have me confused with someone else? Like me and my husband, you're absolutely sure you're not mixing us up with other people?"

River chortled. "Other people known as the Bad Wolf and the Oncoming Storm? I highly doubt it."

Rose's insides froze up and she remained still, her eyes widening. She blinked a few times, almost as if she heard the other woman's words wrong.

"Oh, here we go," River said with a grin. "This has to have happened by now. Tell me we've all gone to Noel." Her smile dropped, something shifting in her. "Rose?"

She shook her head, still in shock. Not only did this woman know of a planet where only she and the Doctor went to a few times as part of their personal tradition but she knew what they were called across the universe.

"How…" she managed. "How do you know about Bad Wolf?"

"You…you really don't know who I am? Not even with your mind?"

Her eyes widened at that. "What?"

"What about the twenty-seven planets? Did that happen to you yet?"

"What are you _talking_ about?"

River looked hurt, but Rose couldn't help it. She was already feeling unsettled by the weird feelings this woman was giving her, but now it only made it worse. Like something was out of place. But from what River had told her and her reaction to the realization that neither she or the Doctor knew who she was, it was clear and made perfect sense. River knew them in the future.

It wasn't surprising that they'd run into someone from either the past or, in this case, from the future. It was a common occurrence for them which, shockingly, hasn't happened in over a year. Odd as it was sometimes it was better off not running into people in the wrong points in the timeline since it would only cause trouble. Running into her husband's past selves by accident would create the worst possible paradoxes, but they would always be solved when he would keep everything suppressed to prevent the universe was splitting into two. But this? She didn't know if something bad could come out of meeting someone from their future now. Who the bloody hell was she?

Before anyone else could continue the conversation an odd sounding noise that resembled an alarm cut through the air, much to Rose's relief. "Sorry, that was me," Proper Dave announced. "Trying to get through into the security protocols, I seem to have set something off.

"What is that?" River asked.

"Some kind of alarm," Rose answered, heading over to the terminal where her husband stood.

"Doctor," Donna spoke up, coming over along with the others. "That sound…it sounds like a phone."

"It's because it _is_ ," the Doctor said, blinking.

"I'm trying to call up the data core, but it's not responding," Proper Dave said, typing on the keys. "Just that noise."

"But it's a _phone_!" Donna exclaimed in wonder. "Who's got a phone?"

"Maybe someone was patched through?" Rose suggested, peering at the screen as it read _'Access Denied.'_

"Only one way to find out, let me try something," the Doctor said before placing a hand on Proper Dave's arm and gently moving him out of the way to take command at the terminal. "See, all this time you've been doing it manually and the data core hasn't responded and blocked you out, but that's because you haven't used this." He pulled out his sonic and grinned. "It's very good at hacking into systems."

"Men and their toys," River muttered from behind as he began to run the sonic over the screen.

Nothing was happening as it kept him locked out again and he huffed. "Okay, doesn't like that," he murmured. "Let's try something else."

"Sure you don't need to use mine?" Rose asked, standing beside him.

"Think I've got it covered, love, thanks," he responded.

"Just asking, 'cause yours has been shortening out for some reason. You need an upgrade."

"Yeah…remind me to give it a good once over later."

"'Kay." Rose turned to find River grinning at them as they interacted. "What?"

"Nothing," she replied.

"Okay," the Doctor said as he pocketed his sonic and began to press keys. "Here it comes."

The screen began to static and an image began to appear behind the fuzz. It showed a young dark haired girl that looked about ten years old sitting on the floor of a living room by a small table with colored pencils and paper. She was staring at them oddly.

"Hello?" the Doctor said.

 ** _"Hello,"_** the girl said. ** _"Are you in my television?"_**

He glanced over at Rose for a second before returning back to the screen. "Well…no, I'm…sort of in space at the moment. I-I was trying to call up the data core of a triple-grid security processor."

"Doctor, she's a kid," Rose said with an eye roll. "She doesn't know what you're talking about. Sometimes _I_ still don't know what the hell you say half the time, even after heavy reading."

He bit his lip. "Right."

 ** _"Would you like to speak to my dad?"_ ** the girl asked.

"Sure, sweetheart," Rose told her. "Your mum or your dad would be fine, anyone to talk to."

The girl stared at them for another moment. _ **"Hey, I know you!"** _ she said accusingly before pointing at the Doctor, Rose, and Donna. **_"You three were in my Library."_**

Rose frowned. " _Your_ Library?"

 _ **"The Library's never been on the television before,"**_ the girl mused, looking confused. **_"What have you done?"_**

The Doctor was flustered as he shook his head, looking at the controls. "Uh, I…I just re-routed the interface," he answered.

Next thing they knew the connection broke and the image of the girl faded and turned back into the _'Access Denied'_ signal again. "What happened?" River asked. "Who was that?"

Undeterred, the Doctor began to push keys on the board at a rapid pace but wasn't getting anywhere. "I need another terminal," he said.

"There's one by the shop," Rose told him.

"Brilliant!" He gently tapped her arm and they both hurried over to the other side of the room. "Keep working on those lights, we need those lights!" he ordered as he leaped over the curved desk and went up to the monitor.

Rose rolled her eyes as she maneuvered around the corner. Anything for him to do something using his limber frame. "Show off," she murmured.

He raised his chin up before continuing with his task at hacking into the system.

"You heard him, people, let there be light," River ordered from behind.

Rose looked over her shoulder at the older woman and bit her lip. The Doctor needed to know about what she had found out earlier. She tapped into his mind. _"Doctor."_

 _"Hold on, love, I'm trying to hack into this system to get contact back with the girl."_

 _"No, you need to hear this. It's about River."_

He briefly glanced over at her, still typing on the keyboard. _"What about her? Did she say anything to you?"_

Rose inwardly snorted. _"Oh, only a few things that explain why she makes me feel jittery. For one thing she was the one who called us."_

 _"It was **her**?"_ he asked, puzzled. He raised his head, possibly trying to figure out something. _"Well…wasn't expecting that. Not by a long shot. Then again, I never usually do, but still."_

 _"Trust me, I was just as surprised as you were. But it's more than that."_ She paused for a second. _"She knows us."_

 _"Not surprising,"_ he said with an imperceptible shrug, barely considering it. _"Lots of people know who we are, namely myself. Which, to be honest, isn't always the greatest thing in the world, mind you. But then again, she sent out a cry for help so she knew that we'd respond."_

 _"No, that's not it,"_ she told him, leaning against the terminal as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. _"I mean, yeah, she knew that we'd come for her 'cause we've done it before."_ He turned to her and frowned. _"She **knows** us,"_ she repeated with an affected emphasis.

The Doctor arched a brow, looking curious. _"How do you mean?"_

 _"She called you the Oncoming Storm—no, get this,"_ she cut herself off when he opened his mouth, ready to speak. _"She called me **Bad Wolf**."_

His eyes widened at that, bewilderment coloring his features. He's said many a times that those two names were easily able to be identified to them since they were heard throughout time and space, but this seemed too different than the other times they've heard others call them by those sobriquets.

 _"Not only that,"_ Rose continued, _"but she told me other things, saying that we looked the youngest that she's ever seen us. She started bringing up these random places that we supposedly visited. Or **will** visit, apparently. None of it happened yet. She even mentioned Noel."_

 _"Did she really?"_ he asked, still surprised. _"The same one?"_

 _"I doubt there's another Christmas planet called Noel, Doctor. You told me there was only the one."_

The Doctor pulled a face and sighed, bringing a hand up to rub his eyes beneath the rim of his glasses. _"Not this again,"_ he groaned. _"Why do things always have to run into us in the wrong order?"_

 _"'Cause this is **our** lives we're talking about here. How many times have we encountered someone in the wrong timeline?"_

 _"One too many. The actual number has to be close to a **hundred** tops, but that's only for the ones I'm **fully** aware of."_

 _"Who do you think she is, really?"_

 _"Dunno. Anyone can know about those names and, with our life having people coming and going so quickly, there's many options. What else did she say? Anything else important?"_

Rose licked her lips before surreptitiously looking over her shoulder to the side desk where River's diary was left unattended. The Doctor followed her vision and stared at the worn out TARDIS-shaped book in shock, his brows creased.

 _"What's…"_ he began, his eyes still fixed on the object. _"What?"_

 _"Her diary,"_ Rose answered.

His brows raised. _"Really?"_

She nodded and looked over to where the other woman was standing, helping the others out with the lights. She seemed distracted enough to not notice what they were doing all the way over here. Their habits of curiosity and inquisition got the best of them as they both looked at the book.

 _"What d'you say?"_ Rose said, gently elbowing his side. _"Thinking what I'm thinking?"_

 _"Rose Tyler, you want to peek into the private thoughts of a strange woman who seems to know who we are,"_ he accused.

She hummed in thought. _"Yeah…"_ she drew out slowly. _"I know you say not knowing usually adds to the excitement and the anticipation…"_

 _"True, very true."_

 _"And, I know for a fact, that she told me **not** to take a peek."_

They both exchanged a conspiratorial look before locking their eyes on the battered book. Barely stopping himself the Doctor reached a hand out and held it in his fingers, but it didn't take long for the owner to come over and snatch it away from their grasp.

"Sorry," River said. "You're not allowed to see inside the book, it's against the rules."

"What rules?" the Doctor asked with a frown.

"Your rules."

"You know, I'm not one to follow most of his rules anyway," Rose put in.

The other woman smiled. "I know. But you had as much say as him, petals."

With that she turned and walked away with the book in her possession, leaving the married couple behind to ponder. They glanced over to see Donna watching them curiously but they merely shrugged. Rose patted the Doctor's shoulder before walking over towards the redhead to see if she needed help and left him to finish hacking the terminal. They didn't know what to make of this. It was only another puzzle for them to figure out in the future.

* * *

 **Response to _ssmcavoy_ :** **Meant to post this on the previous chapter, sorry about that.** **Yes, I admit it: I love stirring you guys up and freaking you out. ;D Thank you so much! And welcome back ;)**


	36. Silence in the Library Part 3

**A/N:** **As per usual, much love and many thanks to all of you lovely viewers! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 34: Silence in the Library Part 3**_

The Doctor continued to work on the terminal while everyone worked on getting as many lights as possible. Rose stood on the side with Donna, keeping a close eye on River as she moved around the room with the group of archeologists. She inwardly twitched again, her nerves not easing up from the unsteadiness.

"You okay?" the redhead asked. "You look a bit shaken up."

"Too obvious?" she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. She sighed and craned her neck, her eyes locked on the ceiling where the sunlight came through. "This place just doesn't sit right with me, that's all. I knew it from the second we came here."

"Didn't really seem like it. But you did say you were distracted from that message you and your husband got."

"Yeah, but now we've got another distraction right now since that little mystery was solved."

Donna frowned in confusion. "What do you mean? Did you find out who sent that message?"

Rose nodded. "Yup."

"Who was it?"

"She's right over there," she answered, jutting her chin up in the direction where River was standing by the desk.

Donna raised her brows. "It was _her_?" she asked, sounding shocked.

"As it turns out, yeah. Not only that but she comes from the future."

"Obviously, we're in the 51st century like you said, right? That's pretty much the future in my book."

"No, but she's from _our_ future," Rose clarified. "We meet her some time later on."

"I assumed she must have known you two," Donna said. "She was acting kinda familiar with you. So you know who she is?"

Rose shook her head. "Not yet. I knew from the beginning something was off about her and now we know why—she's in the wrong point in the timeline."

"And that's really bad."

"Pretty much. It's bothering me 'cause we don't know who she is and she doesn't look like she wants to let us know."

"Maybe it's dangerous for her to tell you since you haven't met her yet," Donna suggested.

"But she could drop us a couple of hints," Rose said with a shrug. "Not tell us directly if she can't, but a clue or somethin'. She keeps everything hidden in that journal of hers and won't let us take a look. It's…annoying."

Donna placed a hand on her shoulder. "Can you trust her?"

Rose studied the woman again, noting how immersed in her duties she was to not be aware of the acerbic staring she was receiving her way. River knew the nicknames both Rose and the Doctor were known by throughout the universe, straightforwardly. She radiated static, the kind of feeling that never sat well with Rose since she's had 'spider-senses'. Granted she would feel sensations as uncomfortable as that when encountering others not in the correct timeline—with the exception of her husband's past lives since they weren't as severe, but still equally compulsory. This was different. Not knowing who this woman was making her mind rattle, and she was more than positive that the Doctor was worse.

 _Trusting_ her though? Her familiarity with them was a bit unnerving. People, one way or another, find themselves trusting the Doctor when in serious situations despite being objective in the first encounter. He emanated it, it was a part of him and his charisma. Complete strangers would trust them and believe them. But this woman who knows them in the future was still a stranger to them, and the roles were reversed. Rose didn't know if she could trust her. This woman was dodgy, so they would keep their eyes peeled for anything else suspicious.

She recalled the woman mentioning something about their minds, but she couldn't feel any presence to let her know who she was. Unless River wasn't much of a telepathic. She may have been the one who sent the message on their psychic papers, but a low-level telepathic field was required for that, nothing too noticeable to be picked up. She obviously knew about their bonded marriage like a handful of others did, but it was annoying Rose to the point where she wanted to grab that diary and flip through every page.

It was at that moment that a couple of books started flying off the shelves. One nearly clipped Rose but she quickly dodged it, cursing in the process. "What the hell?"

Turning away from the terminal, the Doctor checked on her. _"You okay?"_ he asked mentally.

 _"Sure, almost got attacked by a giant encyclopedia."_

 _"What?"_ He looked around when a few others were abruptly being thrown across the air, more and more.

Donna took cover after two came her way. "Oi!" she yelled. "Watch what you're doing, spaceman!"

"I didn't do that!" he replied, confused. Hetried to stop the books from flying around to room, not knowing what caused it, but determined to let it stop before someone got hurt. He ran his sonic over the terminal. A sign that read _'Access Denied'_ appeared on display again, but on top of it said something different. It said _'CAL'._ "What's CAL?" he wondered.

Soon the books stopped flying through the air completely. "You okay?" Donna asked Rose after.

"Fine," she answered. "Having books tossed around is the least of our worries with these Vashta Nerada creepin' about."

Off to the side, both Rose and Donna noticed Miss Evangelista looking stressed out and afraid that something could come hurtling her way. The women exchanged a sympathetic look before walking over to her just as she wrapped her arms around herself for protection.

"Hey," Rose said softly, placing a hand on the young girl's arm. "You alright?"

"What's happening?" she responded fearfully.

"It's okay, it's stopped."

"It's not just those books though, right?"

"Whatever we're dealing with will be found and we'll stop them from whatever they're gonna do, okay? We promise."

"And thanks for offering to help with the lights," Donna added. "That was very kind of you."

Miss Evangelista sighed. "They don't want me. They think I'm stupid, 'cause I'm pretty."

"Don't say that," Rose told her as she rubbed her arm comfortingly. "That's not true."

"Nobody thinks that," Donna put in. "You can be pretty and clever and funny all at the same time."

"No, they're right though," the young girl said with a head shake. "I'm a moron, me. My dad said I have the IQ of plankton, and I was pleased."

Rose continued to rub the girl's arm. "Don't you worry about what the others think of you," she told her gently. "Just be yourself and let it take you places. You're beautiful and clever, we know you are. And deep down, the others know it too, even if they won't admit. Don't think that you're useless 'cause they won't let you help them. You don't need them. You just have to wait for your shining moment," she added with a smile.

A faint one appeared on the girl's face before books began to fly around again. Miss Evangelista ducked and clutched onto Donna's arm. Rose dodged another book before moving away towards the Doctor, who was sitting on top of the desk with one leg under him and one bent up.

"Watch yourself now," he said to her, pulling her close when another book flew over their heads. Once again they came to a stop and the group gathered around in a small circle.

"Have to have eyes on the back of your head with these," Rose said. "Why're they doing that? Is it that girl?"

"It could be," River spoke up.

"She said it was her library. Reckon it wasn't a birthday present from her parents."

"But who is she?" the Doctor asked. "What's a little girl have to do with this place? How does the data core work? What's the principle? What's CAL?"

"Ask Mr. Lux," River said.

He turned to the older man. "CAL, what is it?"

"Sorry, you and your little group didn't sign your personal experience contracts," Mr. Lux replied, recalcitrant and unwilling to cooperate.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Who cares about a bloody contract?" she said irritably. "'S not like it's gonna save your life, which is what _we're_ trying to do."

"Exactly," the Doctor agreed with a reasonable tone as he hopped off the desk to stand directly in front of the man. "Mr. Lux, right now, you're in more danger than you've ever been in your whole life, and you're protecting a _patent_?"

"I'm protecting my family's pride," the man told him.

"Oh, well that changes _everything_ ," Rose said sarcastically with her arms crossed. "Let's just lay down and let the danger move freely around all because of a family _inheritance_."

"It's my family's library, and they didn't build this place to let some travellers walk around as if they're in command. This is a legacy."

"Well, funny thing is, Mr. Lux," the Doctor spoke up, straightening himself up to look down upon the man. "We don't want to see everyone in this room _dead_ because some _idiot_ thinks his pride is more important than the lives of those around him."

"Then why don't you sign his contract?" River said with a ghost of a smile on her face. Both the Doctor and Rose arched their brows at her, and the woman's smile grew. "I didn't either sign it either. I'm getting worse than you two."

The Doctor eyed her suspiciously, still pondering the idea of who she supposedly was, but brushed it aside for the moment. He'd worry about that later on. He needed to make sure everyone in this room was safe from the creatures hiding in the shadows. "Okay then, let's start at the beginning," he said as he paced around with his hand running through his wild hair. "On the actual day, a hundred years ago, what physically happened?"

"There was a message from the Library," River informed them. "Just one: 'the lights are going out'. Then the computer sealed the planet, and there was nothing for a hundred years."

"It's taken three generations of my family just to decode the seals and get back in," Mr. Lux said.

"Um…excuse me…" Miss Evangelista spoke up quietly from the side.

"Not just now," her boss told her dismissively.

River bent down to retrieve something from her pack. "There was one other thing in the last message—"

"That's confidential," Mr. Lux interjected.

"I trust these people with my life and with everything," she told him as she pulled out a flat device.

"You've only just met them!" the man protested.

"No, they've only just met _me_."

The Doctor exchanged a look with Rose, who merely shrugged and shook her head. That much they got.

"Um," Miss Evangelista said from the side. "This might be important actually—"

"In a moment!" Mr. Lux snapped.

Rose glared at the man. The poor young girl was trying to help and he saw it as complete tetchiness. She was about to acknowledge the girl and turn around to head in her direction, but River pulled up something on her PDA.

"This is a data extract that came with the message," River said as she showed them the screen.

"'Four thousand and twenty-two saved. No survivors,'" the Doctor read.

Rose frowned. "What does that _mean_ though? It makes no sense."

"Four thousand and twenty-two, that's the exact number of people who were in the Library when the planet was sealed," River explained.

"But how can four thousand and twenty-two people have been saved if there were no survivors?" Donna asked.

"Have no idea," the other woman said. "That's what we're here to find out."

"And so far, what we haven't found are any bodies," Mr. Lux mused.

Silence hung over the room after the brief conversation. Rose looked around the area when something came to her attention. "Where's Miss Evangelista?" she asked quietly. "She was here a second ago."

Soon a scream shattered the quietness. Whirling around, the group noticed that an open wall panel leading into another corridor. The Doctor quickly grabbed a flashlight and took the lead as they bolted through the doorway. The open panel was the gateway to a darkened hallway that left the same chilling effect.

Rose's insides shivered when they entered a room which appeared to be some sort of lecture hall. There was an open space in the center of the room with a small amount of light being shone, but what it revealed made her gasp. A tall chair was occupied with a skeleton wearing the same spacesuit as River and her entourage, except this one was ripped and shredded as if a wild animal tore it apart with sharp claws. The surface of the skeleton was white, the flesh seemed to have vanished completely. It wasn't an ancient body. It just happened.

The Doctor came to a complete stop and held out his free arm to keep Rose from approaching. His jaw tightened in anger.

"Oh, my God…" she breathed out in horror, still shaking inside. "It's Miss Evangelista."

"It was," he said grimly. Soon the others came in behind them, the majority of them gasping at the sight and he addressed them with a louder voice. "Everybody, careful! Stay in the light."

"You keep saying that," Proper Dave said. "I don't see the point!"

"Don't see the _point_?" Rose repeated incredulously.

"Who was the one who screamed?" the Doctor asked, turning his attention to the other man.

"Miss Evangelista," Proper Dave replied.

"Where is she?"

River raised a hand up to press a button on the neck of her suit beside a green light. "Miss Evangelista, please state your current—" She stopped herself when her words echoed and came reverberating back at her from the direction of the skeleton. Everyone else looked shocked and feared the worst, but it was the truth. "Please state your current—"

She tried again with a whisper, but the rest of her words fell away when she cautiously reached a hand out towards the collar of the spacesuit and pulled out a piece of it behind the tattered material. It was the same communicator that the rest of the group adorned, the green lights still flickering.

River backed away, looking ill. "It's Miss Evangelista," she confirmed.

"Oh, my God," Donna gasped out, her eyes wide.

"We heard her scream a few seconds ago," Anita pointed out. "What could do that to a person in a few seconds?"

"It took a lot less than a few seconds," the Doctor replied, his eyes moving over the skeleton ghastly.

"What did?"

Before he could answer, a voice rang out and startled everyone. **_"Hello?"_**

Rose clutched onto the Doctor's arm while Donna moved closer to them when they recognized the voice. It was Miss Evangelista. It came from her communicator which was odd considering she was supposed to be dead. She was, wasn't she?

"I'm sorry everyone," River whispered, her eyes closing. "This isn't going to be pleasant, but…she's ghosting?"

"She's what?" Donna gasped out.

"D'you mean…speaking before she dies completely?" Rose asked shakily, eyeing the skeleton and feeling her insides turn cold the longer she stared at it, tears brimming.

River nodded mutely. "I'm afraid so."

 ** _"Hello, excuse me?"_** came the sweet innocent voice from the young girl again. _**"I-I'm sorry, hello? Excuse me?"**_

"I don't want to sound horrible," Proper Dave spoke up, shifting uncomfortably. "But couldn't we just…you know?"

"This is her last moment…" River replied firmly. "No, we can't. A little _respect_ , thank you."

 _ **"Sorry, where am I? Excuse me?"**_

In the corner of her eye, Rose saw Donna visibly shiver. "But that's Miss Evangelista," the redhead said, still in complete shock.

"It's a data ghost, she'll be gone in another moment," River said softly. Her face was full of sorrow. She clicked on her communicator again, her words echoing once more as she spoke into it surprising with a level and calm voice. "Miss Evangelista, you're fine, just relax. We'll be with you presently."

"Data ghost…" Rose drew out before turning to her husband. "What's that?"

He took a deep breath and slung his opposite arm around her shoulders, bringing her close to his chest. "There's a neural relay in the communicator, lets you send thought-mails." He shone the flashlight on the communicator. "That's it there, those green lights. Sometimes it can hold an impression of a living consciousness for a short time after death."

"You mean like a…" Rose frowned and brought a hand up to her temple as she tried to remember the phenomenon she was trying to recall. "A fundamental externalism?"

The Doctor's breath hitched slightly and he rubbed her shoulder. "No," he said softly. "That was something more unique and different than this. With these it's not so much of another lifetime but…more along the lines of just being an after image."

"My grandfather lasted a day," Anita said, a ghost of a sad smile on her face. "Kept talking about his shoelaces."

"But she's in there!" Donna cried, tears welling up in her eyes. "That's _Miss Evangelista_!"

 _ **"I can't see, I can't…"** _ the communicator said. _**"Where am I?"**_

"She's just brain waves now," Proper Dave informed. "The pattern won't hold for long."

"But she's still got a thought process," Rose spoke up. "She has to be conscious if she's able to think."

 ** _"I can't see, I can't…I don't know what I'm thinking."_**

"She's a footprint on the beach," the Doctor said gently, squeezing her shoulder. "And the tide's coming in."

 _ **"Are the women there?"**_ Miss Evangelista asked. **_"The nice women…are they there?"_**

"Women?" Mr. Lux questioned. "What women?"

Donna's breath hitched. "I think…" she drew out slowly, turning to Rose. "I think she means us."

Rose nodded. "She does," she said quietly.

 ** _"Are they there?"_** the voice asked. _ **"The nice women?"**_

"Yeah," River said into the communicator. "They're here, just hang on." She pressed a button then turned to them, nodding to the skeleton. "Go ahead. She can hear you."

 ** _"Hello? Are you there?"_**

Rose pressed her lips together while Donna shook her head in horror, still in disbelief. The former turned to the Doctor and he gave her an empathetic look. "Help her," he whispered.

"She's dead," Donna sobbed, her voice cracking.

"I know. But you can help her. Talk to her."

Rose released her hold around her husband and took Donna's hand, giving her friend a squeeze. "We'll do it together," she said softly.

The redhead shook her head again. "I…can't. I can't do it, Rose. You go. Please."

Rose took a deep breath. She wasn't any more comfortable with this either and understood her friend's uneasiness, but somehow she steeled her nerves and carefully moved forward to stand closer to the skeleton, noting that one of the lights on the communicator had gone out.

 _ **"Hello?"** _ the voice asked. ** _"Are the nice women there?"_**

"Yeah," Rose replied shakily. "Yeah, we're here. Are you alright?"

 _ **"What I said before, about being stupid. Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh."**_

"We won't, Miss Evangelista," she sniffled, feeling a tear stream down her cheek. She wished she could help this poor girl somehow, but knew there wasn't anything they could do. "We promise not to tell them."

 ** _"Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh…"_**

"We won't. You have our word."

 ** _"Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh."_**

The green lights on the neural relay were dimmed and out, the last one the remaining light blinking. The young girl was nearing her end as she kept repeated the same sentence. "She's looping now," River said. "The pattern's degrading."

 _ **"I can't think,"**_ the voice said, changing her words. **_"I…don't know, I…Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream."_**

Her words kept repeating on a loop like a broken record as Rose raised a hand up to brush away the tears. She felt her husband sending warm waves through their bond.

"Does anybody mind if I…?" River spoke up. No one objected as she stepped forward to turn off the relay with a click, the lights completely out.

Rose took a deep breath and moved away from the skeleton. She turned around to see Donna with her cheeks still wet from her tears. She immediately went over to the ginger woman and pulled her in a hug. "That was…" she breathed out. "That was horrible. That was the most horrible thing I've ever seen. I'm sorry, I just…I couldn't do it."

"'S okay," Rose told her. "I barely made it through it and I've been around some serious stuff over the years."

The Doctor came closer and placed a hand on Donna's shoulder comfortingly. Rose pulled back from their friend then moved over into her husband's embrace as he began commiserating with her by rubbing her back soothingly. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head and left his lips there.

 _"You alright?"_ he asked mentally.

 _"I don't ever wanna do something like that again,"_ she replied sadly. _"It was…horrible."_

 _"I know. Hopefully you won't ever have to."_

River ran her thumb over the communicator before pocketing it. Her tone became more firm and dark. "Whatever did this to her, whatever killed her…I'd like a word with that."

Her tone matched the hardened expression on the Doctor's face as he and Rose pulled back. "I'll introduce you." Reaching for his wife's hand, they took the lead and rushed back into the room where they came from with the others following them. He let go of her hand and surveyed the area.

 _"How're we gonna find these Vashta Nerada?"_ Rose asked mentally. _"Are we gonna lure them out of the shadows some way?"_

 _"They can't be lured out, it won't be that simple,"_ he replied. _"But there's a way to know if there's a live one hiding and looking to strike."_

 _"And that is?"_

 _"How do you wake up a lion locked up in its cage?_ I'm gonna need a packed lunch," he added out loud to address the rest of the group.

"Hang on," River said as she moved over towards her pack placed on the ground, crouching down and rummaging through it. The first thing she took out was that TARDIS-shaped journal again.

"I wanna know what's inside that thing," the Doctor muttered.

"Same here," Rose replied before letting her feet take her over to the other woman to kneel beside her. "What's in that book?" she asked.

"Spoilers," River replied quickly, raising her head up briefly before continuing to search through her bag.

"Yeah, I've heard that too many times today, it's not enough. I can't take the suspense."

"Trust me, I know."

"Then let me take a peek."

River shook her head. "I can't," she said firnly. "I promised you and your husband that I wouldn't."

Rose licked her lips and took a deep breath. This was getting annoying and she honestly didn't care if their future selves made rules for them to not ever let them look inside a battered TARDIS journal if this woman somehow found her way into the wrong point in the timeline.

"Well, you should know we're ones known for breaking each other's rules as much as our own," Rose told her.

"Oh, I know that quite well, Miss Jeopardy Friendly," the other woman said with a snort.

"Who are you, really?"

River sighed. "Professor River Song, University of—"

"To us," Rose cut in. "Are you a companion? A friend?" She paused when a sudden thought came to her. It was that tiny speck at the back of her mind that was lingering for the last bunch of weeks. She whispered it. "Are you Jenny? Did you end up regenerating after we left you?"

"I'm not Jenny," River replied before raising her voice up once the Doctor came in their direction, standing over them with an inquisitive look.

"Care to share with the class?" he said.

She brought out a metal lunch box and held it up. "Chicken, and a bit of salad. Knock yourself out."

Both the Doctor and Rose stared long at the other woman, trying to decode the mystery as to who she was. The longer this went on, the more it annoyed them. _"Anything?"_ he thought to her.

 _"Nope."_

He inwardly sighed. Rose took the box before the Doctor could as he held a hand out to help her to her feet. He flipped the flashlight in his hand and caught it while turning back to the others. "Right, you lot. Let's all meet the Vashta Nerada!"

Minutes passed as the Doctor lay on the floor with his sonic screwdriver out and whirring in the darkness, aiming it along with the flashlight at the shadows as he scanned the area. Rose was standing with the lunchbox in her hands before taking a seat on the floor by him.

The two of them were communicating quietly, sometimes verbally and what looked to be mentally, Donna assumed. It was a habit of theirs to keep things to themselves. She was standing off to the side watching the married couple before noticing the small smile curving at River's lips while observing them. Rose was right earlier when she said something was off with this woman, despite with the fact she came from the future and apparently knew who they were.

"You really like traveling with them, huh?" the other woman asked, catching her off guard a bit.

"More than anything," Donna replied genuinely. "It's the best thing that's happened to me. Before I met them I thought my life was so…small and unimportant. But they've opened my eyes to see how much bigger the universe is and to see everything I've been missing."

River nodded. "Been there before. It never stops being eye-opening."

"Proper Dave," the Doctor spoke up, sitting himself up. "Could you move over a bit?"

The man was standing in front of a small table. "Why?"

"It's important," Rose said. "We need a little more room. Please?"

"Just a little to the side, thanks," her husband added.

Once Proper Dave moved to join the rest of the group the two continued their search, the Doctor returning back to his original position on the floor. He whirred the sonic a few times before rising up and shaking it a bit. He muttered something indistinguishable.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, kneeling beside him. "Shortening out again?"

"Yeah," he replied as he held it to his ear. "Frequencies seem a little fried."

"Hold on." His wife placed the lunchbox down before reaching a hand in her back pocket to retrieve her sonic then handed it to him.

"Thanks, love," the Doctor told her.

"Maybe one day you'll actually spend some time in fixin' up _your_ own toys before upgrading _mine_ ," she teased.

"Can't help that," he said, smirking. "You deserve quality, so I spend as much time as I can to make you have the most top notch tech."

"And you wonder why you're a glutton for being upstaged by me."

He made a happy sound and threw her a wink before using her sonic to peer at the shadows. Donna was still watching them and resisted an eye roll at their usual actions. Aliens in love. She turned to study River again and saw that the other woman's smile was even wider than before.

"You know them," Donna said, making conversation.

"We go back, the bunch of us," River said. "But…it's far _too_ early. Judging by everything, it's way before…"

"Before what?"

"Too many things." She turned to face her and smiled. "I know you too, you know. I've met you a few times in the future."

Donna's eyes widened. "What? You do?"

"Not hard to forget you, red," the other woman said with a grin, but it soon dropped. "They haven't met me yet. I sent them a message like I would on occasion, but it went wrong and arrived too early."

"How's that possible?"

"Trying to communicate with others when in the vortex is…a little complicated. Especially since it's been a while since I've last seen them in my timeline. They look the same as when I last saw them, only younger. This is the Doctor and Rose way before they met me. Before…a lot of things."

River paused after whispering the last sentence, and Donna was able to make out the other woman's pain and sadness. She had no idea who she was nor did the married couple currently investigating the shadows right now, but this woman apparently knows a lot of what's to come.

"Could you two quiet down?" came the Doctor's voice, sounding a little irritated for a second before calming down. "Trying to work over here."

"So sorry to interrupt," Donna retorted.

"Just ignore him, Donna," Rose said. "He was born rude."

She pinched him in the side and he let out an unmanly squeak, nearly dropping the flashlight. They stared at each other and Donna was positive they were communicating via their minds that time. The Doctor rolled his eyes before returning to the floor.

"And they turn to me and just look right through me," River continued. "I know I shouldn't let it bother me since I should've seen this coming when we first landed, but…it's hard not to. It shouldn't kill me, but it does."

"I'm so sorry," Donna told her. "You're really close then?"

"Oh yeah," she said, a faint smile on her face. "It's like…you know when you run into people who you've known for so long, who've shared things with you and were there for you through thick and thin and the worst possible pain and made you a better person. Changed your life. But then one day they wake up with no memory or just no idea of who you are and act like you're a stranger when you're far from being that."

"That's horrible. What are you to them? Are you like…" Donna stopped herself when a thought came to her. It was unlikely since the Doctor and Rose said it was impossible—which she believed was wrong—but she was curious. "Are you…their _daughter_?"

River chuckled and shook her head. "No, I'm not," she said with a grin. "Not really. I'm still close to them, though."

"How so?"

She hesitated and flicked her eyes over at the couple, still distracted. Whatever her next response would be was cut off when the Doctor shouted from the other side of the room.

"Okay, we've got a live one!" he proclaimed as he stood to his feet then handed Rose her sonic back. "Thanks, love, that helped." He turned to address the others, his seriousness visible. "You see that darkness, right? Down all those tunnels? Well, it's not what you think it is. Not in the least. It's not shadows, it's a swarm—a man-eating swarm." He crouched down to peer beneath the table again and looked up a his wife. "Chicken?"

Rose pulled out one of the chicken legs from the metal lunchbox and knelt beside him. She held it up and he nodded in the direction of the shadows. The rest of the group gathered around them with their flashlights shining as she tossed the leg into the shadows. By the time it reached the ground the meat was completely gone, leaving only a white bone, cleaned off in barely a second. They gasped.

"Oh, my God," Rose said, imagining the unpleasant similarities of what had happened to Miss Evangelista when she stepped into the shadows.

"Piranhas of the air," the Doctor explained. "The Vashta Nerada. Literally 'the shadows that melt the flesh'. Microscopic beings that live in swarms, thousands strong. Most planets have them but usually in small clusters that weren't threatening. I've never seen an infestation on _this_ scale, or this _aggressive._ It's strange."

"Wait, _most_ planets?" Rose asked. "You mean these things were on Earth?"

"Not as much but yes," he mused. "They can be found in a billion of other worlds. Where there's meat, there's Vashta Nerada. You can see them sometimes, if you look. The dust specks in sunbeams, for example. They're small and harmless and nowhere near as dangerous as this bunch."

"But if they were on Earth, we'd know," Donna spoke up from behind.

"Well normally they just live on road kill. No one usually sees how road kill deteriorates. They just put a blind eye to it and let nature take its course. What they don't know is what really takes care of it. In small numbers, these creatures show no harm and just float about but in large swarms they could strip any living thing to its bare bones in milliseconds."

"Cheery," Rose remarked, shifting a bit.

"But on some rare occasions," he continued. "It's not just road kill. Sometimes people go missing." His voice dropped. "Not everyone comes back out of the dark once they enter the shadows."

"Every shadow?" River asked, shocked.

The Doctor shook his head. "No. But _any_ shadow."

"So what do we do?"

"Is there a way to get a huge amount of light, like the Sun?" Rose suggested. "These things live in the shadows and so far we've been weeding them out with all these lights. Can we open the dome and let the sunlight in?"

He curled his bottom lip in his mouth. He wished it could be that simple. "It's a very good thought, Rose, but I'm afraid it won't work. The architecture of this planet may seem flexible, but it's not. And with the swarm that's lingering in this place it wouldn't rid them away fast enough. Or not even at all."

Rose sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Then how do we slow 'em down?"

"Daleks—aim for the eyestalk. Sontarans—back of the neck. But Vashta Nerada?" He turned to her and shook his head. "Run. The only thing to do is run."

* * *

 **Response to the _guest reviewer_ : Glad you're enjoying it, thanks a lot ;)**


	37. Silence in the Library Part 4

**A/N:** **As always, much love and many thanks to every one of you awesome viewers! You guys make my days that much brighter :D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 35: Silence in the Library Part 4**_

"Run?" Donna repeated, incredulously.

"Where are we supposed to run?" River asked.

The Doctor placed his hand on Rose's arm and lifted them up to their full heights and looked around the room. "This is an index point in the building," he said. "There must be an exit teleport somewhere."

Everyone turned to Mr. Lux, who only shrugged. "Don't look at me," he protested. "I haven't memorized the schematics!"

Rose rolled her eyes. A man going on about family pride and business, and yet he had no idea of what to do.

"Doctor, the little shop," Donna spoke up, gesturing at the area to the side. "They always make you go through the little shop on the way out so they can sell you stuff."

"She's right!" Rose said with a smile. "Way to go, Donna!"

"Brilliant!" the Doctor said as he moved around the shop. "That's why I like a little shop!"

"One reason," his wife remarked. "Other than wanting to buy everything in sight like it was on a clearance sale." He shot her a look and she threw him a teasing grin.

"Okay, let's move it!" Proper Dave said as he crossed the open circle of light in the room, but something had caught Rose's eye and her insides shivered.

"Wait, stay there," she told him firmly, holding a hand up to stop him in his tracks.

"Why?" the man asked, confused.

The Doctor caught it as well and came over to him with his hands on his pockets. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But you've got two shadows." Everyone looked down to see for themselves—one of his shadows, the proper one, extended behind him in the light's opposite direction, but there was a second one stretching to the side. "It's how they hunt," the Doctor said. "They latch on to a food source and keep it fresh."

Proper Dave gulped, but kept his voice steady and his eyes forward. "What do I do?"

"You stay absolutely still," the Doctor told him firmly. "Like there's a million wasps in the room."

"We're not leaving you, Dave," River said.

"'Course we're not leaving. Where's your helmet?" The man made a move to gesture in its direction but the Doctor stopped him. "Don't point, just tell me."

"On the floor, by my bag," he answered. Anita went to fetch the item.

"Don't cross his shadow!" the Doctor told her. The woman carefully stepped around the shades to retrieve the helmet and handed it to him. "Thanks, Anita." He took the he let and placed it over the man's head and clicked it. "Now, the rest of you, helmets back on and sealed up. We'll need everything we've got right now."

"But Doctor, we don't have any helmets," Donna pointed out.

"Yeah, but we're safe anyway," he replied.

Rose arched a brow. "And how's that? You're just sayin' that, aren't you?"

He hesitated. "Yeah…" he drawled. "It was a lie to keep you quiet."

"Wasn't hard to see through that."

"I know, but hope is what you need in a time like this. A fat lot of it. Professor, anything I can do with these suits?"

"What good are the damn suits?" Mr. Lux snapped. "Miss Evangelista was wearing her suit, there was nothing left!"

Rose thought for a moment and had an idea. "Maybe we can sonic them," she suggested. "They've got ports in the suits, maybe we can place a filter or shield into the material."

"We can do that," River said. "We can increase the mesh-density, dial it up four hundred percent. Make it a tougher meal."

The Doctor's brows raised and he looked at his wife proudly. "Oh, brilliant, Rose!" He placed his hands on either side of her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We can increase it even more with both of ours, up to eight hundred." He reached into his pocket and took out his sonic and stuck it into the chest port of Proper Dave's suit, changing the frequency. "There we go."

Rose worked Anita's suit with her own sonic. "Got it. Everyone else, you're gonna be taken care of."

"I'll handle it," River said as she rummaged around in her bag for something.

"S okay, me and the Doctor can—"

Rose cut herself off when she noticed the other woman pulling out a sonic screwdriver, but that wasn't all that she was ready for. It wasn't just any sonic screwdriver—it resembled _hers._ It looked golden and a little larger, but had a wider pink tip and other features. She blinked a few times to see if she were hallucinating. From behind her she could feel her husband's pointed glance.

"What's that?" Rose finally asked. It was rhetorical, but she was curious to how where this woman got it.

"It's a screwdriver," River replied casually.

"But it's _sonic_ ," the Doctor said, dumbfounded.

The other woman nodded, regarding them as if they dribbled on their shirts. "Yeah, I know it is."

"Where the hell'd you get that?" Rose asked, stepping closer.

River ignored her and moved around the rest of the group and sealed everyone's suits with the sonic. The Doctor and Rose kept their eyes trained on the woman, watching her warily as she changed the frequencies with ease as if she knew how to operate it. There was no chance that there would be a near duplicate of Rose's sonic since her husband designed it for her himself. So how did this mysterious woman get it? The only explanation would be that their future selves handed it to them, but why would they do that?

Since River was distracted with her current task, the Doctor took the opportunity by grabbing both Rose and Donna's hands. "With me, come on!"

They circled the main desk of the shop before heading inside of it. In the center of the room was a raised platform with three circular pads next to a wooden booth beside it. The Doctor released their hands and dashed over to it and ran the sonic over the controls. Rose stood with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring daggers at him. He kept his gaze low, even keeping his end of their bond blocked to keep her from scolding him mentally.

"What are we doing?" Donna asked, looking around the room at the small baubles and collectibles lining the shelves. "I hardly think this is a good time to be shopping."

"That's 'cause we're not," Rose ground out, her eyes fixed on her husband. "He's trying to get us out of the way and send us away."

He didn't respond. Instead, he moved away from the pedestal and grabbed Donna by the shoulders. "No talking, just moving, c'mon!" The redhead seemed a little surprised by his command as he forced her onto the platform. "Right, stand there in the middle. It's a teleport. Can't send the others, TARDIS won't recognize them."

"What are you doing?" Donna demanded as he moved back over to the controls and began pressing buttons.

"You don't have a suit, you're not safe," he replied shortly.

Rose snorted out of mirth. "'Scuse me, but you're in just as much danger as us! The only suit you've got is your _pinstripes,_ and I don't think they'll be able to protect you! And even if we had suits, they're not really _armor_."

"Listen to me, you've got to—"

"No! We're not leaving you!"

"Just let me explain!" In a flash he hit a button on the panel and Donna disappeared.

"Don't even try it," Rose told him, her voice sounding like ice. "You know I'm not gonna leave you in some carnivorous-shadow infested building, so _don't even_."

The Doctor shook his head in protest. "Rose—"

"Don't."

"You need to head back to the TARDIS!"

"Why? So I can let you can send me away _again_?"

"You'll be safer there with Donna and, should anything bad happen, emergency program one'll—"

"I thought you said you got _rid_ of that?" Rose cried in disbelief. "You _reactivated_ it?"

He ran a hand through his hair again. "Only now that we've got a companion onboard," he reasoned. "It's been intact since I've operated the Old Girl, I can't _permanently_ get rid of it. It's there just in case and would always be there. Although I know that if the program somehow deactivated or was shortened out that I could rely on you to take her back home as a plan 'b'. But that's for the _worst_ case scenario."

She snorted. "Nice plan," she said sarcastically. "Doesn't matter. I've been with you for _years,_ Doctor, and you're _not_ trying _that_ on me again."

"Rose, please—"

"No, I already told you I'm not. Going. Anywhere," she told him fiercely, her arms crossed as she gave him a steely glare worthy of his ninth self.

He made a frustrated sound and stepped down from the booth and sauntered towards her, his feet swift like his words. "Listen to me, I don't wanna argue about this—"

"Then stop talking!" Rose cut him off. She poked him in the chest. "I don't know what it'll take for you to get it through that thick head of yours to realize that no matter how dangerous the situation is that I'm gonna stay with you and that's _that_."

"But you haven't been feeling like yourself since we arrived," he told her. "More than once have you been getting dizzy spells."

"So what?" she challenged. "I've dealt with worse in situations like these, I can handle myself."

"Rose, you don't understand _fully_ what's happening around here," the Doctor said as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I know you've always got my back, I'm forever grateful for it, but we're in the middle of a desolate location with one of the most dangerous beings in the universe."

"You said that about the Daleks, the Family, the Weeping Angels—"

"Yes, yes, I know," he interjected, stopping her from running down the long list of creatures they've encountered. "Aside from the Daleks, since they're in their own standalone category of danger, what we're dealing with now are worse than the others, and I don't wanna put you in this position. I know you hate the idea of being sent away, trust me I know, I can see the look in your eyes right now and can tell you wanna slap me into last regeneration."

Rose arched an eyebrow. "Can't fool you," she snarked. "I don't care how dangerous they are, I'm not leaving you here by yourself with-with…this woman who knows who we are."

"Doctor! Rose!" River called from the other room, almost on cue after being mentioned.

"Who _is_ she, Doctor?" Rose asked, her voice a little lower and less cold than before. "Why does she have a a screwdriver like _mine_?"

"I don't know, Rose," he answered.

"She knows us, we've covered that, but how did she get a screwdriver? If she's a companion then she wouldn't just receive one like a welcoming gift."

"Definitely not, _you're_ the only exception for that." He cupped her face and brushed his thumbs over her cheekbones. "You're my wife, Rose. You're the only one that would _ever_ get a screwdriver or psychic paper. No one else comes close to receiving those things, only you."

"Then why does _she_ have one?" she asked. "Do you think…I _gave_ it to her?"

"Anything's possible. I don't know what crossed your future self's mind to give her _your_ sonic, but we'll find it out."

"I…sense something about her. I can't describe it. 'S like…some strange kinship or something."

"Kinship?"

"I'm not sure though."

They heard River calling for them again and Rose rolled her eyes in annoyance. As much as she wanted to leave this place from the start she didn't fancy leaving just yet. Not when they needed to save the rest of the group. She uncrossed her arms to clasp one of his hands in hers.

"Come on," she said, tugging him out the double doors, hurrying back into the area.

She could feel him trying to protest through their bond, but she kept herself grounded and he backed away. The last thing she wanted was to leave him alone with a group of strangers, save for one that knows them in the future, and a bunch of man-eating shadows. They made it back into the main room to find River and the others with their helmets secured over their heads and surrounding Proper Dave, but something was wrong and made Rose shiver. He only had one shadow now.

"What happened?" the Doctor asked, coming forward and staring at the man's feet. "Where did it go?"

"It's just gone," the man said. "I looked around, one shadow."

Rose frowned. She may not have been an expert with these creatures, but there was no way something that could easily melt people's flesh away just give up. _"It can't be that simple,"_ she thought to the Doctor.

 _"Moving is one thing,"_ he replied. _"But…something feels wrong."_

 _"_ Does that mean we can leave?" River asked. "I think I can speak for the rest of us and say that we don't want to hang around here much longer."

Rose nodded. "Seconded."

"I don't know why we're still here," Mr. Lux huffed, irritating Rose more and more. "We can leave him, can't we? I mean, no offense."

How she didn't slap this self-absorbed git yet was shocking to her. "Oh, Mr. Lux," she said calmly. "Did you miss the hint?"

The man frowned. "What hint?"

"Shut up!" both she and River said in unison before giving each other looks, the latter grinning in amusement.

"Did you feel anything?" the Doctor asked Proper Dave. "Like an energy transfer? Anything?"

"No," the man replied, holding his arms out. "But look, it's-it's gone." He began to turn around to show he was clean from any extra shadows, but the Doctor stopped him in place.

"Stay there!" he said, holding his hands out. "They're never just _gone_ and they never give up. Not like that." He pulled out his sonic and knelt to the ground then began to scan the shadows.

Rose moved forward to take a look at the other man's feet. Nothing was there. "Is it really gone?" she asked, looking around warily. "It couldn't have just gone off and went away like that. Not like the one earlier."

"Well, this one's benign," the Doctor murmured.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave suddenly said.

Rose frowned and looked around the room. Nothing changed. "Nobody touched them."

"No, seriously, turn them back on!"

"They _are_ on," River stressed slowly.

"I can't see a ruddy thing," the man protested.

A sharp chill shot down Rose's spine. The Doctor slowly stood to his feet. "Dave, turn around," he instructed.

Proper Dave did turned back to face the group slowly, but when he did it made the others uncomfortable. His visor was darkened where the blue light had been, his face invisible. The Doctor held his arms out to keep the others from approaching the man.

"What's going on?" Proper Dave asked. "Why can't I see? Is the power gone, are we safe here?"

"The power never went out," River said quietly.

Rose bit her lip, hoping that this man wouldn't be the next one to fall victim in the claws of the Vashta Nerada like poor Miss Evangelista.

"Dave, listen to me," the Doctor said, keeping his authority intact. "What I want you to do is to stand absolutely still. Have you got that? Can you do that?" Suddenly the man began to convulse. "Dave, Dave? Can you hear me? Are you alright? Talk to me, Dave!"

The man stopped his violent jerking then stiffened into a straighter stature. "I'm fine," he said. "I'm okay I'm…I'm fine."

Rose clutched onto her husband's arm. It didn't sound like the same Proper Dave. His voice took a lower and more eerie tone, almost vacant and devoid of emotion. "I want you to stay still," the Doctor repeated calmly.

"I'm fine, I'm okay," Proper Dave replied. "I'm-I'm fine. I can't…why can't I? I…I can't…why can't I? I…I can't…why can't I?"

As he kept repeating the same sentences, it was obvious that he was too far gone. Rose's eyes fell to the man's communicator and her suspicions were affirmed when she saw the green lights on the the neural relay blinking on and off.

"He's gone," River said behind them sadly. "He's ghosting."

"Then why is he still standing?" Mr. Lux questioned.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" the man who had been Proper Dave exclaimed. "Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

Taking heedful steps, the Doctor began to inch closer to the suit with all intents on checking the inside of the helmet's visor to see Dave's face. Rose stepped forward and grabbed one of his arms, trying to yank him back. She sent him a mental note of warning but he let it slide. _"Doctor, don't go near him,"_ she thought to him again. _"Get away from him."_

 _"Let me just take a look,"_ he replied, gently slipping his arm from her grasp.

She made a move to grab him by the waistband and haul him back over, but was stopped when she felt someone seize her by clapping a hand on her shoulder. Looking back, she saw that it was River, offering an empathetic look. As if she'd actually just stand by and let her husband walk up to a man who was touched by carnivorous shadows.

"Dave, can you hear me?" the Doctor asked gently, his hands held up to show no sign of attack.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" the empty shell of a man repeated.

Suddenly the man extended his arms and grabbed the Doctor by the neck, bringing him down to his knees. He fought against the man's hold, but it did him no good with the man's surprisingly inhuman strength. The blackness in the visor illuminated to reveal a skeleton as it fell forward against the surface. Not even wasting another second, Rose forced herself out of River's grasp and rushed over to attempt prying the locked hands around her husband.

"Rose…" the Doctor choked out. "Get back!"

"Like hell I will!" she retorted.

"Who turned out the lights?" Dave's voice intoned before turning his head towards Rose and lifting an arm up to shove her aside. She stumbled into Anita's arms. "Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"Leave her alone!" the Doctor growled as he tried to push himself upright.

"Hold on, Doctor!" Rose cried as she reached into her pocket to grab her sonic but River beat her to it.

"I got it!" The other woman rushed forward and jammed her sonic into the open chest port of the suit, stunning the skeleton as its body convulsed. Taking the distraction, Rose moved forward and grabbed the Doctor, hauling him up to his feet when he was freed.

"Back away from it!" he hollered. "Get back!"

The others gathered around each other and moved away from the skeleton in the suit. The body walked towards them oddly, resembling either a bloke staggering after having one too many drinks or a zombie.

"Doesn't move very fast does it?" River remarked.

"It's a swarm in a suit, but it's learning," the Doctor said. By the man's feet several shadows stretched out towards them like extended arms looking to drag them into the darkness. Rose shivered again.

"What do we do?" Mr. Lux asked shakily. "Where do we go?"

"I've got an idea," the Doctor murmured. "But I can't very well execute it from here."

"How come?" Rose asked. "Didn't reach the next step yet?"

"No."

"Well, you better think fast!"

"See that wall behind you lot?" River spoke up.

"What of it?" Mr. Lux asked, looking back at it.

"Duck!"

River pulled out a device hooked onto her hip and aimed it at the wall just as the older man ducked. Accompanied by a whirring sound, a square hole formed into the wall. Both the Doctor and Rose exchanged an amused look, feeling a sense of nostalgia with the gadget choice.

"A squareness gun!" she exclaimed at the same time he said, "Sonic blaster!"

"Where'd you get that?" Rose added. "And why didn't you use that earlier?"

River smirked. "Special wedding present and the battery needed to be saved. Now everybody get out, go! Move, move, move!"

 _"Next time we're in Cardiff you're gonna apologize to Jack for knocking his blaster,"_ Rose thought to the Doctor.

He didn't give a response, but she could tell he was a little abashed. They each darted into the open area as fast as possible to get away from the possessed suit. They ended up in a dead-end shadowy aisle in between towering book shelves and ladders. River was the last to hurtle in the corridor.

"You said not every shadow," she reminded.

"Yeah, but _any_ shadow!" he clarified.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" the creature said as it slowly found its way into the aisle.

"Now what?" Mr. Lux asked.

Rose grabbed the Doctor's hand. "Run!" So they did, all the way into the darkened halls.

Twisting through the maze of aisles without taking a breather was getting to them, but they had to try to lose the swarm-in-a-suit before it would try to add more onto their plate. The creature picked up its pace and was coming close to them with thundering footsteps. It had seemed like an hour, which had to have only been about twenty minutes, in their dash down the empty mausoleum that the Library had become. Seeming to be a safe distance ahead of themselves, the group came to a breathless stop before taking off a few moments later. Rose, however, stayed behind. She leaned against one of the shelves and shut her eyes. Her vision blurred and her head swam as she tried to contain herself. Time around them must have really been fluctuating if she were able to feel it this intense if she felt like passing out.

"Rose?" the Doctor asked, concerned as he squeezed her hand still clasped in his. "You alright?"

"Fine," she assured quickly. "Just a little dizzy."

"That's more than just a _little_ dizzy."

"Doctor, I'm fine. Less worrying about me and focus on the walking dead right now."

He studied her intently. "You know I'm always thinking of your well-being, Rose, and frankly I'm concerned for you right now."

"I told you, I'm _fine_ ," she stressed, hiding the pain that was splitting her head.

"No, you're not," he said firmly. "You should have gone on that teleport when we had the chance. You'd be safer on the TARDIS."

"Don't you start again," she said, straightening up. "I already made it clear that I was staying with you, and I'll be damned if I let some dizzy spells and headaches put me down."

"What are you two doing?" River asked, coming around a corner. "We need to keep going!"

"We'll be with you in a moment," the Doctor said hurriedly. "Just make sure everyone's together."

"Are you sure you're okay, Rose?"

"God, I'm tired of everyone _asking_ me that today," Rose said irritably. "I'm. Fine."

River studied them before the Doctor motioned for her to go on. "Go, shift!"

"Watch your tongue," she told him before heading back around the corner to catch up with the others.

Once she was out of sight, the Doctor peered down the other end of the corridor. With his sensitive hearing he would be able to catch distant sounds, and for the moment he heard nothing in that direction. But the swarm was on its way and he needed to get Rose to safety. Except the problem was that they were too far away from the teleport platform in the shop and they couldn't risk back-tracking with the creature following their trail.

"What are we waiting for?" Rose spoke up. "C'mon, let's keep moving." She grabbed his hand and went to follow the others, but the Doctor stayed where he was. She frowned. "What is it? What's wrong?" Her eyes widened. "Y-you don't have a second shadow, do you?"

"No," he replied. "I'm clean. Both of us are."

"Okay…" she drew out. "Then why aren't you moving?"

"Rose, you were better off going back to the TARDIS," he said gently. "The longer we're in here, the more in danger you are."

Releasing his hand, Rose huffed. "Here we go again."

"You almost fainted!" he protested.

"Stop it."

"Rose, please—"

"I don't wanna hear it," she said, cutting him off. "I told you that I wasn't leaving you here by yourself with creepy crawlers in the dark while I just sat up in the TARDIS doin' nothing but worrying sick about you."

"I wasn't sending you away for good, love, I swear," he told her softly. "You know your safety is always my number one priority. I just…I don't want any of these creatures to lay a speck of darkness on you."

"I get that," she replied evenly. "I really do. I know you're like that, but don't you know I wouldn't leave you behind like this? Don't you know I've always got your back?"

The Doctor nodded, coming closer to place his hands on her arms. "Of course I do. You'd never have to second guess that. But Rose, you know I wouldn't leave you aside. I know we'd be able to come up with a plan, maybe even get the TARDIS to—"

He paused, an inquisitive look crossing his face. A thought came to him and it tied in with his original plan. And the thing was that he still had a shot at going through with it.

"Doctor?" Rose asked, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "What's going through that brain of yours?"

"You trust me, Rose, right?" the Doctor asked.

"Always," she responded without hesitation. "Do you really have to ask that?"

"Not really, but what I'm about to do might make you experience some more dizziness."

Her brows creased in confusion. "What?"

The only answer he gave her was his lips crashing down upon hers without warning, catching her off guard. She patted against his chest, mentally reminding him that they were still standing in the middle of a darkened aisle with the group of archaeologists waiting for them and the walking swarm still on their tracks. It wasn't the best time for a snog. But he wanted to give her something quick before he would go through with his idea. He dropped one of his hands to wrap an arm around her waist, his hand slipping into her back pocket. His fingers brushed over the very item he had been searching for. Her sonic.

Taking it out, he blindly flipped a switch on the side of the screwdriver, which made a beeping sound before he set it back down. Rose caught him and pulled back, studying him oddly.

"What did you do?" she asked. "What was that noise?"

"I activated a setting on your sonic," he told her. "One I never thought I'd use, but it's handy for situations like this that I felt the need to install it just in case."

"And what's that?"

He pressed his lips together. "I'm sorry, Rose. I know you won't agree with this, but I trust you to do the right thing with the TARDIS and I want you safe. Just track me down, that's all." She shook her head, not understanding him. He gently nudged her nose with the back of his forefinger before leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "Trust me, I'll see you soon."

"Wait, Doctor, what are you—"

The rest of her sentence fell away when he stepped back and took out his sonic, aiming it at her and spinning his wrist in a circle. A moment later he watched his wife disappear from his sight. She was still confused, but before she completely dematerialized he caught a faint glare in her eyes. He knew she'd be furious with him for installing a sensor in her sonic that allowed her to be teleported back to the TARDIS when activated, but he wanted her to be safe.

He dropped his sonic and scrubbed a hand down his face. He was about to contact her through their bond to make sure she made it onboard, but he was met with blockage. She was angry at him, but she knew how to fly the TARDIS and could be able to track the coordinates from the teleport and bring the Old Girl back here to pick up the remaining members of the group so they could leave with ease. A couple people have already died and he wouldn't have any others.

Taking a deep breath he continued running and turned around the corner. _"I'm sorry, Rose,"_ he thought to her.

He got no reply. Then again he was glad she wasn't scolding him right now. He knew it was coming soon though, so he'd prepare himself for her wrath. He came up to the others, noting how they were each taking a break from running again, each seated on the ground and panting. River stood without her helmet on and her arms crossed over her chest, shaking her head.

"You know she _hates_ it when you do that," she pointed out.

The Doctor pressed his lips together in annoyance. All this time he wanted to ignore this woman, and was succeeding a little by focussing on the creatures. Now he had to deal with her without his wife. Perfect. "As long as she's alive and out of harm's way she can hate me all she wants right now and pick a fight with me later," he replied evenly. "She'll be coming back in a matter of minutes anyway."

"What about you?" River asked.

"What _about_ me?" he retorted with a frown.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine…" he drew out slowly with an arched brow. "What of it?"

River shrugged. "Just wondering. I know Rose wasn't feeling too good and I was curious if you felt the same."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the woman. Ignoring her words, he grabbed a stool from the side and moved it beneath a flickering lamp overhead. He ran his sonic over it. The others lined up on the ceiling were faintly dim, still working. This one had been dead completely. If he could make them brighter then he could at least slow the swarm down. It was all he had until Rose came back with the TARDIS so they could get out of this place. He sought her out through their link, but she seemed muffled and was ignoring him. He inwardly sighed. He was in for a massive slap once she came back.

"What are you doing?" River asked as she walked over to him.

"Trying to boost the power," he replied, his eyes fixed on the lamp. "Light doesn't stop them dead in their tracks, but it slows them down enough."

"So what's the plan?" she asked. "Something must have come to you after teleporting your wife out of here, but knowing you with plans and how you make them up as you go along I'd guess you haven't got a full one yet. Do you?"

He wasn't paying any attention to her until she pulled out her sonic screwdriver again and aimed it at the lamp. Soon the light he had been working on clicked and grew brighter. "Your screwdriver…" he drew out. "It looks exactly like Rose's."

"Yeah, I know," River said with a small smile. "She gave it to me."

"I don't think my wife would just up and _give_ her screwdriver to just _anyone._ I know I wouldn't do it unless it was her I was giving it to."

"Well, she's not you, and I'm not just anyone. But she let me borrow it."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the woman. "Who are you?"

"We need to shift," she said, diverting from the topic. "That thing's still out there. What's the plan?"

He was about to ask more questions, but refrained. "I teleported Rose and Donna back to the TARDIS. Knowing my wife like I do, she'll be able to track us down and pick us up in a matter of minutes to safety."

River nodded. "Sounds good." She turned to the rest of the group. "Come on, everyone. We need to get a move on. We wouldn't want to keep her waiting."

That was true. The last thing he wanted was for Rose to come when no one was around. Then she'd track him down and smack him into a healing coma. He knew his wife well and pissing her off was never something he wanted to do, but she was his secret weapon and last resort to help get these people to safety. It was only a matter of time until—

Wait a minute. Something important had finally come to his attention. Raising his sonic, he stared at it, noting how he hadn't received an alert from the TARDIS after teleporting both women.

"They aren't there," he breathed out, his insides trembling. No. It had to be the faulty connection. It's been shortening out nearly the entire time they've been here, that had to be it. He violently shook the screwdriver in hopes it would pop a reading up. Nothing still.

"Doctor?" River asked. "You alright?"

"I should've received a signal," he said in a rush, peering at his sonic. "The console signals me if there's a teleport breach, but I've got nothing."

"Maybe the coordinates have slipped," the woman offered. "The equipment here's ancient."

"No no no, it's not that," he denied, shaking his head. "I know Rose would have contacted me if something was wrong."

"She's probably still frustrated with you that you sent her away again."

"Yeah, I _know_ that," he snapped. "It doesn't matter how angry my wife is, she still would have let me know she made it back to the TARDIS. _Rose?"_ he added in his mind, turning away from the others. He twirled his sonic in his fingers, waiting for her reply. His nerves shuddered and he masked up his panic. Somewhat. _"Rose, love, talk to me. Please. I know you're upset with me but just answer me. Where are you? Are you with Donna?"_ Still nothing. His eyes widened in fear and his patience was slipping. _"Rose!"_

Silence and muffling. He almost cursed. Something went wrong and it made his stomach turn and his blood freeze. She was alive, that much he got and it settled him down a fraction. But he couldn't find a direct wave to locate her. His hearts stopped. No. No, no, no.

"You think they're still in the Library?" River asked.

Whipping around, the Doctor breezed by the other woman without sparing her a glance and ran up to a nearby Node standing in the corner. "Rose Tyler and Donna Noble," he said frantically. "There's a Rose Tyler and Donna Noble somewhere in this Library. Do you have the software to locate their position?"

The statue whirred to life and the head slowly turned to face him. But the face it wore made him pale. It was Donna staring back at him. His breath was taken from him. **_"Donna Noble has left the Library,"_ ** it said with the ginger woman's voice. _ **"Donna Noble has been saved."**_

"Donna!" he whispered in horror, taking a step back as the Node repeated the same sentence.

"How can it be Donna?" River asked, shaking. "How's that possible? What about Rose?"

The Doctor was frozen in place watching his best friend's face peering at him and continued to speak with a hollow voice. "Oh, Donna," he said sadly. "I'm so sorry."

The Node kept repeating the sentence and it only made him more furious. His friend, his companion. She was gone. But that wasn't all that was racking his mind. His wife wasn't even mentioned by the Node. Rose was still alive. He made that out already but knowing how sympathetic and loving her nature was she would have been grieving about it or in the very least alerting him about what had happened. He still got nothing. He could barely feel his wife's presence at all. Why? Why couldn't he feel her? Where was she? What happened to her?

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

From behind him he could hear the others gasp when the swarm in the suit came into the aisle, but he barely acknowledged it as he continued to stare at the statue in despair while at the same time continuing to reach out to Rose through their bond, waiting for any response.

"Doctor!" River called. "We've gotta go now!"

He didn't move. He was frozen in place. Both the Node and the swarm began overlapping each other with their unvaried messages.

"Doctor!" River repeated, grabbing his arm. "Come on!"

She pulled him along with the others as they ran down the other end of the corridor with the haunting echoes behind them. He shut his eyes and tried to block them out, but to no avail. They followed him in the dead-end. A shadow that wasn't really a shadow moved in closer and blocked them from turning up the next corridor.

"Doctor, what are we gonna do?" River asked.

He didn't answer. All he could do was look at one end of the corridor where the swarm was staggering towards them with the eerie proclamations coming along with it. His mind was screaming at him without the sounds of his wife on the other end, only the muffled static.

 _"DOCTOR!"_

He flinched at the sudden shout of Rose in his mind, but it was enough to shake him out of his daze and he realized what was going on. He turned to River. "Sonic blaster," he ground out. "Use it now!"

The woman wasted no time in pulling her gun out and aimed it at the wall beside them, a square hole forming as their brief escape. Quickly hurrying in, the Doctor stared hard at the swarm as it approached before leaping through the hole.

 _"Rose?"_ he asked mentally, relieved to have heard her finally break through. _"Where are you? Are you alright?"_ He got no answer again and he cursed.

* * *

 **Dun dun dunnnn.**


	38. Forest of the Dead Part 1

**A/N:** **As per usual, much love and many thanks to every one of you lovely viewers! You guys are the best motivation. Hope you had a nice Halloween and got tons of candy ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 36: Forest of the Dead Part 1**_

Donna was sitting on a bed, all alone. Looking around, she was able to make out that she was in a hospital of some sorts. Noting how she was wearing blue and white plaid pajamas, she concluded that she had been here for a while. But…how did she get here? Funny thing was she had no idea. The last thing she remembered that she was standing in a room on a platform, a…teleport, she thought. She wasn't alone though. The one operating the platform was a tall thin man with dark spiky hair wearing a pinstriped suit. A string bean in a suit. The Doctor was his name. Odd name. He was making a fuss and was trying to get rid of her by sending her away. From…something. Maybe something dangerous? She tried to think but it became fuzzy.

But it wasn't only her that he was trying to get out of the way of whatever it was he was rambling about. There was another woman there, a blonde girl. Pretty woman, she was. His wife. Her name was that of a flower's. What was it? Violet? Daisy? Dalhia? Rose? Yes, Rose. Rose was the Doctor's wife. She was standing beside the platform arguing with her husband about being sent away. But she wasn't with her when she woke up here. Her mind was trying its hardest to remember the details about those two, but she was met with blurred visions out of focus. The main thing she was able to make out beyond the haze was a good feeling of fondness for the couple despite not having a clear thought of who they were.

There was a knock on her door and a moment later, a tall black man dressed in a suit came into her room. He was bald and wore glasses along with the serious look on hos face. But his demeanor changed when he noticed she was awake. He didn't seem familiar.

"Hello Donna," the man said kindly.

"Who are you?" Donna asked, confused as she eyed him warily.

"I'm Dr. Moon," he replied. "I've been treating you since you came here two years ago."

She stared at him for a moment then it had clicked. Sh let out an embarrassed chuckle. "Oh God, Dr. Moon," she said, placing her fingers on her temple. "I'm so sorry! What's wrong with me? I didn't know you for a moment."

He smiled. "And then you remembered. Shall we go for a walk?"

No sooner after his sentence was finished, Donna found herself and the man standing outside in the front garden of the hospital grounds. The grass was a bright green and shining with dew from the rising sun. She didn't even remember coming out of her bed. She was sporting a large burgundy coat perfectly keeping her warm from the cold breeze that blew while Dr. Moon wore a long black one.

"No more dreams, then?" he asked. "About the Doctor and Rose Tyler and the blue box in time and space?"

Donna looked around again, still confused. "How did we get here?"

"We came down the stairs, out the front door," Dr. Moon told her. "We passed Mrs. Ali on the way out."

Once again it all came back to her despite the notion she had in the back of her mind that was telling her not to believe him. "Yeah," she said with a nod. "I forgot that."

"And then you remembered," the other man said. "Shall we go down to the river?"

Before Donna could answer him properly, they appeared on a bench beside a river. Funny thing was that when he questioned he if she'd like to go to a river she thought that she knew someone with that name. It was connected to the married couple she kept thinking about. Who were they again? The Doctor and Rose, that's it. And there was this other woman. A pretty woman with thick curls that were the color of sand. Everything slipped away with ease. How had her memory gotten this bad where she couldn't remember portions of her life or even something simple she had done a minute ago? The sound of quacking ducks brought her out of her musings as she pulled her coat closer to her for warmth.

"You said 'river' and suddenly we're feeding ducks," Donna said to Dr. Moon. "How is that?" _Wizard,_ her mind was telling her.

"Dr. Moon!" called a man from the side as he made his way down the bank with fishing gear. "Morning."

Donna turned to face him and couldn't keep her eyes off of him. He had curly dark hair and dark eyes that twinkled in the sunlight along with his wide bright smile. He was _gorgeous._

"Donna Noble," Dr. Moon said as they stood from the bench. "Lee McAvoy."

Coyly Donna extended her hand to the blushing man. "Hello, Lee," she said as he shook her hand.

"Hi, D-D-D…" he began, but began to trip over her name.

"Oh, you've got bit of a stammer there," Donna said with a small smile. "Bless." Lee tried to say her name again only to have the same result. "Oh, skip to a vowel, they're easy!" she joked.

Lee smiled at her and they laughed. Suddenly when Donna blinked she found herself and Dr. Moon back in the hospital gardens without Lee. What happened? Did the other man want to see her again? Why couldn't she remember? "How did we leave it, him and me?" she asked Dr. Moon. "Did it go well?"

"I got the impression he was inviting you fishing tomorrow," he told her.

Her face lit up as well as her surroundings when a white light encased her, her vision blurring again. When she was able to refocus, she found herself stepping into a room that she found to be Lee's room. He was standing to the side with his fishing gear while she realized she was dressed for a night on the town in a long glittering purple dress. She didn't remember being invited to visit his home nor picking out the outfit she was donning. It was a nice design. Rose would have loved this dress just like the others they've worn in the past.

Wait, what? That was wrong. Rose Tyler wasn't real. She was only one half of that dynamic duo in those fantastical dreams. She doesn't exist. But…why did she recall vivid details of that blonde woman's life? Like her features and voice. As he was concluding that her imagination was so active that she could have been a storyteller, but in the back of her mind she sensed that she was wrong and that Rose Tyler was real. Right?

Donna snapped out of her daze and realized Lee was staring at her, appreciating the way she looked even if it wasn't suitable for fishing. "So…" she proclaimed with a smile. "Fishing!"

He smiled widely at her, and they were outside in the rain. It really didn't seem like they were fishing by how they were seated underneath an umbrella as the rain came pouring down. She found the patter-patter comforting and relaxing. She felt out of place since she was never one to enjoy fishing or outdoor activities like these—from what she could remember at least—but it also had to do with the dress she was wearing. But Lee didn't mind either. He adjusted the umbrella more to make sure they didn't get wet before reaching a hand over and clasping it in hers.

"D-D…" he began again, trying to get his words out.

Donna grinned and squeezed his hand. "What am I gonna do with you?"

His eyes twinkled and then the white light came over them…the perfect shade for the elegant wedding dress she wore as they made their way into their house. It was a custom choice that she had fitted with pockets. She wondered why she felt the design was necessary but…it was. Lee lifted Donna up into her arms bridal style as they came to the threshold with wedding bells ringing in the background. The weather was unseasonably warm, which seemed odd since it still felt like no time has passed by and it was still chilly.

Today had been the perfect day. It was something she always wanted—to be married to someone who cared about her. For some reason, she felt like she had been engaged before. She doesn't remember to who, but she had the strangest feeling that the last time she wore a wedding gown she was surrounded by madness. Like a giant red spider with robot Santas. It seemed like one of her wonderful dreams again of that Doctor and his wife Rose. There was _no way_ that could have happened in real life. Times like these she was amazed at how lifelike her imagination was that made her feel ebullient.

"Welcome home, M-Mrs. McAvoy," Lee said with a warm grin.

Donna returned it as she brought him down for a loving kiss. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she felt truly happy. There was still something…off, though. Almost like an itch at the back of her head trying to tell her that everything around her was wrong. She knew that years were passing by, but it felt like her life was skipping over weekends and months. She still had memories bleeding through, the dreams of the married couple in the blue box. But as soon as they came they faded.

She blinked again and found herself in their house. She was standing in the hallway after letting Dr. Moon in. He was coming for a normal checkup to see how she's been progressing so she finished cleaning up in the kitchen. She was just about to come back into the living room when she noticed her kids—Jacob and Eva, two fraternal twins—running around the entire house. They were playing some kind of game as they laughed and ran around the couch where Dr. Moon sat looking through a photo album.

"Stop it!" she scolded them. "We've got a visitor." They laughed again and dashed out of the room.

"You've done so much in seven years, Donna," Dr. Moon commended as he turned through the album.

"Sometimes it feels more like seventy," Donna said with a small smile before pausing. "Mind you, sometimes it feels like no time at all."

She hadn't meant to blurt that out, but it was true. It kept confusing her the more she thought about it. Dr. Moon set the photo album down on the coffee table and stood from his seat on the couch. Donna did the same when he bent down to retrieve his suitcase. "Can I just say what a pleasure it is to see you fully integrated?" Dr. Moon said.

Suddenly, he began to look fuzzy, making Donna frown. He was soon replaced by a holographic image of a tall man in pinstripes. Her eyes widened in surprise. It was the Doctor. He was wielding his sonic screwdriver with his eyes directed to the ceiling, looking at something she couldn't see. His form crackled like static and his voice sounded like he was coming out of a radio.

 ** _"No, the signal's definitely coming from the moon,"_** he was saying. _**"I'm blocking it, but it's trying to break through."**_ He looked around and his eyes stopped on hers. **_"Donna!"_**

As soon as he showed up he was gone. Dr. Moon reappeared, looking as solid and as real as ever. He held a hand on his stomach and shook his head with a chuckle. "Oops, sorry," he said. "Mrs. Angelo's rhubarb surprise. Will I never learn?"

Donna blinked in shock and soon she could see herself back in the Library with the group of archaeologists. She backed away, eyeing the man warily. "The Doctor!" she cried. "I saw the Doctor!"

Dr. Moon opened his mouth to speak, but then his figure became fuzzy again, but this time it wasn't the Doctor who was replacing the image. It was a blonde woman standing with her eyes closed. Donna gasped. It was Rose.

 _ **"I think…"** _ she was saying. ** _"I think I'm picking up something. But…it doesn't feel like—"_ ** She cut herself off when she opened her eyes, noticing Donna gaping at her. **_"Oh, my God, Donna!"_**

Again the image shortened out before vanishing completely with Dr. Moon coming back again. Donna shook her head in disbelief. It was true, they were her friends. Of course they existed! "Rose!" she cried. "I just saw the Doctor and Rose!"

"Yes, you did, Donna," Dr. Moon concurred gently. "And then, you forgot."

Donna blinked, any and all concern she had felt about seeing those two from her dreams fading away until gone. Why was she feeling scared for a second? Something didn't happen to Lee, did it? She shook her head and noticed Dr. Moon standing in her living room and smiled at him. She didn't know it was time for another visit so soon.

"Dr. Moon! Oh, hello!" she greeted happily. "Can I go make you a cup of tea?"

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

In all of the years River has known the Doctor, she's seen him in some of the most fierce and impatient moods where the Oncoming Storm was on the verge of breaking through. And right now was no exception. As they hurried down the corridors away from the swarm and the advancing shadows, she could practically feel the waves radiating off of him. His face was drawn tight like a mask of fury, showing just how ancient he really was despite his young appearance. Well, young _er_ appearance.

She can only imagine the amount choler swirling inside of him. When under dicey conditions or encountering dangerous beings, he would always stare them down hard and handle the problem with seriousness to make sure that everyone would make it out alive. But if that wasn't enough to get his nerves going then losing his wife jacked up the marks. Knowing how deeply close he and his wife were was always awe-inspiring. Just seeing what insane levels of commitment they had for each other was incredible to no end, especially when it came to protecting and saving them from some of the horrors of the universe. Now something strange happened to his beloved wife and their good friend. Now he was in his near-Oncoming Storm mode.

It was a risky move for the Doctor teleporting Rose out of the Library without even telling her. That blonde was feisty and hated the idea of leaving her husband alone in the middle of danger. But him being the thick and stubborn bloke that he is, he went and did it anyway. How the trait intensified and spread throughout the centuries. In his defense, she understood why he did it. He always looked out for her and wanted her safe at all times. And with her condition she really couldn't blame him for doing it. But Rose could always handle herself, she was strong. She may have also been stubborn, but she was always by her husband's side to walk with him in the middle of trouble.

He was getting the slap of his lifetimes when Rose came back. River knew what those Tyler hands were capable of doing and she could only hear the crack echoing from the future and back. She promised their future selves that she wouldn't break their rules no matter how persistent they were when it came to figuring out what happened to them in the upcoming centuries. When she and the rest of the archeologists first arrived to the Library she felt the barest presence of both of them, which she understood since she crossed the timelines and came to the wrong point. Life with time travellers was hard. She always teased them and even her husband about ending up in the wrong place and time, but she was just as bad if not worse.

Still she knew they all would make it out of this alive. She saw the future and what she just left from. They make it.

Turning another corner, the group was starting to get breathless again, save for the Doctor of course. If Rose were here she wouldn't be too bad either. River, however, was starting to feel fatigued. She was used to running, but for the first time in a while she needed a breather. When they came to a stop she reached for her sonic blaster, thankful that she remembered to bring it. She glanced over to see the Time Lord standing beside her, the same stone expression etched onto his face. No doubt he was trying to connect with Rose wherever she was, it was what they'd always do.

"Any luck making contact?" she asked him quietly.

He turned to her with the same look he's been giving her all day—a look of distrust and shadiness, like she was a fly-by-night that seemed to know who he and his wife were. It pained her, it really did. She admitted that to Donna earlier. She didn't expect anything less than the suspicious glances from any of them, but she couldn't stop herself from feeling hurt that the people she knew and spent time with for years that made her who she was today saw her as a stranger.

"No," he finally responded, his tone flat and low, sounding a tad bit dangerous anf more irritated.

"We'll find her, Doctor," she told him. "Rose and Donna, we're gonna find them."

"You know me and my wife, but what _are_ you to us, River Song?"

River didn't respond. Instead she aimed the sonic blaster at another wall, giving them another passage to another room. "Okay, we've got a clear spot," she announced before jerking her head at the others. "In, in, in!"

One by one they hurried inside of the room, the Doctor barely sparing her a glance a he dashed inside and immediately made his way to the other side of the room. It was becoming darker, the only source of light being the large moon looming overhead in the sky along with the deep hues of the sunset. There wasn't much time until the shadows completely covered the place.

"Right in the center, in the middle of the light, quickly!" River directed as the others moved to crouch on the ground to catch their breaths. "Don't let your shadows cross. Doctor—"

"Already doing it," he replied as he crouched on the ground to observe a dark opening. He took out his sonic and scanned the area.

"There's no lights here," River said, looking up to turn her attention to the sky beyond the dome. "Sunset's coming, we can't stay long. You might wanna work faster."

"I'm trying to!" he snapped.

She bit her tongue. If Rose were here, she'd try to let him remain calm rather than add onto the frustration. How that blonde dealt with him all these years was amazing. River knew they were the perfect match that way and balanced each other out. "Have you found a live one?" she asked.

"Maybe," he replied evenly. "It's getting harder to tell the longer we're in here." He stopped scanning and began to bang his sonic against his palm out of irritation. "What the hell's the matter with you?"

"Maybe if you didn't send Rose away then you could've borrowed hers."

He turned around and shot her a nasty glare. She didn't mean to lightly pull his chain when he was more than rattled after losing contact with Rose, but she was trying her best to lighten his mood a little so he could focus on creating an actual plan of escape.

"We're gonna need a chicken leg," River said before turning to the others seated in a circle on the ground. "Any of you got a chicken leg?" Other Dave fetched his lunch in tin foil then handed it to her. She walked over to where the Doctor sat on the ground and tossed the leg into the shadow. In a millisecond the meat was completely stripped and left just the bone. "Okay, we've got a hot one. Watch your feet."

"They won't attack until there's enough of them," the Doctor informed. "Usually small swarms are harmless, but they've got our scent. They're coming."

River could make out his tension and refrained from placing a hand on his shoulder. He wouldn't accept it if she did it, so she held back from trying. Instead she moved over to join the others and knelt on the ground, watching as the Time Lord scanned the area.

"Who is he?" Other Dave asked, his voice quiet. "And who was the blonde woman with him, his wife? You haven't even told us. You just expect us to trust them."

"They're the Doctor and Rose Tyler," she told him. "And yes, she's his wife."

"And who exactly _are_ 'the Doctor and Rose Tyler'?" Mr. Lux snapped sarcastically.

"The only story you'll ever tell—if you survive them," River shot back. "They're two of the most amazing people in the universe. They're known as the stuff of legends. Believe me, there's stories about them written across the stars and it's legend alright."

"You say they're your friends, but they don't even know who you are," Anita spoke up.

River sighed. "Listen," she said firmly. "All you need to know is this—I'd trust those two all the way to the end of the universe."

"Well they don't act like they trust _you._ Especially him at the moment. The last time we saw Rose, she didn't either. You're like a stranger to them, it seems."

"Yeah, there's a tiny problem with that—they haven't _met_ me yet. They're time travellers. Everything that happened in my life, every point of it—every minor setback, every ounce of joy, every single moment—it's only history. At least to _me_ it is. But for them, it's the future. Everything is."

On the other side of the room, the Doctor remained crouched on the ground with his sonic buzzing as he moved it along the shadows. The swarm was alive, but he couldn't get a good track on them. His sonic kept shortening out every few minutes and it made him more frustrated than usual. Up until recently he believed it to be the result of it being an older mark in need of some upgrading. And, while he still believed it to be the truth, something was blocking him from detecting the surroundings. He inwardly growled. Bloody technology.

If only he had Rose's screwdriver right now maybe then he'd be able to make some more progress than what he's got at the moment. He'd probably still come up short since this other unknown source was pretty strong, but he might have been able to get somewhere more. He mentally kicked himself. He wished his wife and friend were here with him right now and not…wherever they ended up. That was still bothering him. The Node had Donna's face. She was…dead. No, he didn't think that was true. While, yes, she was at the moment, he knew there had to be a way for him to reverse the process of however she ended up that way.

But Rose's…situation was completely different. She had to have made it back to the TARDIS, she couldn't just be wandering around this Library. He would've sensed her. But in either sense of if she were on the ship, he still would have been able to feel her fully in his mind. He didn't. It was faint, like…fuzzy. It was making his nerves tremble. Not being able to contact her was unnerving to no end, especially after…certain unpleasant events in the past. The Node said nothing about her being located in the building, so she had to have been on the TARDIS somewhere. But he would've heard his sonic beep if she was.

He stopped whirring his sonic for a moment and rubbed his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Rose had to fine. She was still alive just…somewhere else. There was no way that the coordinates slipped. Yes, the equipment here was more aged than his sonic technology, but his advancements would be able to work at any given period. The only way the women may have been taken away was by some kind of interference. Perhaps the same one blocking him from finding the right signal.

"How you doing?" River asked him as she came over. "Have you been able to contact Rose yet?"

"No," the Doctor replied flatly. "I know she's there, I can feel her. It's just…off, somehow." Trying to scan the shadows again he let out a curse before bringing the sonic up to his ear to listen to the frequencies.

"What's wrong with it?" the woman asked.

"Same thing that's preventing me from contacting my wife—there's a signal coming from somewhere and interfering."

"Try using the red settings on your screwdriver?" she suggested.

He frowned and looked up. "It doesn't have a red setting."

"What about the dampers?"

"There's no dampers either."

River chuckled quietly. "'Course not." She pulled out her screwdriver. "You were always one to spoil your wife and made hers better than your own."

The Doctor grabbed the device from her hand as he stood to his feet, peering hard at it. Why would his wife just give this woman something that he made specifically for her and her _only_? Anyone could just say they 'borrowed' something as a cover up when in reality they absconded with said item. Who was she to them? She was acting so familiar with them, even told Rose herself that she knew the certain epithets referred to them. He was growing annoyed with her ambiguous answers, he needed to get to the bottom of this.

"Okay, let me get this straight," he began, his voice taking a sharpened edge. "Some time in the future Rose just lets you _borrow_ her screwdriver?"

"Yeah," the woman said with a nod. "I didn't believe it either when she did."

"Why would she do that?"

River shrugged nonchalantly. "Wish I knew. I know what you're thinking and I promise you, she was fully alive and lent it to me willingly. You were there when it happened. Nothing to worry about."

"And I know that because…?" he said virulently, his stomach twisting into knots.

She sighed, her voice gentle. "Listen to me. You've lost your friend and you can't get into contact with your wife, I understand that. You're angry and upset, I know. But you seriously need to calm down—"

"Don't tell me how I should be feeling!" he snapped, cutting her off.

"The temper really went far down the line," she murmured.

"What?" he said sharply.

"Just listen to me, you need to relax!" the other woman said, raising her voice. "If Rose were here right now you know she'd be telling you the same thing."

"I _trust_ _her_ ," he ground out with a glare. "She's my wife and I trust her with my entire life. I have all the reasons in the world to trust her. Why should I trust _you_? I don't even know who you _are_!"

"I already told you—"

"No, I don't care about what you have to say to me. This whole time you've been claiming these things to me, to my wife, and probably even to our friend. Just because you're allegedly from our 'future' doesn't mean I have to trust you right now."

"Instead of taking your frustrations out on me, you could be coming up with a plan to get the rest of us out of here so that we can get your wife and friend back. I know you're upset, but you need to relax and try being a little less emotional right now."

The Doctor's brows raised. "Emotional?" he said indignantly. "You want me to be _less_ emotional?" He stepped closer to her, his eyes tearing through her. He noted how she shifted uncomfortably. "In case you haven't realized, I'm doing _everything_ I can to get my wife and friend back as soon as possible. I don't want either one of them to wind up dead because of this damned Library or because of _me_."

"Losing Rose and Donna is hard, I know," she shot back, her voice a little lower. "I want to find them just as badly as you do. I know we're gonna find them, but just look around this room. There's five people in this room still alive, focus on that for right now." She shook her head. "Dear God, I don't know how Rose has put up with you for all these years. I thought both of you were hard work when you're older, but you're worse _young_! At least she's more tolerable than you by a _long_ shot!"

"Young?" he echoed. His patience was wearing thin. He straightened himself to his full height, towering over the other woman. " _Who are you_ , River Song?!"

There was a small shred of fear lingering in her wide eyes. He reached the point where he just didn't care at the moment. All he cared about was focussing on how to get his wife and friend back along with getting everyone to safety. Rose had told him earlier that River said this was the youngest she's ever seen them and that she was amazed by it. At least by what she claimed. Just how far into their future did they meet this woman?

"Those names you called us earlier," he mentioned. "You called us the Oncoming Storm and Bad Wolf."

"Well, that's who you are," she said casually. "The Doctor and Rose Tyler, the Storm and the Wolf travelling across the stars."

"Nobody just says those so casually like that nor do they at all unless danger is coming."

"Okay, I know that…but isn't that enough for you to believe me when I say you can trust me?"

He scoffed mirthlessly. "I shouldn't think so!"

"Oh, for heaven's _sake_!" Mr. Lux yelled from the side. "Look at yourselves! We're all in serious danger and could die right here and you're just standing around bickering!"

"Shut up, Mr. Lux!" they shouted in unison.

The Doctor kept his black look locked onto River. "I have no reason to believe you," he ground out.

There was hurt in the other woman's eyes and he acknowledged it. He didn't mean to make her feelings hurt, really, but he couldn't help it. His gut wasn't sitting right the entire time they've been here and encountering this mysterious woman only added to it.

"Doctor," River said softly. "One day I'm going to be someone that both you and your wife trust completely, and I mean that sincerely. But I can't wait for you to figure that out." She paused and studied him carefully. He steadied his breathing and calmed down a notch, waiting for her to continue. "I'm gonna prove it to you." She placed a hand on his shoulder and he felt jittery. "Before I say this…just know that it's not what you think it is. Believe me."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at her before she raised herself up to her tiptoes to whisper something in his ear. And it was then his blood ran cold and his insides froze up. His mouth nearly fell agape at what came out of the woman's mouth and his chest tightened. No, no, no. It couldn't be. How…? She pulled back from him and he just stared at her in shock with widened eyes, his nerves tensing up again.

"Doctor?" she said gently. "Before you say anything—"

"How do you know that?" he demanded, his voice surprisingly quiet yet hoarse from yelling. He shook his head at her in denial. " _No one_ else is supposed to know that but _Rose_. How could _you_ know _that_? No one else in the universe can know that except for _my wife_."

"There's _other_ ways, you know."

His brows raised. "What?!"

"Relax," River said. "You've said it yourself: polygamy would never work out for you. You're a _one_ -woman bloke. You swore by that with your blood and crossed your hearts. Rose is the only one for you, you know that."

He nodded, feeling his throat tightening. Yes, Rose _was_ the only one for him. So why did this woman know a part of something he kept to himself and to his wife? "She is," he said with seriousness, raising his left arm slightly to indicate his marital bracelet and ring.

"Always showing that off," River said with a warm smile. "Now that's true devotion."

"What you just said only applies to _her_ and her _only._ So how the hell do you _know that_?!"

"I'm telling you, it's _fine_ ," she said gently. "It's okay, I promise. I'm sorry you're upset but I swear, Doctor, I'm gonna be someone you and your wife trust. It may be hard to believe that right now, I know that, but listen to me when I say it. Both you and Rose are fully alive in the future and together. Just because I know a part of that doesn't really mean I got it from either of _you_ now, does it?"

His brows creased and he narrowed his eyes. What in Rassilon's name was she _talking_ about? If she hadn't got it from them…then how?

"Now are we good?" she asked.

He felt numb, the whisper still lingering in his ear, still stunned and skeptical.

She sighed. "Okay then. Should I further mention how you have strong attachments to, not only to Rose, but to bananas, the _Muppet Movie,_ pinstripes, hot maxa-chocolate, your sideburns, a certain activity that—"

"Okay, I've heard enough," he finally choked out, feeling a bit flustered.

"So…are we good?"

His body trembled. "Yeah," he said quietly. "We're good."

The other woman took a deep breath. "Good." She took the gold sonic back from him and walked back over to the rest of the group and his eyes followed her, his gaze burning.

He swallowed hard, his mind racing at unbelievable speeds while his entire body remained frozen. How in Rassilon's name did this woman know these things? _Personal_ things, no less. It was unnerving. But the main thing that was bothering him was the very first thing she told him. A part of his name. His _actual_ name.

Granted, it wasn't his _full_ name, which he was thankful for. That in its entirety was only for _Rose_ and _Rose only._ But for _another_ person to even repeat a small portion of it? How the hell was that even possible? There had to be a reasonable explanation for it. What would Rose think if she found that out? She wouldn't take it lightly. But…she said she sensed a kinship with her, as faint as it was. His original question still remained unanswered. Who was this woman? Obviously she has to be close to him and Rose somehow, that was the only thing he could come up with at the moment.

But there would really be no reason for either of them to tell another woman a part of his name. Well…there _were,_ but none of them could be true. So what was she to them? The oddity kept bothering him the more he thought about it, so he brushed it aside for now. He tried to tap into his wife's mind to see if he could reach her, but was still blocked. He inwardly cursed. Recovering from his stillness he took a deep breath and strode over to the center of the light.

"Know what's interesting about my screwdriver?" he said loudly. "Very hard to interfere with, practically nothing's strong enough…well, some hairdryers, but I'm working on that. And it just so happens to be the same with my wife. Under normal circumstances I would be able to stay in contact with her when she's a fair distance away and she'd let me in. 'Less in case she's upset with me for doing something thick, but she'd still reply. So there is a very strong signal coming from somewhere, and it wasn't there before. What's new, what's changed?" Everyone just exchanged looks and remained silent. "Come on!" he shouted as he paced. "What's different?"

"I dunno, nothing," Other Dave tried. "It's getting dark. Maybe your device works better in the light."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "It's a screwdriver, it _works_ in the dark. There's something else, something different coming in." He paused and craned his neck to look up at the dome where the sky was turning into a darkening sunset with a large moon looming. "Moonrise…" he breathed out. He turned to Mr. Lux. "Tell me about the moon."

"It's not real," the older man said. "It was built as part of the Library. It's just a doctor moon."

"And what's a doctor moon?"

"A virus checker. It supports and maintains the main computer at the core of the planet."

The Doctor pointed his screwdriver towards the dome and turned it on. "Well, it's still active," he said. "It's still signalling. Someone, somewhere in this Library is alive and communicating with the moon—or possibly drying their hair." He brought the sonic to his ear and adjusted the frequency, checking the signal again. "No, the signal's definitely coming from the moon. I'm blocking it, but it's trying to break through." River gasped from where she stood. It got his attention as he turned his head around and saw a fuzzy image of Donna appear before them. "Donna!"

The hologram faded and the ginger woman was gone. "Doctor, that was Donna!" River cried. "Can you get her back?"

"Wait a second," he said, adjusting the sonic again as he held it up against his ear. "I'm trying to find the right wavelength." He frowned when he picked up something else. "Hold on, I'm getting another signal. This one seems…different."

 _ **"Doctor!"**_

The Doctor whirled around at the sound of his wife's voice and was met with a slightly transparent image of her. "Rose!" he exclaimed, feeling her in his mind again. "Where are you?"

 _ **"I'm in the TARDIS,"** _ she told him. A nasty glare was in her eyes and he felt it. **_"You sent me away! Again!"_**

Here comes the scolding like he expected. "I know, I'm so sorry," he told her quickly as he rushed over to stand before her. He reached a hand out with intentions of being able to touch her. "Are you alright?"

Before he could get an answer his hand went right through her then her image disappeared. He cursed in his native tongue and brought his sonic up. He was a little relieved to finally feel her more in his mind but it wasn't enough to ease him of his aggravation at missing her.

"Oh, my God!" River said from the side before coming to stand beside him. "What happened to Rose?"

"It's the interference," he answered. "The moon's energy is too strong. It's been blocking us from communicating or from reaching each other's form."

"Why did she look like a ghost? Both her and Donna were holograms."

"Whatever's blocking me from finding the wavelengths interfered when they were being teleported back to the TARDIS," he mused. "Donna couldn't be preserved because the interference came too quick and swept her away. Rose came later and the TARDIS was able to sense it. She's protecting her."

"Because they're connected," River added.

He gave her a pointed look before nodding. "Exactly."

* * *

 **Okay I know a bunch, if not all, of you are screaming at me. Relax guys. Like I said: The Doctor is married to Rose and they'll always be together. River is someone else. Notice the twist in there?**

 **Response to _thecurlygal-6218:_ No worries, love. Catch up when you can ;)**


	39. Forest of the Dead Part 2

**A/N: I love hearing your guesses as to who you think River is, guys. All good thoughts!** **Much love and many thanks to you lovely viewers! You're the best motivation for my lazy self ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 37: Forest of the Dead Part 2**_

Rose was going to kill him, without a chance of regenerating. Not only did he find a sneaky way to install a teleport setting in her sonic screwdriver, but he didn't even give her a thorough _warning_ about the action. Now he was left in the Library with a zombie chasing him. Typical. Her head was swimming more and she felt as light as a feather, but she opened her eyes to find herself in the TARDIS console room. He must have had a plan for this. Other than to have her and Donna be sent here for safety purposes. She had to have been onboard for barely a second when something caused her body to jerk. What was happening? This couldn't be part of the teleportation. Her vision became white before her body was engulfed with a bright light.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed. "What's going on?"

It took her a moment to realize the console room was dark, the time rotor glow dimmed to almost nothing. She could hear the TARDIS sending calming reassurances. _"There is an interference,"_ the Old Girl hummed. _"Something from the outside permeating the wavelengths."_

"What? Wait, where's Donna?"

" _Unfortunately, the Red One was taken. I could not preserve her consciousness in time and the outside source got a hold of her first."_

This _really_ wasn't good. "Is she okay?" Rose asked.

 _"I cannot detect her. She is a far distance away."_

"Wait, what's gonna happen to me? Am I gonna join her?"

 _"I will be able to protect you,"_ the TARDIS hummed. _"Since we are connected I will be able to conserve your body and mind so it will not be integrated into an outside wavelength."_

Next thing she knew she felt her body flying through the air. When Rose opened her eyes and blinked a few times, she tried to remember what had happened after being bathed in that white light. She remembered she was confused as to how she had made it into the TARDIS console room when she was in the Library moments before and that she was pissed off at her husband for sneakily teleporting her out to leave him alone in the dangerous building. Bloody alien bastard. She was going to knock his block off for sending her away again.

Taking in her surroundings, she remembered that the TARDIS had said something about protecting her from whatever outside source was interfering with the teleport. Whatever it was had already gotten Donna and ripped her away. Where she was taken was a whole other mystery to Rose as much as the whole River Song deal. But where exactly was she now?

 _"It is okay, my Wolf,"_ the TARDIS sang to her. _"You are safe."_

"Some protection this is," Rose muttered.

 _"It is extraordinary protection. We are inside of your mind right now and you fought against the outside source. Very resilient."_

Well, that had to be a _tad_ reassuring. She didn't know where Donna ended up and hoped she was okay wherever she was, but she'd rather stay here inside the TARDIS. "What am I supposed to do like this though?" she asked curiously. "I feel like I can't even move."

 _"There is only one thing we can do at the moment,"_ the TARDIS said. _"Since your entire consciousness is within the rotor, you will be able to attempt contact via ancillary extrasensory perception."_

Rose nodded slowly, catching on to what the Old Girl was suggesting. "So…I'll be able to move around the area vicariously?"

 _"Technically no. For wandering around vicariously through another, there would have to be an available vessel. If only your mind was being taken over then it would be possible for you to still walk with your body intact. But as your entire form is protected by myself it can't happen that way."_

She could only imagine how strung up the Doctor was right now. She could barely feel his presence, like it was being pressed up against the back of her mind and she couldn't grab it. "But what about the Doctor? He's the one who sent me here. Which, by the way, you should know I'm upset with, right?"

 _"Yes, it is something you have never been keen on."_

"You're probably glad I'm a co-pilot for you 'cause he's a bit of an idiot." The TARDIS hummed, sounding like a chuckle. "I can't even feel him in my mind," Rose continued. "Well, at least _fully._ 'S like I know he's there he just…he feels…fuzzy."

 _"The interference is blocking any phenomenal exchange between beings,"_ the TARDIS explained. _"Even my energy is fighting to keep any intruders away. However I may be able to allow you to try reaching out to our Thief without much trouble."_

"Okay. How are we gonna do it? Try following the wave of our bond?"

 _"Precisely. It will be a little difficult with you in your current state and would take an intense amount of concentration."_

"Got it."

 _"I will try to integrate myself and widen the parameters to where you may be able to look through his eyes if there's a large enough opening in the blockage."_

"'Kay."

In an odd way this reminded Rose of her first try at testing out telepathy shortly after she and the Doctor bonded. Over a year later she became stronger and was able to sustain many a things such as outside sources that could easily enter her mind. All she needed to do was try to reach out to her husband. She was able to break through the blockage once already when she felt his own buzzing. With just some patience and some help with the TARDIS, she could be able to communicate with him before he freaks out.

Closing her eyes, Rose concentrated. The TARDIS was humming along with her, rhythmic and in sync with her breathing as she focussed on finding the right wave. All around her she felt static which she guessed was from this outside source that was trying to break into the sentient ship or locate others around the area. Whatever it was she wasn't going to let break through to her. A warm buzz came to her ears. The connection seemed…off. It didn't feel like the Doctor, but maybe the surroundings were just toying with her.

 _"Concentrate, my Wolf,"_ the TARDIS hummed.

"I think…" she drew out slowly. "I think I'm picking up something. But…it doesn't feel like—" She opened her eyes and found herself in some kind of living room of a house and standing before her was a familiar redhead gaping at her in shock. She appeared fuzzy like a ghost or hologram, but it was her. "Oh, my God, Donna!" she exclaimed. Before the other woman could say anything the image faded away from view and Rose found herself back in the console room. "Where was she? Where'd she go?"

 _"The Red One must have been taken to an undetectable location,"_ the TARDIS said.

"Can we get her back? She can't be that far away, can she?"

She was about to add something, but then she stopped when she felt another wave coming to her. This time she recognized it as her husband's and followed it. She quickly closed her eyes and went after it. She felt something flickering like a lamp and she made a frustrated sound and let a Gallifreyan curse slip through.

"Dammit, so close," she said.

 _"Do not give up,"_ the TARDIS hummed.

Trying harder she followed it and came at a wall for a moment. But then she heard the hollow sound of her husband's voice. **_"Hold on, I'm getting another signal."_ ** Opening her eyes she saw that he had his back to her and held his sonic up to his ear, the point pointed in her direction. _**"This one seems…different."**_

Rose wasted no time in calling out to him. "Doctor!"

He whirled around to face her, a wild look on his face. ** _"Rose! Where are you?"_**

"I'm in the TARDIS," she told him before glaring at him. "You sent me away! _Again_!"

 _ **"I know, I'm so sorry,"** _ he said quickly as he approached her and reached a hand out to touch her face. ** _"Are you alright?"_**

His hand went through her until she found his figure flickered before disappearing completely. She cursed when he was gone and tried to reach out to him through their bond. She could feel his relief that he finally saw her but she also felt his irritation and anger. "Doctor!"

 _"Relax, my Wolf,"_ the TARDIS said calmly. _"We will get the connection back."_

"Is there a way I can teleport back to the Library?" Rose asked. "If he could activate it from his screwdriver to mine then I should be able to reverse it."

 _"You could, but it would be to no avail with the outside source's barrier,"_ the ship answered. _"Once a large enough opening is formed you will be able to lock onto our Thief's location."_

"Would I be able to lock onto the coordinates and land you there, Old Girl?"

 _"You could if the opening is wide enough, yes. You would have to be cautious, though. I sense a shifting in the timeline."_

Rose's stomach tightened at the sound of that when she felt a sliver of it. "What d'you mean? Is…something coming?"

 _"It is always a possibility. Something to do with the Curly One."_

"And…is it bad?"

 _"It does not feel that way, but something is approaching."_

"Old Girl, who is she? This River Song, who is she to the Doctor and me?"

 _"It is unknown exactly at the moment, but she is a member of the pack."_

That wasn't really letting her make any conclusions. "Um…okay," she drew out slowly with a crease on her brows. "I sensed something in her. I can't describe it, but…it's deep."

 _"That's expected."_

"And you know who she is, don't you?"

 _"I've a notion."_

"You won't tell me, will you?" The TARDIS was silent. Figured. "Can we trust her?"

 _"I believe you could. She is from your futures, she is someone important to you both. What she will be to you is unknown to you right now, but I sense the closeness between you, the Thief, and her as well."_

Rose was more than skeptical now. This woman knew both of them, that much was true. She took amusement and admiration at their marriage, like it was something to make her happy to be in the presence of. "And how close are we talking about?"

 _"Again, I cannot tell you that, my Wolf. But she is of no threat to any of us. She is safe."_

Her insides tightened then trembled. Apparently not only do they meet this woman in the future, but she's close to them. But in what way? Having companions becoming best friends were one thing but…what was this woman to them? It kept nagging her the more she thought about it as much as the ambiguity of her answers from earlier. How the Doctor enjoyed not knowing things most of the time was beyond her. Rose, on the other hand, hated guessing and just wanted a straightforward answer. Waiting was killing her and she wanted to know now.

She bit her lip and remained in her position as she sought out her husband through their bond. She was hoping to get out of this state as soon as possible so that she could bring the TARDIS there to save the remaining people from the shadows and what lurks within them. Luckily she was able to feel her husband now and could communicate with him. At least it can feel like she was there beside him wherever he went.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Still fiddling with the sonic to find the right wavelength, the Doctor held it close to his ear and changed the frequencies countless times. He felt a little accomplished in knowing where Rose was, but he still needed to find out how to exactly get her back along with Donna. The TARDIS was his magnificent ship and he knew She would do all She could to protect Rose until they can fully break through the moon's obstruction. He was finally able to feel his wife's presence in his mind, more than earlier which he was more than grateful for. It wasn't as full, but if he had to describe it in percentages he'd say it was about eighty-nine point three six percent full. Anything to have his nerves calmed down a bit from the madness around him.

 _"Rose?"_ he asked. _"How you doing over there? You alright?"_

 _"'M just fantastic,"_ she replied with a hint of sarcasm. _"Can't really do too much, but wait until I can somehow break out of here with the TARDIS' help."_

He shut his eyes for a moment. He knew she wouldn't cool off after he deliberately sent her away again. But he did it for good reason. _"Rose, I know you're angry with me for—"_

 _"Good for you,"_ she cut in. _"Glad you finally got it through your head."_

 _"I know, but listen to me. There's too much trouble around here, some of the worst we've ever encountered, which says quite a lot, and I just wanted to get you to safety."_

 _"So once again you leave me aside, should've known you'd revert back to your old ways."_

 _"No, it's not **that**. I told you time and time again that I would **never** leave you aside. You know you're **always** helpful."_

 _"That must be why you installed a **teleport** in my screwdriver, right?"_ she asked. He could feel that she was giving him a pointed look.

 _"It's just an emergency program,"_ he said gently. _"Just safety precautions just in case…"_

He stopped and trailed off with a hard swallow, his eyes closing. When he first began to assemble his wife's screwdriver he did it with full intentions on using some of the most sophisticated settings, some considered to be avant-garde. He wanted hers to be as advanced as possible with as many operations he could think of at the time he created the first mark, a good deal of them not even installed into his own. Rose was always his number one priority when it came to serious situations like this, so thinking ahead was what he would do if anything…drastic happened to them.

The last thing either of them wanted was to go through another traumatic experience. He was aware that she hated when he would send her away—especially after he's done it a handful of times despite his word not to. But with every one of them he did it to assure her safety, to make sure she wouldn't be harmed. Because after having gone through the nightmare from hell where he lost her, he would always be prepared and make sure something anywhere close to that would never happen again. He would always have a back-up just in case, and several more to follow it.

A warm feeling came over to him when he felt Rose comforting him, sending an equivalent of a tender hand squeeze. _"I know you do it to look after me,"_ she said softly before sounding a little more firm. _"But you didn't even **warn** me about it. You didn't even **tell** me you put a teleport in my sonic."_

 _"Well…I knew how upset you'd be if I told you,"_ he admitted. _"It was your first sonic and I wanted you to have as many settings as possible. Anything that could be handy for **any** situation."_

 _"'Cept for a setting for wood,"_ she remarked.

 _"Yeah…missed that one, I'm afraid. Remind me to work on that later when we get out of this._ _But Rose, I had another reason for sending you back to the TARDIS._ _I figured that you could track the coordinates from my sonic to find my location then be able to fly the TARDIS here to get everyone out."_

She sighed. _"Yeah, I figured that out after. I asked the Old Girl if I'd be able to reverse the teleport and She said it would take some time until there's a big enough gap for it."_

If only it could happen sooner. _"I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so sorry."_

 _"Don't worry about me, just focus on getting Donna back. Speaking of which, I saw her."_

The Doctor's brows raised as he continued to fiddle with his sonic's frequency. _"So did I. An image of her appeared in the room."_

 _"Same with me. Only on my end I saw her in some room."_

 _"Room? What room?"_

 _"I dunno, it was some kinda living room."_

His brows creased. _"Like…an **actual** living room or a simulation room?"_

 _"It was hard to tell. Don't worry, Doctor, we'll find Donna and fix everything."_

 _"I know."_

 _"So what's going on over there? Did you escape from the walking zombie?"_

 _"For now, yeah, we've taken a different route thanks to River's squareness gun. The sun's setting and there's this moon—well, technically it's not a **real** moon, it's a conductor that prevents viruses from entering the data core, but it emanates a strong energy source that's been blocking me from trying to find you or Donna."_

 _"Yeah, welcome to the club,"_ Rose snorted. _"I've been trying to find the wavelengths and I keep ending up slamming into a wall. Sort of."_

 _"Given time a wide enough opening should open up enough for you to step through and reverse the teleport,"_ he told her. _"Just know that when it comes to be very careful. These swarms are getting worse now that they've got our scents."_

 _"I will. Just focus on what's going on."_ There was a pause. _"Did River say anything else?_ _Anything to give us clues as to who she is?"_

The Doctor held his breath. _"Well…there was…one thing she said, but it doesn't really explain who the hell she is and, quite frankly, it's still making me suspicious. And she said that your future self let her borrow your sonic."_

 _"But she didn't say why?"_

 _"Nope."_

Rose sighed. _"Should've taken a quick peek into that book."_

 _"As much as I'd like to nick the thing myself, we both know it wouldn't be a good idea."_

 _"Maybe not but even if we caught a word or maybe a picture. Just some kinda clue, you know?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"What else'd she say? 'M guessing it was something that made you tense up 'cause I can feel remnants of it from here."_

The Doctor swallowed hard. He couldn't keep this from his wife. She needed to know. _"And for good reason,"_ he started roughly. He paused for a moment, trying to let the words out evenly. _"She said something I'd never expect to hear from another person."_

 _"What's that?"_

 _"She said a part of…my name,"_ he finished thickly, his anger building up again.

There was silence on the other end and he tried his best to keep his head from swimming in the tense seconds of waiting for a response. _"What?"_ Rose finally said, sounding irritated more than anything. Not good.

 _"Rose, listen to me—"_

 _"How the bloody **hell** does she know **that** , Doctor?"_ she cut in sharply. _"Why?"_

 _"I-I don't know. But it's nothing to be too concerned about."_

She snorted. _"Yeah, we should **totally** brush that off as **nothin'** , right? The fact that she knows something that only **we** know. Something that's a part of you."_

 _"No, I didn't say that we can brush it off as **nothing**."_

 _"You told me that I was the only one who could know your name!"_

 _"You **do**! __It wasn't my **full** name she said,"_ he stressed with seriousness. _"Just a **part** of it, that's all. __I swear to you, Rose, **only you** know my true name **fully**. It's only to be given to one person and it's **you.** I promise. I **swore** on that."_

 _"But wait, which part?"_

He bit his lip and told her. Rose hesitated and his insides trembled again. He hoped to every god in existence that she wasn't going to blow up at this information. She had every right to be upset and angry—hell, he was still fuming inside just at the thought of it again. But he never wanted to upset his wife. Not like this or any other way.

 _"Is…that bad?"_ she finally said, her voice level.

 _"Not…really. It could be worse, but no."_

 _"Just that?"_

 _"Just that,"_ he confirmed. _"Nothing else."_

 _"But I don't get it. How did she find that out? Why would you **tell** her that?"_

 _"That's the thing. I…may not have been the one to say it. In fact, I'm more than positive it wasn't **me** that said it to her."_

Her confusion increased even more. _"What? I know I'd **never** say it around others, only when we're alone and in private."_

 _"Exactly, it's **bothering** me. Neither of us would ever blurt that out, no matter what. Especially when we're around others. And no one else in the universe knows my full name but you, Rose. And this-this woman from our **future** knows a **part** of it. A woman who's been unnerving and—"_

 _"Doctor, breathe,"_ she said calmly. He closed his eyes and did just that. _"Alright. Let's think for a second. Who else could **possibly** know a part of your name other than me?"_

 _"Nobody! Mind you…there **are** other minor ways for another individual to know a **part** of a Time Lord's birth name, but they're all **impossible.** "_

 _"Isn't everything we deal with?"_

 _"Well, yes, but this is serious, Rose, you've got to believe me."_

 _"I trust you. I really do. I **married** you, Doctor. You **know** I trust you with my heart and with my life. Whoever River is to us can't be anything to pose a threat to us."_

 _"Do you really think so? 'Cause she's sketchy."_

 _"I know, she gives me the jitters. But…I think it's okay to trust her._ _The TARDIS said we could trust her and I'll go with the Old Girl on this one. She said that River wasn't a threat to us and that she was a member of the pack."_

He frowned. _"What does that even **mean**?"_

 _"I dunno, She wouldn't tell me. But I guess that…if River knows us so well in the future, so much that she somehow knows a part of your name…and the TARDIS senses that she's clear to be trusted…then she should be okay."_

He rolled his eyes. Of course the TARDIS wouldn't explain that. She was always one to let everyone figure out certain things by themselves without her help. Nosy ship, She is. _"Well…I'm still keeping a close eye on her."_

 _"Same here when I get back."_

 _"For now we'll have to trust her, as much as I wanna run away from her and this place just to get to to you and Donna. We don't have much of a choice."_

 _"Just keep your head on straight,"_ Rose said softly. _"I might not be there in person but as long as we've got this then that should be enough for now, yeah?"_

 _"I'd actually prefer to have you here right beside me."_

 _Should've thought of that before you sent me away,_ she thought to herself _._ _"This is a bit of a weird experience for me, and that's sayin' something. All we can do is wait until I can get back."_

Nodding to himself, the Doctor continued to search for the right wavelengths. If he could latch onto the one containing Donna then he could figure out where she disappeared to then try to widen the gap to let Rose come back from the TARDIS. Why did they have to be summoned? Why did it have to be in a bloody carnivore-infested library? He wondered why the TARDIS told Rose that River could be trusted. Did She know something that they didn't? Knowing how secretive and agog She always was, She could have sensed something about that woman linked to their future but won't let them know who she is. If She knew the explanation as to why she knew a part of his name and claimed to not have learned it from either him or his wife then he needed to know right away.

 _"I'm so sorry, Rose."_

 _"Save it for when I come back. Just focus on what's going on, kay?"_

 _"I love you, Rose,"_ he told her sincerely.

 _"I love you too, Doctor,"_ she repeated with the same tone.

A small wave of relief came over him, but it didn't ease him up all the way. He didn't want to dwell on the fact that something so personal and kept close to himself had been revealed to someone he didn't even know. It was nauseating, if he were honest. Even if it were just a couple of syllables repeated into his ear and not the entire designation it still had power. Not as much as it in its entirety, but still a good amount of it. It was like a seal, something to lock others together in a bond. Like family.

But…she couldn't possibly be _family_. There was no way that was possible. Yes, some impossible things happen to him and Rose anyway, but he was over a thousand percent positive that this was impossible by rights. He would have been able to sense that by now. And he didn't. There was nothing. What kind of kinship was there between this woman with him and Rose?

His sonic shortened out again and he cursed, bringing him out of his musings. Trying to break through the blockage was harder than he thought but he needed to find the wavelengths soon before more trouble came their way. And, knowing him, it always came fast.

"How is she?" The sound of River's voice behind him caused him to turn around. He gave her a pointed look. "It's always easy to tell when you two are speaking through your mind meld," she said.

"It's not a _mind meld_ ," he told her firmly.

"Close enough though. You're a bit of a Vulcan. You were able to break through to talk to her, is she alright?"

The Doctor studied the woman, shifting uncomfortably. "She's fine. Just a little impatient."

"She's still mad at you for teleporting her out of here."

"A little."

River chuckled. "You never learn."

He rolled his eyes and ignored her, his attention returning to the sonic. He had better things to do then dwell on a mysterious woman from his and his wife's future. He growled and hit his sonic again when he was kept out.

"Professor?" Anita spoke up, sounding shaken up.

"Just a moment," River replied as she and the rest of the group kept their attention on the Doctor.

"It's important," the young woman said. "I have two shadows." Everyone in the room froze before turning to face the young woman, noting a second shadow was extending in the opposite direction. The Doctor tensed up.

"Okay, helmets on everyone," River ordered before addressing the girl gently. "Anita, I'll get yours."

"It didn't do Proper Dave any good," the other woman remarked.

River bent down and retrieved the helmet. "Just keep it together, okay?"

"Keeping it together," Anita scoffed. "I'm only crying. I'm about to die, it's not an overreaction."

 _"Doctor,"_ came Rose's voice in his mind. She must have sensed his tension. How couldn't she? _"Is everything okay in there?"_

 _"They've latched onto another person,"_ he replied grimly. _"It's Anita."_

 _"Oh, my God,"_ she breathed out. _"She's about to become like the others."_

 _"Unless…hold on, I'm gonna try something."_

Cautiously, the Doctor began to approach Anita after River had placed the helmet on the young woman's head and clicked it into place. He brought out his sonic and waved it over the visor, darkening it.

"Oh, God, they've got inside!" River gasped.

"No, I only tinted the visor," he told her. "I had an idea. Maybe by doing that they'll think they're already in there."

"D'you think they can be fooled like that?" she asked.

He titled his head. "Maybe. I dunno. It's a swarm, it's not like we chat."

"Can you still see in there?" Other Dave asked.

"Just about," Anita answered.

In the corner of the Doctor's eye he caught something unusual. But from what it looked like it was trouble. Should have known it would come sooner or later. "Just…stay back," he told Anita before motioning at River. "Professor, a quick word with me please."

She came over to him and they crouched to the ground with their backs facing the rest of the group. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

"Remember when you said that there's five people still alive in this room?" he reminded.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"How come there's six?"

Her eyes widened as they turned their heads around, the others picking it up and doing the same. In the back of the room stood another figure in a white spacesuit.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" the swarm exclaimed.

"Run!" the Doctor yelled as they all took off back into the corridors with the zombie chasing them.

 _"What's happening?"_ came Rose's concerned voice.

 _"The swarm-in-a-suit found us,"_ he told her. _"We taking off again."_

 _"_ _Be careful!"_

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Rose chewed on her thumbnail as she felt her husband's edginess. She wished she could be there with him to ease up more of it, but there wasn't a big enough gap for the TARDIS to send her through to reverse the teleport. She was still fit to be tied that he never told her about installing the software into her sonic, but that little irritation faded and turned to another topic.

River knew a part of his name. Nothing too serious to worry about, that's what the TARDIS kept reassuring her the entire time she's found herself inside of the console room. Even if the Doctor was trying to mask up his consternation and let it overwhelm her he was doing a poor job of it. He was annoyed, probably more than her or maybe it was an equal amount. Whatever it was she still couldn't believe it. This mysterious woman from their future knew something that no one else in the universe knows. Of course Rose felt a little at ease knowing that the other woman only said a part of the Doctor's name which, thankfully, didn't mean the _worst._

But it was still annoying and made her ball her fists up at her side. When she and the Doctor first created their bond he told her that it was one of the most sacred things in the universe she would ever know, something so powerful that was only meant for her to know. His proper name in its entirety. It cemented themselves together forever when they consummated their marriage, sealing them in each other's hearts. So how could this stranger know a portion of it? There had to be a damn good reason for it. She knew that neither she nor him would blurt it out willingly, but it only made less sense.

The Doctor said there were other ways for another person to know a piece of a Time Lord's true name rather than the full one, but they were all impossible. What other ways were there? When standing beside the woman Rose felt an off feeling about her, mainly because she was out of place in the timeline. The TARDIS kept sending soothing hums to ease her nerves. She kept stressing that this woman could be trusted. She sensed something inside of her and must have been able to identify her, but kept it secret. Rose trusted the TARDIS and she trusted the Doctor. If this woman wasn't a threat to them or her marriage then she was fine.

But who was she?

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Donna stood in her bedroom with her pajamas on. It was nighttime. But how? It was the early evening about a moment ago. An entire evening couldn't just fly by at the snap of her fingers. She recalled having Dr. Moon over for his usual visits but then he was gone. Wait a minute…she saw the Doctor and Rose Tyler in person! For a moment she thought her dreams were coming to life, but then they were gone. Unless that was all another dream of hers that she barely remembered. But…no, hold on. She could have sworn that she saw visions playing in her mind about a…library. It was another adventure with the Doctor and Rose Tyler. Just as she began remembering, they were instantly fading away.

There was one thing that caught her attention—a mysterious figure dressed head to toe in an elegant black Victorian dress. She couldn't see the face since it was covered with a veil, but there had been a woman walking across the street after Lee had come home. Maybe it was a neighbor moving in? There was an odd sound coming from the front door, getting their attention. It sounded like the mail slot had been opened and someone placed something inside.

"Was that a letter?" Donna asked.

"It's midnight," Lee said. "Who could be sending a letter at this time of night?"

"Go and see what it is."

He left the room to check while she moved over to the window. Again she saw the woman in the black dress standing in front of their house looking at the house. She raised her hand, almost in acknowledgement. Donna's eyes widened in shock. Why was this woman so fascinated with her?

"'The world is wrong'," said Lee when he entered the room.

"What?" Donna frowned and turned to see him holding an open letter in his hands.

"For you. Weird, though. 'Dear Donna, the world is wrong. Meet me at your usual playpark, two o'clock tomorrow.'"

She took the letter from him and looked it over. What the hell did that mean? She walked back over to the window to see the mysterious woman still standing there before walking away. "Nutter," she muttered as she moved over to her bed and shoved the letter into the nightstand drawer.

'The world is wrong'? Whose world? It certainly wasn't hers. She had the perfect life with a loving husband and two beautiful children. Although…she had to admit there was this feeling in the back of her mind telling her otherwise. Since her arrival here she's questioned everything around her. Her memory seemed to be getting worse and thoughts would just fade away from her. Everything seemed to move to fast for her most times, days and weeks and months and years. All of it.

Her curiosity won. Tomorrow she decided to meet this woman. Call it odd and strange, but she needed to know why this lady was so hell bent on her life.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

"Come on!" the Doctor yelled as he led the group through the corridors.

Trying to lose the swarm in the suit was getting much harder. Before the creature would move at a sluggish pace, but now it was starting to learn how to properly use a pair of human legs and gaining speed. He wouldn't let any more people die today. No more victims. Throughout the running he kept in touch with Rose mentally. It was a weight off his shoulders having her staying with him and keeping his mind from fraying from the madness around him, and he kept thanking her for it. He hoped she and the TARDIS could track him down and make their way through the moon's blockage soon.

They came across a walkway on one of the higher levels connected to two buildings. Coming to a stop, he let the others run past him down to the other end. "Everyone go ahead," he instructed. "Find a safe spot and stay there!"

"It's a carnivorous swarm in a suit, you can't _reason_ with it!" River told him.

"I have to try," he replied.

"Rose wouldn't let you do this alone, I'll stay with you."

"No."

"Doctor _—"_

"Just go!" he hollered.

River rolled her eyes. "Other Dave, stay with him," she instructed. "Pull him out when he does something daft. He could suffer with a Tyler slap later on when he gets his wife back."

He felt Rose giving him a pointed look through their bond. River hurried out of the corridor with Anita and Mr. Lux, leaving him alone with Other Dave guarding the back door. The swarm stepped into the corridor a moment later.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" it exclaimed.

"Hold on, hold on!" the Doctor said as he took a few cautious steps towards it, acknowledging his wife's mental note to be careful. He held his hands out and the creature stopped in its tracks. "You hear that? That is the last thought of the man who wore that suit before you climbed inside it and stripped his _flesh._ That's a man's _soul_ trapped inside a neural relay, going 'round and 'round forever."

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" the suit replied, using the only phrase it knew in its monotone.

"The Vashta Nerada live on all the worlds in this system, but you hunt in forests. What are you doing in a _library_?"

"We should go, Doctor!" Other Dave called from behind.

"In a minute," he said, waving him off. "You came to the Library to hunt, why? Just tell me why!"

The creature remained stiff. "We…did not," it said cryptically.

The Doctor's brows raised in surprise. "Oh, hello."

"We did not," it repeated.

"Take it easy, you'll get the hang of it. Did not what?"

"We…did not…come…here."

"Well, of course you did," the Doctor scoffed. "You're right here."

"We come from here," the suit told him.

He frowned. " _From_ here?"

"We hatched here," the creature said.

Something didn't seem right. "But you hatch from spores in trees. What are you doing _here_?"

"These are our forests," the creature told.

"You're nowhere _near_ a forest, look around you."

"These are our forests."

He inwardly growled, losing his patience more and more. "You're not in a forest, you're in a library," he stressed. "A library. There are no trees in a—"

 _"Doctor,"_ Rose cut in, getting his attention. _"It's a library. Books…"_

His eyes widened and he looked around, the realization dawning on him. He heard Other Dave telling him they should go but he barely acknowledged it.

"Of course," he said quietly. "You came in the books. Microspores in a million million books." An entire species having their home taken away from them and turned into this. Everything they've been doing out was out of revenge, driving the creatures to claim what was there's and punishing innocent people for wandering around their territory and destroying it. "Look at that," he murmured, running a hand through his hair before resting it on the back of his neck. "The forests of the Vashta Nerada, pulped and printed and bound. A million million books hatching shadows."

 _"You think it was done on purpose?"_ Rose asked him.

 _"Can't say, really. Maybe not. How could any of them have known? Many who've encountered the Vashta Nerada never live to get the full story out. There aren't recorded conversations I'm aware of. They're swarms, they don't chat. They only eat without asking a question. Just act on instinct."_

"We should go, Doctor!"

The sound of Other Dave repeating the same words brought him out of his muses. Turning around he saw that the young man's visor had darkened and his neural relay's lights were blinking. He was too late.

"Oh, Dave," he said with a frown as he studied the stiffened figure. "Oh, Dave, I'm so sorry."

 _"Oh, my God."_

A skeleton came forward and made itself visible in the visor and made its way forward, both voices overlapping each other. "Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"We should go, Doctor!"

He flitted his eyes between both creatures as they began to close in on him. Rose's worry was palpable.

 _"Doctor,"_ she came through, concerned. _"Get out of there!"_

"Thing about me, I'm stupid," he said out loud to the swarms. "Problem is that I talk too much, always babbling on. This gob doesn't stop for anything, just ask my wife, she'll vouch me on that. Of course she's the only one who could shut me up properly, so there's the only exception. Wanna know the only reason I'm still alive? Always stay near the door."

Grabbing his sonic, the Doctor aimed it at the floor, causing the trap door beneath him to open and him to fall through. His stomach dropped when the air passed him, but he was quick. Holding the sonic in his mouth he managed to grab a hold of the metal structures under the corridor to cling onto, preventing him from falling any further.

 _"What happened?!"_ Rose yelled into his mind, making him wince.

 _"Rose, I'm fine,"_ he told her as he began to climb across slowly, his added strength keeping him steady. _"I used a trap door and just hanging on some metal structures."_

 _"Oh, just hanging around then,"_ she said sarcastically. _"What the hell's the matter with you?"_

 _"I needed to escape, didn't I? I'm okay, Rose, really. I'm managing."_

 _"Alright, just…please don't look down."_

 _"Too late."_

It was then he wound up doing the opposite and flicked his eyes to the hundreds of feet below to the faraway ground. His insides froze and his head swam slightly, the vertigo coming with a hard smack, but he recovered when he felt his wife sending warm waves of comfort.

 _"_ _Watch yourself, Spider-Man."_

He inwardly smirked as he continued to climb.


	40. Forest of the Dead Part 3

**A/N: I've started to beta a good friend's story. She's DoctorWand and she's an amazing person with an awesome story, go check her out :D M** **uch love and many thanks to every one of you viewers! Your feedback is always greatly appreciated!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 38: Forest of the Dead Part 3**_

The next day came quickly as Donna took both of her children's hands and walked down to the park. The little ones tugged on her hands impatiently to run along to play with the other children in the playground. Off to the side she spotted the woman in the black dress sitting on a bench, still as a statue. "Alright, you two," Donna said to her kids. "Off you go, and no fighting."

She let go of their hands and they made their way to the giant slide with the other kids. She then focussed on the woman and walked towards the bench and took a seat. It was unnerving that she couldn't see this woman's face since it was concealed behind the veil like a cloak but she remained stiff.

"I got your note last night," Donna began. "'The world is wrong', what's that mean?"

"No, you didn't," the woman said.

Donna frowned. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You didn't get my note last night. You got it a few _seconds_ ago. Having decided to come, you suddenly found yourself arriving. That is how time progresses here, in the manner of a dream. You've suspected that before, haven't you, Donna Noble?"

Her eyes widened. Not only did this woman know her first name, but she knew her _maiden_ name. "How do you know me?" Donna asked.

"We met in the Library," the woman answered, turning her head in her direction. "You and Rose were kind to me. I hope now to return that kindness."

A slew of images began to come to her mind as she focussed on the woman's voice. She had mentioned Rose. "Your voice…I recognize it."

"Yes, you do. I am what is left of Miss Evangelista."

Then it all came to her. This woman was the cute young girl with long black hair, the assistant to the head man in charge of the expedition. Donna saw when the group arrived and this young girl wanted to help her team with equipment and they wouldn't let her because they perceived her as useless. That's when she and Rose attempted to comfort the girl, and then she ended up falling victim to the shadows. The sight of the skeleton in the torn up spacesuit seated in the chair was next. Donna attempted to talk to the girl for her last moments, but was too upset to do it. Rose did, however. She spoke for the both of them and talked to the girl all the way up to her death.

"Miss Evangelista?" she finally breathed out in shock. "How did…?"

"I'll explain everything," the girl said. "I suggested we meet here because a playground is the easiest place to see it, to see the lie."

Donna frowned. "What lie?"

"Look at the children."

The statement went by her as she studied the woman, trying to get a good look at her features. "Why do you wear that veil?" she asked. "You're _beautiful._ If I had a face like yours, I wouldn't hide it."

"You remember my face, then?" Miss Evangelista said, sounding a little relieved. "The memories are all still there—the Library, the Doctor, Rose, me. You've just been programmed not to look."

How could she know that? It was true, though, the part with the Doctor and Rose. Every day she'd have dreams of them and she was starting to recall events that happened in the Library. One of them being this young woman's death. What if this was the poor girl's ghost or something? "Sorry, but…you're dead," Donna said gently.

"In a way, we're _all_ dead here, Donna," Miss Evangelista said. "We are the dead of the Library."

"Well, what about the children? The children aren't dead. My children aren't _dead_."

"Your children were never alive."

That ticked her off. All around them were children running around and giggling in their youthfulness. "Don't you dare say that about my children!" she hissed.

"Look at all the children," the other woman told her. _"Really_ look."

Donna turned to watch the children in the playground and her eyes widened in shock. Every child was wearing the exact same clothes as her own children. She shook her head in disbelief. How was this even possible?

"They're not real," Miss Evangelista continued gently. "Do you see it now? They're all the same. The same boy and the same girl, over and over again."

"Stop it, just stop it!" Donna cried. "Why are you doing this? And why are you wearing that veil?"

She snatched the veil from the woman's face, but what was underneath wasn't the same pretty face she remembered Miss Evangelista having. It was horribly contorted. Donna screamed in horror, causing the children to do the same. The young girl raised a single finger, most likely hoping to keep her quiet. After a moment she swallowed roughly and shook her head, taking a deep breath.

"What happened to your face?" Donna whispered shakily.

"Transcription errors," Miss Evangelista said with a sad smile. "Destroyed my face, did wonders for my intellect. I'm a very poor copy of myself."

"Where are we?" the redhead asked, looking back at the children. "Why are the children all the same?"

"The same pattern over and over. It saves an awful lot of space."

"Space?"

"Cyberspace. Your physical self is stored in the library as an energy signature. It can be actualized again whenever you or the Library requires."

"The Library?" Memories of the building came back to her—the darkness, the flying books, the silence, the statues…oh, God, the statues! She remembered how sick she felt when the Doctor explained the meaning behind the statues with the human faces on them. "If my face ends up on one of those statues…"

"You remember the statues?" Miss Evangelista asked.

"Wait, no, just…" Donna put her fingers to her temple. "So…this isn't the real me? This isn't my real body. But I've been dieting! This was all for nothing?"

The woman gestured around them. "What you see around you, this entire world is nothing more than virtual reality."

"So why do you look like that?"

"I had no choice," the girl responded sadly. "You teleported. You're a perfect reproduction. I was just a data ghost caught in the Wi-Fi and automatically uploaded."

"And it made you clever?"

"We're only strings of numbers in here. I think a decimal point may have shifted in my IQ."

Donna's heart broke for the poor woman. She was just a young girl and she had become a shell of her former self. The best part of it, though, was becoming more clever. But it was depressing. "If this is all a dream…whose dream is it?" she wondered.

"It's hard to see everything in the data core, even for me," the other woman replied. "But there is a word. Just one word. CAL."

Donna frowned. Why did that sound familiar? Wasn't that the name on the sign outside on the hospital lawn? She could have sworn she heard that before back at the Library as well. CAL…

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

River held the sonic screwdriver in her hand as she carefully scanned the edges of the circular area of light in the room they found, checking the shadows. She remembered Rose telling her about certain properties and settings prior to the moment she lent it to her. She wished that she'd be able to have her own since these were handy. It still felt strange. On a number of occasions when she would travel with them and her own husband, she would always take enjoyment at watching the Doctor and Rose acting like their usual giddy and loving selves—bouncing around the console with tremendous amounts of energy, laughing and giggling while sharing inside jokes or random tales of past adventures, teasing each other with their personal habits. But she was like a ghost to them.

Looking in their eyes she could see the older versions of them despite keeping the same young appearances. The years, the decades written below the surface, many more about to be piled on top of them. She could see their bright smiles behind the seriousness and confusion. She felt like if she were to wait a little longer she'd see them come out, the loving couple that she knew so well. They may have looked like them, but they had an extremely long wait until they'd meet her. And it hurt. Everything felt the same and different at once.

She recalled the Doctor's fury when she told him the part of his name she knew, a look that burned into her and made her relive a certain fear she's tried not to rehash on. It was the ancient and possessive kind, every century of time wrapped around him like a darkened cloak and violation of hearing something unexpected. His words still rang in her ears. He had every right to be upset. Rose was his bonded, his wife, the one true love and only person to cradle his hearts in her hands. She was the only person in the universe to possess the knowledge of his true name in Gallifreyan, as she should.

River only knew one part, and for good reason. She didn't mean to make both of them upset, but they were both smart. They know their love is eternal and would never falter or have anything interfere with what they had. They know how sacred their relationship is and always will be. But River so desperately wished she could let them know the true reason for why she knew the part. She never kept secrets from either of them and this was the biggest one she's had to keep to herself in so long, others paling in comparison.

She's refrained herself from trying to tap either of their minds today. Not only because it would freak them out and possibly spoil something more and lead them to not trust her, but it was too static-y. Being placed in the wrong point in a personal timeline was hard enough. She knew that, judging from a few stories from Rose, when they would run into the Doctor's past selves, they'd keep their wavelengths low before revealing them. And right now she's kept it to herself despite wanting to transfer feelings of trust into both of them. Maybe she should have done it in the beginning. She would have gained their trust earlier on. Maybe.

River chuckled quietly under her breath and turned the sonic off, staring at it. "It's funny…" she spoke softly. "I keep wishing the Doctor and Rose were here."

"The Doctor _is_ here, isn't he?" Anita said from behind her. "And Rose will be here shortly from wherever she ended up, he said so. They're coming back, right?"

She stood to her feet with a heavy sigh. "You know…when you see a photograph of someone you know, but it's from years before you knew them? Well, yes, the Doctor's here and Rose is on her way back. They're the same as I've grown to know them, the ones who took care of me. But…this is them _before_ they knew me." She smiled. "Nothing changed, though. The dynamic duo in all their glory, the Storm and the Wolf. They once said it was better with two, but sometimes others come along and make it a greater number. I've seen them give people _hope._ I've seen them do so many _impossible_ things. Two beings of Time—a Lord and a Goddess. The Doctor and Rose Tyler travelling across the stars in the TARDIS."

"Just as it should be." The Doctor's voice cut through the quietness of the room, making his presence known.

Everyone looked up at him at the top of the upper level before he came down the flight of stairs. River noted the lines that etched his face, signs of his old age becoming noticeable. He hopped over the bottom barricade and came over to the center of the light. His tension was palpable and made River feel uneasy. "Did you speak to Rose?" she asked him. "Is she coming?"

"She's working on it," he told her, his dark eyes burning before he moved over to Anita. "How are you doing?"

"Wait, where's Other Dave?"

"He's not coming," he ground out. "I'm sorry."

"Well, if they've taken him, why haven't they gotten me yet?" Anita asked.

He looked down and observed that she still had two shadows extending from her feet. "Maybe tinting your visor's making a difference."

"It's making a difference all right," the woman scoffed before joking lightly. "No one's ever going to see my face again. Anything you can do?"

"I'm all over it," he told her. He turned to walk away from the woman but she said his name again and he stayed.

"Doctor…Professor Song said how you and your wife were the stuff of legends and how you've inspired so many people into believing you. My life so far…I could do with some inspiration like that. Something to make me feel safe."

The Doctor admired the way this woman kept her optimism. These shadows were creeping, and with the sun going down and night fall coming there wasn't much time left to get everyone out safe and sound. Hopefully Rose could come through soon. There wasn't much time to—

Hold on. His eyes widened when realization dawned on him. "Safe…" he breathed out.

 _"Doctor,"_ Rose said, picking up on his thoughts. _"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"_

 _"Most likely."_

"What?" Anita asked, confused.

"Safe," he echoed out loud. "Saved. You don't say 'saved', nobody says 'saved'. Well, maybe a nutter would, but nobody really says that. The data fragment!" He whirled around to face Mr. Lux. "What did you message say?"

"'Four thousand and twenty-two people saved. No survivors,'" the man supplied.

 _"So it doesn't really mean they were saved in the **conventional** sense,"_ Rose drew out.

"Doctor, what are you getting at?" River asked.

"Don't you see?" he said, his brows raised as he paced with his hands running through his hair. "Nobody says 'saved', you'd say 'safe', as in safely back in their homes safe and sound. But we're in the middle of the largest data core in the universe. It didn't mean safe, it _literally_ meant saved!" He dashed over to one of the terminals. He began typing on the keyboard and brought up a digital image of the world. "See! Right there!" he exclaimed, gesturing at the screen. "A hundred years ago there was a massive power surge with all the teleports going at once. Soon as the Vashta Nerada hit their hatching cycle, they attack. Someone hits the alarm, the computer tries to teleport everyone out."

"It tried to teleport four thousand and twenty-two people?" River asked.

"It _succeeded_ ," he clarified. "They were all beamed out but then what? Nowhere to send them, nowhere safe in the whole Library with Vashta Nerada growing in every shadow. Four thousand and twenty-two people all beamed up and nowhere to go. They're stuck in the system, waiting to be sent like emails. So what's a computer to do? What does a computer always do?"

 _"Saved them,"_ Rose answered. He could feel her grin and he couldn't help but do the same.

"Exactly," he replied, noting the odd look Mr. Lux was giving him. "Ehm, it was my wife. Anyway, that's what it did. Here, have a look." He moved over to a nearby table and pushed aside the piles of books laying there. He pulled out a black permanent marker from his jacket and drew a large circle. "This is the Library. An entire world of books, and right at the core—" He drew a smaller circle in the center and colored it in. "—the biggest hard drive in history. The index to everything ever written, back-up copies of every single book. The computer saved four thousand and twenty-two people the only way a computer can." He placed an arrow pointing towards the colored circle and pocketed his marker. "It saved them to the hard drive."

 _"And that's where Donna's at,"_ Rose chimed in. _"When she was teleported to the TARDIS that moon interfered and saved her to the data core. That room that I saw her in, it was a digital world."_

 _"With the teleports still active and on emergency programs it recognized her during the process of being sent through,"_ he added. _"It got a hold of her and kept her in the system. And that's where you would be right now if the TARDIS didn't get a hold of you first and stop the process. The Library managed to grab you but the Old Girl pulled you in just in time and saved your form from becoming an e-mail."_

 _"Not saved in the literal sense, in my case."_

 _"Nope. Just…a somewhat complicated prevention."_

Suddenly an alarm began to sound in the room with red lights flashing. _"Doctor, what's going on?"_ Rose asked.

The Doctor hurried over to the terminal to check. Where the schematic of the world had been was replaced by a countdown. ** _"Autodestruct enabled in twenty minutes."_ **

"What's maximum erasure?" River asked.

"Twenty minutes," he replied. "Once that counts down this planet's gonna crack like an egg!"

 _"You can fix it, Doctor,"_ Rose told him. _"Try hacking the system."_

"It's alright," Mr. Lux spoke up. "The doctor moon will stop it. It's programmed to protect CAL."

 _"What the hell is this CAL?"_

 _"I've been trying to figure that out all—"_ He cut himself off when the terminal screen flickered then turned black. He smacked it, but nothing happened. "No, no, no!" He climbed up the wooden booth and ran the sonic around the back, trying to reactivate it.

 ** _"All Library systems are permanently offline,"_** the computer said, its voice warping. ** _"Sorry for any inconvenience. Shortly…"_**

The Doctor growled. "Bollocks!"

"We need to stop this, we've got to save CAL!" Mr. Lux cried frantically.

"And what _is_ that?" the Doctor demanded. "What's CAL?"

The man hesitated again. "We need to get to the main computer, I'll show you."

"It's at the core of the planet. There's no way we can turn back and head down there now!"

"Then let's take a shortcut," River said as she turned around and aimed the brass sonic at the circular panel in the center of the room. It separated and was replaced with a metal platform and a tall pillar of blue light climbing up to the ceiling. "Gravity platform should be helpful."

The Doctor stepped down from the wooden booth and walked towards the edge, his hands in his pocket. "Oh, you're good," he murmured.

"I have my share of moments."

He arched an eyebrow before each of them stepped onto the platform as it descended.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Rose felt the Doctor stretching downward through the wavelengths. He informed her that they were headed to the core of the planet and were taking a different route to since the corridors were darker. She was still able to make out the coordinates of his location so that when she finally managed to find a large enough gap she could break herself through. The TARDIS kept her in check if an opening was becoming wide for the reverse teleportation. In twenty minutes the whole planet could explode, but she knew her husband was going to stop it. As long as he didn't do anything daft while she wasn't there. Bad enough she felt her stomach drop along with him when he used those trap doors in the corridor and ended up climbing hundreds of floors up from the ground.

Her head began to swim again and she shook it, trying to get the cobwebs out and keep herself steady. Being in this form wasn't really comfortable. The warmness enveloping her from the TARDIS was relaxing, but this felt too weird. It made her think back to when…a certain someone became the ruler of the entire universe, back to when she had died and her consciousness was miraculously preserved and her spirit became the Bad Wolf. The memories were still vague to this day, not that they were any she wanted to rediscover, but she was thankful it wasn't like that again.

 _"Relax, my Wolf,"_ the TARDIS hummed. _"We are making progress with every minute."_

"Kinda wish it would work faster," Rose muttered.

 _"In its own time. I sense an opening manifesting itself nearby."_

Her brows raised and her body straightened up. "Great! How big is it? Not big enough to go through yet?"

 _"It looks to be approximately three point eight one centimeters wide."_

Rose frowned. That was far too small. "That's it?" she said incredulously. "Only that big?"

 _"At the moment, yes. But the energy's dispersing and separating gradually by ten point nine percent a minute. Meaning that you should be able to break through in about twelve minutes."_

"That seems too far away," she groaned. "I mean, I'm happy that there's finally a gap but why can't it open up all the way now."

 _"Patience,"_ the TARDIS hummed gently. _"It will open in its own time for you to come through. If it is not large enough for me that will be okay. As long as you and our Thief stop the program in time."_

Rose let out a deep breath and nodded. Twelve minutes running against a twenty minute countdown. There was still enough time for her to reverse the teleport and return to solid form, hopefully bring the TARDIS through, and stop the entire planet from cracking and save all of those people trapped in the system, including Donna.

Closing her eyes, she remained in her position and tracked down her husband. If she were about to return, she needed to make sure that she got his exact location. She felt a small shift in the wavelength that made her insides lock up before trembling. Something else was coming. Something neither she or the TARDIS could make out. It didn't seem like trouble, but hopefully whatever it was wouldn't interfere with her return.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

 _ **"Autodestruct in fifteen minutes."**_

The alarms blared throughout the corridors as the rest of the group made their way down to the main core. The Doctor began to feel at ease after Rose informed him that she would be coming in a number of minutes. He hoped she would be able to break out of the transparent state and reverse the teleport so she and the TARDIS could find him and the others. If they could just abort the self-destruction and save those four thousand plus people, including Donna, trapped into the system they could save this planet before anyone else dies. He wouldn't have another death here. No more.

Entering the main room, the crimson lights were dusky and dimming. They hurried down the walkway and came to a stop. A massive swirling ball of red energy crackled in a surrounding force field, glowing and pulsing like a heart. "The Data Core!" the Doctor proclaimed. "Four thousand living minds, trapped inside it."

"They won't be living much longer, we're running out of time," River said.

They dashed down a side corridor in search for another terminal. They came across a several grouped together, back-to-back. The Doctor wasted no time and whipped out his brainy specs as he began to hack into the computer. _**"Help me,"** _ came the sound of a girl's voice. ** _"Please, help me."_**

 _"What was that?"_ Rose asked. _"It sounded like a kid."_

 _"Hold on, lemme check something."_ He began to push keys on the keyboard but nothing happened. "Computer's in sleep mode, I can't wake it up." He continued to fiddle with the keys, pressing them hard and fast.

"Doctor, these readings…" River said on the other side of the terminals as she checked an opposite one. "It's almost like it's…dreaming."

"It _is_ dreaming," Mr. Lux said from the side. "Of a normal life, and a lovely Dad, and of every book ever written."

"Computers don't dream," Anita pointed out.

 ** _"Help me,"_** the girl's voice said. **_"Please help me."_**

"No. But little girls do."

The older man pulled a lever, opening a side door. The others watched curiously before following him. There was a hidden room littered with wires and statues. One of them turned around and they noticed that its face was that of the young girl's from earlier when they made contact. **_"Please help me,"_ ** the girl pleaded. ** _"Please help me."_**

 _"It's that girl!"_ Rose came into the Doctor's mind.

"Oh, my God!" River gasped.

"It's the little girl we saw in the computer," Anita pointed out.

"She's not in the computer," Mr. Lux clarified. "In a way, she _is_ the computer. The main command node. This is CAL."

 _"She said it was her library,"_ Rose reminded, sounding disheartened.

"CAL is a _child_?" the Doctor said incredulously. If he had known this information earlier then none of this probably would've happened. Rose and Donna wouldn't have been teleported out and the others in the group wouldn't have died. He turned to the older man. "A child hooked up to a mainframe? Why didn't you tell me this earlier? I needed to know this!"

"Because she's family!" Mr. Lux yelled defensively before lowering his voice. "CAL: Charlotte Abigail Lux. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying. So he built her a library, and put her living mind inside with a moon to watch over her and all of human history to pass the time—any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books more than anything. He gave her them all." He approached the statue and gently stroked the girl's cheek. "He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show."

"So you weren't protecting a patent," the Doctor said softly. "You were protecting _her_."

"This is only half a life, of course," Mr. Lux responded. "But it's forever."

He felt Rose in her mind, feeling her sympathy for the man and the child. Though he was frustrated with the other man for not disclosing this information he understood him. Protecting the ones you love and doing all you could to make them safe. He and his wife knew that firsthand. "And then the shadows came," the Doctor said.

 ** _"Shadows,"_ ** the girl said. _**"I have to…I have to save. Have to save…"**_

"And she saved them. She saved everyone in the Library, folded them into her dreams and kept them safe."

"Then why didn't she tell us?" Anita asked.

"Because she's forgotten," the Doctor answered before Mr. Lux could. "She's got over four thousand living minds chatting away inside her head, that's never something pleasant to deal with. So much to hold."

"So what do we do?" River asked.

 ** _"Autodestruct in ten minutes."_**

"Easy!" the Doctor exclaimed as he ran over to one of the computer terminals and typed on the keyboard. "We beam all the people out of the data core, the computer will reset and stop the countdown." He stopped with a frown at what's was shown on the screen, one of his hands running through his hair. "Oh…difficult. Charlotte doesn't have enough memory space left to make the transfer."

An idea came to him and he knew his wife would definitely not approve. But it was the only thing to do. His eyes moved over to the side where various pieces of the computer equipment scattered around the floor and hooked into the panels. Biting the inside of his cheek he dashed over and began pulling apart some wires.

"What are you doing?" River asked.

"Hopefully something clever!" he answered.

 _"Doctor,"_ came Rose's firm voice. She was catching onto him, much like he expected. _"What's your plan?"_

 _"Trust me, it's okay,"_ he assured. _"It'll work."_

 _"If this is another one of your daft ideas—"_

 _"Rose, please."_

 _"What're you gonna do?"_

He answered it verbally, but sent it to his wife as well, knowing what her reaction would be but he didn't have too much time to explain. "This little girl needs a little boost of memory space, so I'll just hook myself up to the computer and let her borrow some of mine."

 _"Don't you **dare**!"_ Rose hollered at the same time River cried, "What?!" He winced at both women's response, but continued to bring out the necessary parts.

"That'll kill you stone _dead_!" River added, coming up to him. "It could burn both your hearts out and you wouldn't even _regenerate_!"

 _"Doctor, **don't** you dare try it,"_ Rose warned, her voice dangerous. _"You're not gonna just go and fry your brain! What the hell's the matter with you?"_

"I've got the best chance of surviving," he reasoned.

"All those times with you bragging about your superior physiology, there's no way even _you'd_ make it through that!" River told him.

"It's only a small _fraction_ that I'm offering her to take, nothing too severe to cause a regeneration," he stressed to both women.

Rose snorted mirthlessly. _"You got no chance at all 'cause I'm **not** letting you go **through** with it!"_

 _"Rose, please—"_

 _"No."_ He could feel her glare burning through his mind.

 _"I'm serious about this."_

 _"And so am I."_

 _"There's no time for us to argue about this, we're running out of time!"_

 _"Then 'm gonna force my way through just to knock some sense into you."_

 _"No, Rose, the gap isn't large enough. It wouldn't work."_

 _"Don't care, I'll rip through a bloody concrete wall if it means I have to save you from killing yourself!"_

 _"It won't kill me!"_ The Doctor growled out of frustration and threw a wire to the ground. He appreciated having his wife looking out for him like she always did, even if she wasn't close by him, he'd always be grateful and admire her for that. But the clock was counting down and over four thousand people needed to taken out of the system. He could help them.

"Doctor, you'd better think of something else," River said.

"There's nothing else I can do," he told her. "It's the only way to save them."

"You know what it's like to have minds chattering around in your head, just listen to the main one! You know Rose would never let you go through with this!"

"She's still scolding me as we speak, but if it's to save lives then I'm going to do it! Now listen, you and Luxy-boy, back up to the main Library. Prime any data cells you can find for maximum download."

"Your wife's gonna sock you the moment she comes back," River told him pointedly.

"Yeah, I know she will, but as long as she's safe by the time she gets back and everything's fixed then I'll take it willingly," he replied as he moved over to the terminal and began to type, inwardly wincing at the various curses Rose was sending him through their bond.

"What makes you think that it'll work out that way?" River asked, exasperated. "Just because you're a Time Lord doesn't mean you know everything."

He whirled around to face her, his tone along with his features like steel. "I'm the Doctor," he ground out. "And if I say that it's going to work, then it will. When it comes to the lives of others, it _will._ And before you say anything else, Professor, can I just mention in passing as your air, to shut up!"

She was taken aback and huffed. "Oh, I hate you sometimes!"

"That happens!" he said as he returned his attention to the terminal.

"Mr. Lux, with me!" River directed. "Anita, stay with him. If he dies, I'll kill him before Rose has a chance!"

The two of them ran off, leaving the Doctor to continue working frantically on the computer terminal. As his fingers breezed over the keys his wife wasn't letting up as she continued to scold him through their link.

 _"You better have another plan,"_ she told him.

 _"I don't,"_ he replied.

 _"Tough. You_ _usually say you're brilliant at coming up with some, so come up with another! One that doesn't involve your **mad** sacrificial tendencies!"_

 _"Rose, listen to me, it's **fine.** I **promise.** If I were to let the system borrow my **entire** memory then yes, there would be a higher chance that I would die without regenerating. But I'm only giving away a **small** amount, nothing fatal."_

 _"Then let me help you. Let me give some of mine away for space."_

 _"Rose—"_

 _"No, if you're just lettin' some of yours go then you're not doing it by yourself. I have a few minutes until I can come through properly, I'll hook myself in—"_

 _"Don't, Rose,"_ he cut in firmly before making himself calmer. _"It'll hurt."_

 _"So? What difference does that make? I can take it, I've suffered through pain before."_

 _"Please, love, just let me do this. Just focus on the wavelength. Even if you don't bring the TARDIS with you, just make sure you're careful for when you come through. And if you find me hooked into the system, just leave me go."_

Rose guffawed. _"Like bloody hell I will!"_

 _"Just…just come as soon as you can. Wait until the time's right and you can reverse the teleport. Trust me, Rose. That's all I want you to do, just trust me."_

 _"I do trust you. I don't want you hurting yourself when I'm not there to help you."_

He sighed. _"I know. I'll be fine, Rose, I promise. I'll see you soon."_

 _"Not if I see you first,"_ she replied. _"I love you."_

 _"Love you too."_

She remained there, but stayed quiet so he sent her reassuring waves to calm her down. He knew the TARDIS would add onto the sensations and, knowing his precious ship like he did, She was comforting Rose the whole time since he sent her away. Once this was all over he needed to prepare himself for serious rounds of scolding from his two beloved girls.

"What about the Vashta Nerada?" Anita asked from behind.

"These are their forests," he replied as he dashed over to the side and opened the control panel to flick some switches before running back to the other side and running his sonic over wires. "I'm gonna seal Charlotte inside her little world and take everybody else away. The shadows can swarm to their hearts' content."

"So you think they're just gonna let us go?"

"Best offer they're gonna get."

"You're gonna make 'em an offer?"

The Doctor nodded once and shut his sonic off. "They'd better take it 'cause right now, I'm finding it _very_ hard to make any kind of offer at all." He walked back over to the terminal and paused with his hands on the edge. He faced the woman, his stare as hard as his voice. "I really liked Anita. She was brave even when she was crying, and she never gave in. And you _ate_ her." He brought the sonic up and waved it, causing the darkened visor to be transparent again and revealing the skeleton staring at him with empty eye sockets. "But I'm gonna let that pass just as long as you let _them_ pass."

"How long have you known?" the swarm asked in a deeper tone.

"I counted the shadows," he replied, approaching the creature. "You only have one now." His eyes moved over to the neural relay attached to the suit's collar. The green lights were almost faded out. "She's nearly gone," he said softly. "Be kind."

"These are our forests," the creature said. "We are not kind."

His face hardened again and he curled his lip in disgust as he moved back towards the terminal. "I'm giving you back your forests, but you are letting every one of those people go."

"These are our forests," the swarm repeated. "They are our meat."

With his peripheral vision the Doctor was able to notice the multiple shadows stretching from the creature's feet, growing closer in his direction. But it barely showed any concern to him. He just stood there, insouciant. If this was an attempt to try intimidating him, it wasn't doing much. If anything, it only made him even angrier. It was testing him. Trying to get under his skin even more. He wasn't afraid. He turned around to face the creature fully, the mask of the Oncoming Storm.

"Don't play games with me," he said, his voice dangerous. "You just killed someone I liked, that is not a safe place to stand. I'm the Doctor and you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

The swarm paused and the shadows stopped crawling towards him. The Doctor kept his eyes locked onto the skeleton, his glare burning through the visor and straight into the creature. After a moment the shadows withdrew.

"You have one day," the swarm told him before collapsing to the ground, abandoning the suit.

His jaw stiffened as he turned back to his work. Over four thousand people had to be evacuated as soon as possible and there wasn't much time left. He needed to offer the small bit of memory space now. He felt Rose's concern through their bond and he sent her a reassuring wave, letting her know that he was fine. By the time she would come he would be done with the process and everything else would go along smoothly.

"Anita!" River cried as she made her way back into the room.

"I'm sorry, she's been dead for a while now," he told her grimly before turning to her with an indignant look. "I told you to go!"

"Lux can manage without me," she said. "Let me help you."

The Doctor made a frustrated noise and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't feel like dealing with this woman. "I said that I can do this on my own, so let me."

"When Rose comes back and sees you strapped into that computer—"

"I know, she'll smack me for doing something sacrificial," he snapped. "It's happened before, I know. I'll deserve it. The second she comes back I know she'll want to take my place, and I won't let that happen. It's got to be me."

"I can't let you," River told him firmly. "I'm sorry, Doctor, but you've had this coming, whether it came from me or your wife."

He turned to face her with narrowed eyes when she moved to stand beside him. He was about to tell her off again, but was cut off by a hard hit against his jaw that knocked him out, sending him to the floor.

* * *

 **Some wibbly-wobbly stuff coming up in the next chapter.**


	41. Forest of the Dead Part 4

**A/N** **: New cover.**

 **To all my French followers I give you sincere condolences and hope that you and your families and friends are doing okay after the shock from last Friday. I already sent some of you personal messages of support, but to those I haven't just know you're also in my thoughts. Stay safe, my dears. And stay strong. *hugs***

 **As always, much love and many thanks to every one of you viewers. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 39: Forest of the Dead Part 4**_

 _"Doctor?"_ Rose asked frantically. _"Doctor, what happened?"_

Trying to tap onto his mind, she was met with a buzz, the kind that felt like he was asleep. She began to worry if something bad happened to him. She cursed a few times. She didn't care how much memory space he said he was going to give. If this process was dangerous and could lead to his possible death then she was going to stop it. Bloody thick-headed git. How many times would she have to smack him to get it through that brain of his that he needed to put a stop to his over-the-top votive methods? Obviously not enough. He was still alive, thankfully. But the moment she came back he was as good as dead. Or regenerated, whichever.

The gap was just about open and she was about to come through when she heard the TARDIS humming around her. _"Be careful, my Wolf. I sense another shift in the timeline."_

"Oh, great," Rose muttered. "It's not gonna prevent me from breaking through, is it?"

 _"No, it will not. But you must be aware of what might be coming through."_

Her stomach twisted in knots. "What d'you think it is? Is it trouble?"

 _"No. It is something emanating certain wavelengths, ones that are placing up their walls in an attempt to stop me from tracking."_

"What? How's that possible?"

 _"They must be from your future as well as the Curly One and do not wish to be recognized. But it is safe, that much is able to be seen."_

Well, that was helpful. Something or someone was making their way into the Library. As if they needed _more_ people crossing into the timeline. Not if she got there first and helped out her husband with the computer system. Suddenly Rose felt her body shake before a white light engulfed her, the light weight becoming heavier as she felt herself descending.

 _"Relax, my Wolf,"_ the TARDIS hummed gently. _"The gap is opening and you can ease through. Just follow the wavelength and the teleport will be reversed and you will be with our Thief."_

"'Bout time," Rose snorted. "Thanks, Old Girl. Remember that when this is all done and over with that we've got some serious reprimanding to do to that daft old alien."

The ship chuckled at that before Rose felt herself flying through the air and landing on a solid ground. It took her a moment to regain her composure when the world around her began to spin, but when she recovered she opened her eyes to find herself back in the Library. This was the correct point where the Doctor was after tracking down his coordinates from his sonic screwdriver. He was close by, she could sense him.

"Doctor!" she called out, looking around the area. He was still asleep.

She began to run across the room before finding an open door leading to a secret room. There was a Node standing tall with the little girl's face on it. She observed it and her heart went out to her. The poor little child was hooked into the computer and managed to save over four thousand lives into the hard drive. That was amazing. But there wasn't much time when she heard the automated voice alerting that there was about five minutes left until the self-destruct was activated.

Rose followed the wave from her husband's mind and ran around the side and came across a terminal room. The sound of something clicking and wires sparking got her attention and she took off in its direction. By some chance maybe she caught the Doctor before he could perform the process by himself. Even if it were against what he said she was about to hook herself into the system along with him. She came to a room fully prepared to fight with her husband, but came to a stop when she noticed his unconscious body on the ground. River was standing over him and handcuffed him to a pillar and had his sonic screwdriver in her hand, locking the cuffs.

"What the hell are you doin'?!" Rose yelled.

"Welcome back, petals," the other woman said, glancing up with a smile. "It's about time you made your way back here. This one," she nodded at the Doctor, "is more than a handful to deal with. I honestly don't know how you've put up with him all these years. Don't you hate it when he always does these things?"

"Every time. He needs a steady reminder every so often that he's not invincible. But putting that aside, what are you _doing_?"

"Sorry. I had to knock him out. I knew you'd get him the second you came back, but I had to stop him." River paused for a moment. "If he went through with this and hooked himself up to the computer it would still fry his brain. Small amount of space or not he wouldn't make it out of this in one piece."

"So just let me do it," Rose said quickly, walking up to the console but River grabbed her by the arm.

"You won't have a chance of surviving either," the other woman told her firmly.

"What, like _you_ would?" Rose challenged, tugging her arm away. "Why are you doing this?"

River smiled sadly and it reached her eyes. "Let's just say that you and your husband have saved my life so many times and I'm returning the favor once again."

Rose studied the other woman carefully. Her gut was twitching again. She couldn't give a good description of what it was she was feeling. She felt that she could trust this woman, not only by what the TARDIS told her and what the Doctor said despite his edginess, but…in a way she felt connected to her.

"The Doctor told me you know a part of his name," she said shakily. "Nobody's meant to know that."

"There's other ways besides a Time Lord's wife," River said. "Well…"

"This isn't funny!"

"I promise you, we're all close in the future. The Doctor, you, me…we're close. We're friends. We're…"

"Okay, and if that's the case and you know us so well you'd know we'd never let another person let themselves willingly die. Just let me take care of the computer transference."

"No! Rose, you can't! I know you mean to help out, you're considerate that way, but I'm the one who has to do this, please."

"'Scuse me, but I can handle myself just fine!" Rose snapped. "I didn't just spend God knows how long in a transparent state in the TARDIS just to come back and not do anything to help! Now just shift and—"

Her words came to a sudden stop when River raised her hands up to Rose's temples and closed her eyes. Another moment later, the blonde fell asleep. River carefully placed her down beside the Doctor and handcuffed her to the pillar with him. She honestly didn't want to resort to this level, but knowing how uncompromising both of them could be, it was the only way. She never practiced the sleeping method since her mind wasn't as strong as theirs. Hopefully they'd remain asleep by the time she finished up the process. River set the Doctor's screwdriver as well as Rose's future one on the side on top of her diary before moving over to the pile of wires. She began to assemble them together into a metal headband. As she worked, an odd sense of calmness settled inside of her.

She knew she wouldn't have a chance of surviving this, but if the Doctor or Rose went ahead with this they'd both die, even if it were only a small amount of space they would be giving. Electricity shooting through brains, even advanced ones, was fatal. And yet…River wasn't afraid. If the married couple did it, then the results would be catastrophic and heartbreaking for her. The last thing she'd ever want to witness was two of the most special people to ever come into her life being taken away from her. But it wasn't just the personal loss that would destroy her. It would be everything around them. There were fixed points in time that have yet to be fulfilled in their life—ones that had already begun, little did they know. She's heard stories of what would happen when one was tampered with and knew the consequences of altering one.

Like she imagined, neither the Doctor or Rose would be thrilled about her plan to be the sacrifice. She was saving them from destroying themselves and from putting the universe in more peril. Not that it was their fault, what they were doing was far from out of the ordinary. But they've saved her so many times in so many ways and she would do all she could to make sure she would keep them safe. It was the least she could do for them after all they've done for her. It was strange being in the wrong point in a timeline. Never did this happen to her before. She needed to be more cautious whenever she'd send out her messages.

She thought about her husband and wondered what he was doing back in their present time, wondered if he were wandering around in hopes of finding something interesting to do until she came back to him. This entire time she's known them, they've known that she would cross the timeline and meet their younger selves before everything. They've been keeping it secret from her for years and her own husband had to have been on it too judging by his reaction to learning about her next expedition. She should've known. It all made sense. He didn't want her to go because he knew she would die, and the worst part was that he couldn't even tell her. He's been keeping that dark secret to himself for years,letting it eat away at him and dread the day that she would leave for this expedition.

River's eyes welled up as she prepared herself in the seat hooked into the wall. She blinked away tears as she fiddled with the wires. It wasn't his fault, though. Not his, not the Doctor's, not Rose's. None of them. Taking a deep breath, she continued to work on the wires until she felt something in her mind. It was…no, wait a minute it couldn't be.

"But it is," came a voice before a figure materialized before her. "Hey, curls, you miss me?"

River gasped and nearly dropped the headband at the sight of her husband. _Her husband._ She breathed out his name in shock. "What the hell are you _doing_ here? How did you even _get_ here?"

"Space hopper," he replied, indicating the device strapped on his wrist. "The only way I could come, really. The ride was rough, but it's always exciting going through with it."

"Where'd you get that?"

"Oh, it was a wedding present from Captain Jack. Or…actually, it might just be his spare that he lent me just for this one use. I don't really know, I didn't have time to ask before I took it."

"Do you _realize_ how harebrained this is?" she whispered harshly, trying not to wake up the Doctor and Rose from their knockouts. "Have you lost your mind? I mean, I've seen you do some of the most impossible albeit insane things over the years, but this? It's…it's so irresponsible! The timeline—"

"River, it's fine," he stressed. "Believe me, everything's completely under control. Where's D—" He froze and whirled around to find the couple laying on the ground unconscious. "Oh, God, what happened?" he asked frantically, hurrying over to them and crouching down beside them. He reached his hands out and gently placed one on each of their arms. "Are they okay?"

"Sorry, sweetie, I had to knock them out," River informed him regretfully. "The Doctor was about to hook himself into the system and Rose was…well, you know. He sent her away and she was stuck in the TARDIS in some kind of state until she broke out and reversed the teleport."

"Again?" he asked incredulously. "You'd think he'd learn from all the smacks she's given him."

"That's exactly what she said. But she was about to key herself into the system as well and I knocked her out as well."

Her husband swallowed hard as he studied them. "Bedtime method, I hope?" he asked.

"More or less," River told him. "You never answered my question from earlier. Why are you here?"

"'Cause I'm saving you before you kill yourself," he told her firmly as he straightened up and faced her again.

"There's nothing you can do. I have to be the one to do this."

"River, no—"

"None of the others have a chance of surviving, and neither have I. But that's…that's how it has to be."

"No, it doesn't—"

"You knew all this time, didn't you?" she cut in sadly, stopping a few tears from falling with her dignity. He ducked his head down. "You knew one day I would accidentally cross the timelines." She didn't sound accusatory because she knew it wasn't his fault. "From the first day we met…from our first adventure together…from the very first time we…" Her voice cracked from the thick emotions building up inside of her.

"Not right away, I didn't," he whispered. "Not on the very first day we met."

"But you knew later on."

"Doesn't matter now," he choked out as he stepped up to her with determined eyes. "You're not gonna die, I'll be damned if I let that happen."

"But you can't change this from happening!"

"Theoretically, we've already been through this and found a way, so the events can still play out the way you'd imagine but there's a key to all this where you _won't_ die."

River frowned. She hoped he wasn't losing his mind. "How's that possible?" she asked.

"Your necklace," he stated.

"I don't understand. The necklace?"

"And the screwdriver."

"What?"

"The necklace and the screwdriver," he repeated, as if it were obvious and she understood what the hell he was saying.

"You're not making any sense!" she cried. "I'm used to that, but what are trying to tell me?"

"Oh, brother," he murmured, rubbing his forehead before placing his hands on her arms. "Listen to me, you have to trust me, okay? That's all I want you to do. You _really_ have to with this 'cause this tops the other times by a long shot."

Her nod was tight, but nothing was clicking in her mind. "Do they even know about this? 'Cause you know how much trouble you'd be in for if they didn't know you—"

"Calm down, they're aware of what's going on," he cut in quickly. "I called them after you left. We were all in the TARDIS when I took off. And, as you could imagine, I was criticized for using a space hopper," he added, pulling a pout.

"They said nothing about you crossing the timelines and coming into their past?"

"They gave their usual lectures about being careful, not that I really needed them since I know how dangerous this is, but they know I'm here. In fact, they helped me come up with the plan to save you. Or at least going from what they learn eventually. It's all wibbly-wobbly."

"How did you even find me?" River asked. "How could you track my coordinates when in the wrong point in the timeline? Communication via the vortex is complicated enough, I'd expect locking down on someone's location and getting the exact place would be even harder."

He chuckled. "It actually wasn't as hard as you'd think. You know what they say: there's tricks in every trade and that includes the cheap ones that can easily be made."

"And who said that?"

"A wise old man."

"It was the Doctor, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," he admitted with a smile. "But that's the thing, River, don't you see? There's established Laws of Time that should _never_ be messed with and can't be tampered with or else the universe turns into a bowl of noodles, but, in the midst of the order, are little outliers. Tokens, even. Something shiny to be hidden under the radar that won't put half a dent in the screen."

River furrowed her brows in confusion. He was trying to make a direct point, but with his usual choice of words it was like thinking outside the box. He was known for his little riddles and brain teasers. "So…what you're saying is that…you'd be able to track me down if I had an object that wouldn't affect the order of time," she said, uncertain. He nodded. "But what object do I—" She paused and her eyes widened, much like the smile did on her husband's face. "Rose's screwdriver!"

"Exactly!" he exclaimed. "The tracker's already programmed into it and connected to the TARDIS. This whole time we've been waiting for the perfect time to when you'd make it to the control room and work on the computer download. Good thing too, the last thing we'd need is for me to be seen by the lovebirds."

"We've nearly caught them in worse situations. Especially you."

He sucked in a breath and looked embarrassed. "Not that I'd like to think about that. But back to the current dilemma. There's about…what, seven minutes until the countdown ends, yeah?"

"I-I think so," River said shakily.

Her husband nodded once. "Just enough time, then. I got here on good timing. Not much of a shock. Anyway, just hook yourself in and wait near the end for a clean download."

"But…it's gonna _kill_ me," she whispered, her voice remaining even but a single tear went down her cheek.

"No, it's not," he said gently as he brought a hand up to wipe it away. "Remember how you would always knock the lot of inventions I've made with…the Doctor?" She smiled and he offered her a lopsided one. "Well, I'm about to prove to you how brilliant we are when we put our minds together."

"Why? What did you do?"

"You know the necklace I gave you this morning? I told you it was so much more than an average one."

"Yeah, that belittles the others."

"Oh, contraire. Notice anything different about it? Maybe some kind of warmth? Or should I say…static?" River's eyes widened. "It's a power outlet," he explained, backing away to look around them. He bent down and picked up Rose's future screwdriver. "A back-up receptacle to transfer the power of the computer through to you and back into the TARDIS and then back into the computer."

She frowned. "So what does that mean? What's it really do?"

"The moment you plug in the power cables the necklace will activate and replace your memory with an extra memory boost, thereby preventing you from using your own and frying! Isn't that great? Top notch!"

"Woah," she cut in, noting the automated alert saying there was a five minute warning. She brushed her fingers over the accessory around her neck. "This necklace is like-like a conductor?"

"Yes!"

"And when I activate the process of giving my memory into the data base, I won't actually be giving mine away?"

He was beaming like an excited little kid. "Spot on!"

"But if it's a replacement memory boost, whose is it?"

"Technically it's a power source coming straight out of the TARDIS Herself," he said with a proud smile before pulling out an identical one from his pocket and running over to the control panel. "Thing is, even if it's a small amount someone's willing to donate, no living being could survive a transfer that massive when tied into a planet-sized hard drive. Unless it was Captain Jack, of course. He's the only exception. But he was busy with his own things leading us to resort to the Old Girl. Although we managed to get some extra space from him a while back."

River gaped and she said his name with incredulity.

"Relax, he gave his consent to do so. 'S not like we attached electroids to his head when he was asleep. No, he let it go willingly. Just an extra batch to provide enough space for upcoming generations." He attached the second necklace into the circuitry then ran the sonic over it. "All ready!"

River shook her head. Her nerves were steeling from her husband's confidence in his creation, but she still felt uneasy. Sometimes plans didn't follow through all the way. If this went awry…then what? She needed to tell him. She said his name again and he turned back to her with a curious look. "If…" she began. "If this doesn't work—"

"It _will_ ," he said, his voice both firm and soft.

"But every plan has flaws, even small ones."

Her husband closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. "I've been working up a plan to save you for years, River. _Years. All_ of us have. It's gonna work, I promise you."

He held out a closed fist and extended his pinky. River smiled warmly at him before doing the same and entwining their fingers together. Any and all doubts that were lingering inside of her soon vanished. She always believed in her husband as much as the Doctor and Rose, and she trusted them all with her life.

"Now, just remain calm. Once the process begins you'll get a little lightheaded, but it's nothing serious. The TARDIS will protect you and you'll be sent back to our time through the built-in teleport."

"Got it."

"One more thing," he continued. "Don't spoil anything to them. They can't know about the outlet. At least not so soon. The only thing they'll notice is this." He reached over and attached the brass sonic to her hip where the sonic blaster was. "By seeing that at least they'll know a partial reasoning for why they gave it to you. Everything else will come in its own time afterwards."

She looked past his shoulder. "I think they're about to wake up."

"It's time." He gave her a sweet kiss to the lips. "I'll keep the tea hot for you."

River chuckled and tapped his nose. "Hope so. I'll see you in a bit."

He threw her a wink. "You better." Bringing his wrist back up, he plugged in coordinates in the vortex manipulator. He dropped his opposite hand and kept his eyes locked on hers and gave her a brief confident smile before pressing a button and disappearing.

 _ **"Autodestruct in two minutes,"** _ the computer voice intoned.

River paid close attention to the alert and quickly plugged in the remaining wires into the headband. She saw movement off to the side and knew the Doctor and Rose would be regaining consciousness. Glancing up briefly, she saw the latter waking up with a groan. Her eyes were closed as she rubbed her temple with her free hand.

"Morning, petals," River said to her. "I was expecting your better half to wake up first, what with you and your sleeping habits."

"Stop!" Rose yelled. "What are you doing?" The other woman made a move to get up, but she sank back down to her knees with her eyes shut and her hand on her temple, the handcuffs adding to the prevention of interference. "What the hell?"

"Sorry. I'm still practicing the bedtime method. Just don't try getting up, Rose, please. Not that you'd have a chance to anyway."

"I can help," she said quickly. "I can do this instead!"

"If either you or the Doctor were to do this it would only lead to more trouble! There's fixed points in time ahead for you in your personal futures. Going through with the process would only create problems, and it wouldn't just be Reapers. It would be _worse_."

Rose froze for a second. "But…" she said quietly. "You could be someone…"

"I _am_ someone special to both of you," River replied warmly. "One day I will be. But it's okay. It has to be this way."

Rose was shaking her head from the rush before a rustling sound came from beside her. The Doctor began to stir and maneuvered himself to lay on his stomach with a grunt. "Rose?" he choked out. "You're back! Are you alright?"

"I feel like my head's in a washing machine," she answered.

"Reverse teleportation, that happens."

"No, I was fine with that. River got to me."

"What?" When his eyes opened and realized what was going on he immediately raised himself up more. "River!" he barked. "Get out of there!"

"Oh?" River replied with a chuckle before turning to Rose. "Men, am I right? Sometimes they just don't know what a woman's capable of doing."

Rose snorted. "Tell me about it," she murmured, dropping her hand from her temple.

"What did you do to my wife?" the Doctor demanded. "Why are you doing this?" He made a move to come closer, but noticed that both he and Rose were cuffed to the pillar. He tugged at them. "What the hell? Why are we handcuffed? Why do you even _have_ handcuffs?"

"Never know when they could come in handy," River replied casually.

He growled something out in Gallifreyan and reached into his pocket in search for his sonic. He cursed when he noticed it laying down on the TARDIS-shaped journal by River's feet. He tried reaching over to grab it, but it was too far away. "Rose, you've got your sonic," he said to his wife. "Use it and release us."

"Why, so you can kill yourself?" she retorted with a scoff. "Not bloody likely."

"I'd have the best chance of surviving!"

"Like I wouldn't have one either? You'd expect me to just sit around watching you walk to your permanent _death_? Ha, don't think so! You're not _indestructible_ like you think you are, and you're not the only one who can save the world!"

"I'm not letting you anywhere near the system to get yourself killed! Neither of you would have a chance—"

"You wouldn't have one either!" River spoke up harshly, breaking up the married couple's bickering. She looked over at the clock on the panel. "I'm timing it for the end of the countdown. There'll be a blip in the command flow. That way it should improve our chances of a clean download."

"Don't do this!" the Doctor yelled.

"I just told your wife that there's fixed points ahead," she told him as she put on the headband. "You can't change any of this from happening. It has to play out this way."

Both he and Rose remained frozen in place on the ground, watching almost helplessly. She chuckled through her nose and kept her voice even with a small smile. She wasn't dying, hopefully, but they didn't know that yet.

"Funny thing is," River began. "This means you two've always known how this was going to happen. Somewhere in the back of your minds, you knew I was coming here one day. The last time I saw you, you turned up on my doorstep." She turned to the Doctor. "You had that haircut that you begged Rose to give you and another new suit along with that Santa hat." She turned to Rose. "You were wearing that silly jumper that he bought for you and that elf hat. You took us all to Noel for Christmas and it was such a beautiful day." She chuckled. "Doctor, you drank so much hot chocolate that Rose had to keep you from bouncing off the walls. We all stood outside to watch the tree lighting and sang along to the songs."

 _ **"Autodestuct in one minute."**_

"The next day," she continued, staring back at the blonde, "when you came to visit, you gave me your screwdriver. I never realized what that meant. I thought it was just a Christmas gift, but it wasn't. I knew how much kinder you were than your husband, but never knew why you gave it to me. But I do now." The couple shook their heads, unable to say anything. Rose was on the verge of tears and that pained River. "Hey, it's okay," she told them softly. "This isn't the end. You've got a lot of stuff coming your way. Just watch out for the darkness and shine through it like you always do. And, it's like I've told both of you, about knowing the part of your name, Doctor—I never got it from you."

"Then…" Rose said slowly. "Did-did you get it from me? I don't think I'd ever repeat it."

"No, Rose. You didn't say it either."

 _ **"…nine, eight…"**_

"But who told you that?" the Doctor asked quietly. "The only other person who knows that is Rose. She's my wife. You know a part, but how? Who gave it to you?"

 _ **"…five, four…"**_

River smiled warmly at both of them. "Spoilers."

 ** _"…three, two, one…"_**

With a confident smile and a deep breath, she plugged both cables together causing a sharp shock to shoot through her system. A bright white light encased her, nearly blinding her. The last thing she saw was the Doctor and Rose gripping each other's free hands and drew each other close to shield themselves from the light. And then just like that she was gone and she felt herself flying.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Donna was sitting on the stairs of her home lost in her thoughts. Her children were gone, just disappeared from her sight. She looked everywhere around the house but they were nowhere to be seen. They vanished. Every time she held their hands and put them to bed and read them a story, they felt real, all of this did. But this wasn't her reality; it was fantasy. Her real life was nothing like this. The Doctor and Rose Tyler were real. The wonderful dreams she's been having were real. Her husband and children and this house—they were not. How could she believe this was real?

The front door burst open and Lee came inside. "Donna, what's happening?" he asked frantically.

"I don't know, but it's not real!" she cried as she stepped down from the stairs and he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Nothing here is real. The whole world, everything—none of it's real!"

He stared at her, not believing her words. "Am I real?" he asked.

Donna blinked and noticed the world around them dissolving and turning white. She took one look into the man's eyes and felt herself shed a tear. There was no way this man was fake. Everything around them was but… _he_ couldn't be, could he? She raised her hands to touch his face.

"Of course you're real," she told him, though inside she didn't truly feel certain about it. The light around them was getting stronger and they began to drift apart. He reached a hand out to her but she couldn't grab it. Then he vanished in the white light.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The Doctor and Rose remained in their spots on the ground, still handcuffed together as they kept their eyes locked on the chair where River had been. Their free hands were still clasped in each other's, offering gentle squeezes. That woman would be someone close to them in some way. It wasn't hard to see how much she knew them in the future. She was like them—willing to throw themselves out there as a sacrifice when given the opportunity when the universe was at stake. River Song was an enigma, a mystery they wouldn't be able to solve until later on.

Rose's head was still swimming after the rush of being teleported back from the TARDIS and being temporarily knocked out telepathically, but she was recovering. No wonder why she felt like she had a stone settling in her gut. Every event was fixed and there were other points to come for them. One thing that was unnerving was a brief mentioning of darkness. What darkness? She turned to her husband, noting the ancient lines of his face deepening. Another person close to them—or _will_ be close to them at one point—was gone. The waves of guilt were so thick that she didn't even have to tap his mind to label them. It was palpable and self-explanatory. She squeezed his hand again and he sighed.

"What did she mean when she said darkness?" Rose asked him.

"I don't know," he muttered.

"Who do you think she'll be to us?"

"We'll find out one day. I wish I could find you a direct answer, but I've only got more questions." He turned to her. "How are you feeling? Still dizzy?"

"Not as bad, 'm better now. She put me to sleep."

He frowned, concerned. "What d'you mean, what'd she do to you?"

"She didn't violate my mind if that's what you're thinking," she assured him. "She just…did some kinda trick to make me sleep just so I wouldn't hook myself into the system."

"Well, we should be thankful for that," he murmured.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "'Scuse me, but you're not the almighty one who has to be the _only_ one who can save the day."

"You should have let me go," he said. "Out of the three of us I had the best chance of surviving."

"Fat lot of chance you had of that!" Rose snorted. "You had just as much risk of dying like us."

"I could have saved her!"

"And you should have let me stay with you," she retorted.

"What, and have you take River's place?" he scoffed. "I don't know if you're aware of this, love, but _you're_ not exactly indestructible."

"Neither are _you_ , you bloody thick-headed, daft alien!" She pulled back and smacked him hard in the head.

"Ow!" he cried, placing his hand to the spot where she whacked him.

"Don't make it like you didn't see that coming," she told him firmly.

"I wasn't. I was just expecting something harder."

"Alright then." She jabbed his arm twice equally as hard, if not more, than the smack to his head.

"Ow!" He rubbed his arm with a frown.

"Should I give you another just for the hell of it?"

"Well…" She raised her hand with intentions of smacking him again, but he gently held her wrist. He sighed. "You've got every right to be upset with me for sending you away, but Rose, I only do it to assure your _safety_."

"You keep this up I swear I'll deck you so hard, you'll end up in a healing coma."

"I have no doubts about that. I can't promise that I won't do it again in the future if it means you'll be safe, but I know you'll find your way back just to knock me out."

"Well, if you never tried to send me away in the first place, then you wouldn't have to worry about that."

"True." He cleared his throat.

She moved closer to him, her glare softening. "I'm connected to the TARDIS, though. Maybe I could have had a chance—"

"No," he cut in. "Didn't matter. A power so massive would've done too much damage. I couldn't…" He shut his eyes and let out a deep breath, shaking his head. His voice was barely a whisper. "I wanted you _safe,_ Rose. I can't always keep my promise to never send you away like that again because I know there's always a chance of us running into too much trouble. Trouble to the point where…bad things could happen _—very_ bad things." He shut his eyes. "I can't…I _won't_ let that happen to you again. I can't lose you again."

Rose's lips were drawn in tight. She understood his reasoning behind it, she really did. He just acted on instinct and did what he'd normally do—trying to keep her safe at all times. Even after a year of picking themselves back up to their feet he felt the anguish of losing her resurfacing. She placed a hand to his cheek.

"You know how grateful I am to have you in my life," she told him, "and how much I love and respect the fact that you're always looking out for me. But it works _both_ ways, Doctor. We're a team, you and me. We go through things together, no matter how dangerous. I married you and the life that came with it. I knew very well what I signed up for."

"Is that what I do to people, though?" he asked. "I make others sacrifice themselves just so that the universe would still have me?"

"No, don't think like that." She shifted a bit, which was hard since they were still confined by the cuffs, but she managed to face him fully. "Don't ever say that all of this was your fault. It didn't really matter if both of us wanted to transfer some memory space. River did it to save us, to make sure that time took its course, you heard her. But we'll see her again."

He took another deep breath and nodded. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I didn't want to send you away, I really didn't. I just didn't want you ending up…dead," he added thickly.

She brushed her thumb over his cheekbone. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," she said with a small smile.

One appeared on his own face before he brought his free hand up at the base of her head and hesitantly brought her in for a deep kiss. Once the reunion snog was good enough to end, they broke apart and rested their foreheads together.

"We should go," he said. "Donna will be looking for us."

"Just let me take care of this," Rose said, lightly tugging on their cuffed hands.

She pulled out her sonic and ran it over the metal until a click was heard then rubbed their wrists when they were freed. Both of them stared at the empty chair again before helping each other to their feet. Rose moved over to where the Doctor's sonic lay on top of River's journal. She bent down to collect both and handed over her husband's gadget, leaving her to stare down at the battered book. She noticed something important was missing.

"Doctor," she spoke up. "My screwdriver—my future one. It's gone. Do you think she had it on her?"

"Probably," he said, his hands in his pockets as he walked over to where she stood. "If she's kept it with her all this time she's had to have held it close to her even in the end."

"We still don't know why I gave it to her in the first place. Sorry, why I _will_ give it to her."

"I've got no idea, Rose. We'll find out someday."

A thought came to her. "You think…you think maybe she could have teleported somehow? I mean, if you've installed one on my current sonic you had to have made one on a future model."

The Doctor blew a puff of air past his lips, regarding her thought. "It's possible, just not that she managed to teleport from this point in time to another. The only way she'd be able to do that would be if there had been a conductor or a tracker of some kind. It's unlikely that she lived."

Rose rubbed her eye before tracing her fingers over the book's material. He put an arm around her shoulders and placed a kiss to her hair as they began to walk out of the room. She glanced back briefly for a moment when she heard something falling to the ground behind them. She noticed something shiny and gold laying on the floor by the empty seat. She stopped for a moment and narrowed her eyes at the object. That wasn't there before, was it? Soon the golden glow died down and faded away.

"Rose?" the Doctor asked. "What's wrong?"

"That thing over there," she said, pointing at the object. "That wasn't there before, I don't think."

"What is that?" He sauntered over and picked it up, studying it carefully. "That's strange."

Rose frowned and touched it. "It's a…bracelet," she drew out.

"Looks like it, at least," he concurred, brushing his thumb over it. "It doesn't really seem like just an ordinary one, it could have other properties. Or…maybe something else entirely."

"Great, a souvenir. Where'd it even come from?"

"Dunno. Could have fallen out of the circuitry for all we know."

"A glowing piece?"

The Doctor arched an eyebrow before running his sonic over the item. "It's just a piece of silver," he noted. "Nothing more, nothing less." He impulsively stuffed the item in his trouser pocket. He sniffed and turned his eyes away from the seat. "Come on, let's find Donna."

* * *

 **So many questions, so very few I can answer. Some more wibbly-wobbly stuff in the next chapter, just a small section.** **If anyone needs me I'll be preparing myself for a non-stop binge watching of Jessica Jones tomorrow. *slips under blanket cave***


	42. Turning the Page

**A/N: Guys, WATCH JESSICA JONES ON NETFLIX. It's _amazing!_ If you're subscribed to Netflix, I highly recommend it. Be warned that there's some trigger warnings, but the show's addicting and you'll wanna watch it all over again. All of the actors are great and of course DT kills it as a creepy villain. The man can do no wrong. And he looks good in purple.**

 **As always, much love to all of you viewers! You guys are stars ;D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 40: Turning the Page**_

Donna looked around the Library. Everything happened so fast. She was back in the real world, the _actual_ real one and not the fictitious fantasy land she had been in. Wandering around she found herself in the reception area that was packed with people, confused as to how they've gotten there. She couldn't help but smile. All of those people were alive and safe. Her friends had done it once again, doing what they do best when it came to saving the world. They didn't seem to be in the room. Must be on their way or busy doing something. She found Mr. Lux entering the double doors with a brightened face and immediately went up to him. He was touching the faces of every person within reach, thrilled to see so many return from the dead.

"Excuse me, Mr. Lux," she said, tapping his shoulder.

He turned around to face her with the same wide grin. "You're safe!" he exclaimed.

"Have you seen the Doctor and Rose?" she asked.

Suddenly the man's smile dropped. "Rose should have come back with you…or however she came back according to the Doctor's promise. As for him…"

Donna frowned. Why was this man so fidgety all of a sudden? "Well, where is he then? They need to know that I'm back, don't reckon they'd leave without me. They wouldn't have a chance if they left me behind."

"He should be…that way," Mr. Lux said, pointing in the direction of the double doors. "He was at the core of the planet, a few turns up east."

"Thanks."

The man shifted oddly before shuffling across the room to go behind the reception main desk. Donna studied him before heading in the direction he told her. Why was he so reluctant to tell her where her friends were? Why was he only mentioning the Doctor and said Rose should have come back with her? The last thing she remembered before she was sent away—tricked to be sent away, rather—Rose was standing away from the teleport and arguing with the Doctor. They were still together in the Library when she left and entered that digital world. The blonde didn't end up being sent away too, did she? That husband of hers was useless without her, she had to have been by his side all this time.

She followed the reddish glow of a light source until she came across a certain room. She saw both of her friends walking towards her, holding each other's hands. The Doctor looked a bit knackered and had a shadow looming over his face and Rose had an unreadable expression on hers. She breathed out a sigh of relief to see them alive and well. Something was bothering them though, she could tell easily. But the second they noticed her presence they masked it up.

"Donna!" Rose ran over to her and pulled her into a tight hug. "You alright?"

"For the most part," she replied, still feeling sorrowful about the man she had created in the fictional world. "What about you two?"

"We're…fine," the blonde said as she pulled away and bit her bottom lip.

The Doctor came up and hugged her next. "How'd you know where to find us?" he asked.

"I saw that Mr. Lux guy in the reception area," Donna answered as she pulled away. "He seemed weird. When I asked where you two were he was hesitant to tell me. Why?"

The Doctor took a deep breath and scratched his cheek. "Because…I shouldn't be standing here," he replied. "It was a part of my plan to get everyone back and…" He trailed off and cleared his throat.

Donna noticed the shift in his mood and turned to his wife "What about you, Rose?" she asked. "He said something about you 'coming back'. What did he mean by that?"

Rose crossed her arms over her chest and gave the Doctor a pointed look. He ducked his head down and stared at the ground. "I sent her away again," he answered for his wife, his voice low.

"You did?" she said in shock. She turned back to the blonde. "You actually let him get away with that?"

"When would there be a time when I _actually_ would?" Rose snorted. "No, turns out he installed a teleport setting in my sonic screwdriver and activated it. He sent me back to the TARDIS after you."

"I was trying to keep you safe," he stressed.

"Oh, you're hopeless, spaceman," Donna commented, shaking her head. "She's your wife, she put up with you through everything. If that's more than enough to keep her by your side I should think there's nothing that would scare her."

"It's not that, it's just…" He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "The last thing I'd want is for something to happen to both of you. Rose, love, you know I don't intentionally do these things to tick you off. I do it just to make sure you're safe. I made a promise so I plan to keep that or else it'll kill me. And Donna…well, you already knew the trouble that comes along with travelling us, so don't be surprised if I try that again."

"And don't you act surprised when me and your wife deck you."

He made a whining sound and rubbed the side of his head. "Please, I've already taken enough abuse today."

"Not in my book," Rose said before both she and Donna stepped up and gave him simultaneous punches to his arms.

"Okay!" he grumbled. "We've already established that I'm an idiot and completely useless, I think that's enough of the outnumbering game right now."

"Well, you're Rose's idiot," Donna said. "She's stuck with you forever, so you should be used to it." He sighed and nodded while Rose chuckled again.

The trio made their way down the corridors. Donna had mentioned how River was missing and it seemed to make them shift with thick uneasiness. Hesitantly, they said she was the one who hooked herself into the computer and used her memory space to save all four thousand plus people trapped in the data base. Donna felt her heart going out to both of them. Whoever that woman was clearly knew them and was close with them. They still had no idea who she was, but said that they'd find out one day.

Then they changed the subject and asked about where she had ended up in the data base. Donna had told them about the imaginary life she had lived, mentioning how Miss Evangelista helped her realize that the surroundings were fiction, including the children and even the man she thought was her husband. She didn't think that man could be real, but wished that he was. Before she was taken out of the fantasy world she felt the man's face. He _did_ feel real. Then again so did everything else. The Doctor said they could take her to the teleport pad in the little shop where everyone would gather to go back home to check and see if the man existed.

Donna asked about what happened to Rose after she had been sent back to the TARDIS. Both she and the Doctor explained that the interference that had taken Donna away made an attempt at grabbing Rose, but because she was connected to the ship she was able to be protected but remained in a transparent state until she was able to break through the planet's blockage and reverse the teleport. It was a lengthy deciphering, but that's what she got out of it. It had to been a short while as Donna searched through the shop looking for Lee, not finding anyone resembling the man or aware of anyone by that name. Rose assisted her and walked around asking others if they've seen or heard of the man, but didn't find anything either.

"Anything?" Rose asked as they stood in one corner of the room.

"No," Donna replied flatly. "Serves me right for thinking I've found the right guy when he wasn't even real."

"Don't worry about that," the blonde said softly, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "There's someone for everyone. You just gotta keep your eyes open and you'll find him one day."

"Hope you're right." She paused and studied the other woman carefully. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said quickly.

"What's bothering you? Besides the fact that your husband's a stubborn prawn."

"It's…River. She's gonna be someone close to me and the Doctor in the future. Someone apparently very close to us." Rose bit her lip. "She knew a part of the Doctor's name."

"What, seriously?" Donna asked. The blonde nodded. "I thought you were the only one who was supposed to know it since you're married to him."

"I am. But I'm the only one who knows his _full_ name—first, middle, last, even some of his childhood nicknames. The Doctor told me that River only knew one of those."

"What does it mean, though? Is she…like a friend or family or something?"

Rose merely shrugged. "We'll never know until it happens. There's apparently other ways, but who knows."

"You think she's…a child? Like you think there's a chance that you ran into another one of those machines and stuck your hands in and created another anomaly?"

Rose shook her head. "I doubt it."

"Are you upset that another person knows something like that about your husband?" Donna asked gently.

"As long as I'm the only one who knows his full name, then no," Rose said. "I'm a little annoyed by it though. There's gotta be a good explanation why she knew a part of it, but we have to wait a long while 'til it happens, I guess."

Donna nodded and patted the other woman's arm. As long as it wasn't tearing them apart then everything would be fine. Seeings as there wasn't anyone around matching Lee's description, the women decided to make their way back over to where the Doctor was leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

"Please be patient. Only three can teleport at a time," the teleport operator intoned as people occupied the teleport platform to be sent home and others waiting their turns. "Do not state your intended destination until you arrive in…"

"Any luck?" he asked when they approached him.

"Nobody in here named Lee," Rose told him.

"Suppose he could have had a different name out here," Donna mused. "But let's be honest—he wasn't real, was he?"

"Maybe not," the Doctor said.

"I made up the perfect man—gorgeous, adores me, and hardly able to speak a word. What's that say about me?"

"Nothing," Rose assured her. "It doesn't say anything about you. Just that…you've got a nice imagination."

"What about you two?" Donna asked. "You two good?"

"Yeah," the Doctor said with a nod, his arm slinging around his wife's waist. "We're good."

"Stand right in the middle of the teleport, please," the operator continued. "Keep your hands and feet inside at all times."

"They're all going home now," Rose said. "Can't imagine what their families have been through all this time they've been gone."

"They've each got a story to tell," the Doctor said. "They can each tell their children that they've visited the Library and survived."

"Nice bedtime story."

They stayed there for a few more moments just watching the reunions between groups of people as they hugged and kissed each other while waiting to be teleported out. Finally the Doctor pushed himself off the wall with a sigh.

"Come on," he said as he took Rose's hand in his. "Time we went off too."

As the trio exited the room, a man stepped onto the teleport platform and caught sight of the redheaded woman. He grinned, but when he made an attempt at calling her name he struggled to get a syllable out with his stammer. He tried again, but soon he faded from sight and was teleported out of the Library.

On the way back to the TARDIS, the Doctor took a slight detour and led the women back onto the open area with the cavernous view of the city they had come to earlier. Unlike when they first arrived there wasn't much silence lingering in the air. There were still some people wandering around the corridors and making their way to the teleport room preparing themselves to go to their designated locations. The trio made their way down the stairs and came up to the railing where the piles of books remained scattered across the marble surface. Still walking hand in hand, Rose pulled out River's TARDIS-shaped journal from the Doctor's coat pocket and stared at it for a moment before setting it down on the balustrade.

 _"Just leaving this behind, right?"_ she thought to her husband.

 _"Can't take it with us,"_ he replied. _"Too many spoilers inside, and, knowing us, we'd be reading ahead too many chapters of what's to come."_

"Your friend," Donna spoke up, sounding hesitant as she eyed the book. "Professor Song…she knew you two in the future, and even knew me. You think…you think we'll see her again soon?"

"Could be soon, could be a while," Rose said. "We won't know for sure."

"Or…we could," the Doctor drew out slowly as he patted the top of the book lightly. "This is her diary, Donna. Our future written out in these pages." He pressed his tongue to the back of his upper row of teeth, a conspiratorial look on his face. "We could take a look to see what's coming. What d'you think?"

Both Rose and Donna shook her head. "Spoilers," the redhead replied.

"Exactly," he said with a nod.

"Would be nice to take a peek, though," Rose sighed. The Doctor raised his brows at her and she held her hands up innocently. "I wasn't saying that I was gonna take a look for real, just commenting."

"I know, Rose. _You sure you're okay with not knowing?"_ he added mentally.

 _"Why, you're not?"_

 _"No no, I'm a strong believer in things coming in their own time. Just…curious to know how bad you wanna know what's coming for us as well."_

She's been picking apart the many questions racing in her mind since they've encountered River today and she was debating whether or not she was fully okay with it or not. She was dying to know just who that mystery woman would be to both her and her husband in the future. It wasn't anything threatening since the TARDIS was sensed no issues from the other woman, and that was a good thing, but it wasn't enough. She had far too many questions than answers, but she would let everything slide for now and enjoy the present time with her better half and their best friend.

 _"Nah, everything in its own time,"_ she answered. _"Nice offer though, but we've broken enough of our rules over the years, haven't we?"_

He chuckled. They stared at the book for another moment, resisting the temptation to peek at what would be coming their way. The Doctor slung his arm around Rose's shoulders and dropped a quick kiss to the crown of her head before nodding in the direction behind them.

"Come on. "The next chapter's this way."

They turned back to go back up the stairs and out of the exit, leaving behind the keeper of their future adventures.

Unbeknownst to them, another figure had come out of a side corridor when they were out of sight. He tentatively looked down the hall to make sure they were gone before sauntering down the stairs towards the railing where the blue book lay. He picked it up and brushed his thumb over the cover, smiling warmly. This belonged somewhere else and he would return it to its rightful time and place—to his wife. Taking a look behind him where the trio had left, he let out a deep breath. They had a lot coming their way, but he knew they'd get through it all. They always did. Lots of new chapters were ahead. Tucking the book away in his jacket, he pressed a button on his vortex manipulator and was gone.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"Some day this turned out to be," Rose said as she made her way around the console, her hand coming to the lever. "Can't imagine something like this happening in a movie."

"Wouldn't be too surprised," the Doctor remarked, coming to stand by her side. "With everything we've seen it could make a decent series on telly, eh?"

"This? I don't know about that. You'd probably nitpick at it with your usual critical commentary."

"Yeah, probably. So many films and shows that display elements of science and time travel just don't understand the mechanisms and the ways that the universe works."

"You'd just want a copyright, I bet," Donna snorted from the jump seat.

He chuckled once through his nose. "Nah, no need for accommodations. I've better things to do and one of them most certainly isn't being paid to critique other people's work."

"You do that for free around here," Rose said with a grin while she sent them in the vortex, the three of them grinning at the rise and fall of the rotor.

"So," he said, clapping his hands together with a wide grin. "Detour's over, how 'bout we take a holiday? I've had plenty of destinations in mind I've wanted to take you ladies. Of course not all of them are _proper_ holiday locations—well, I suppose they _could_ depending on a person's personal interests. Although I don't reckon Aesinalia would be a suitable spot has with all the possibilities of desert storms—"

"Is there a chance we can each take a holiday away from your unstoppable gob?" Donna cut in.

Rose cracked up laughing. "That'll never happen. That thing's running non-stop and has no off switch."

"On the contrary," the Doctor said with a raised finger and a smirk. "There's been a number of times when this gob _has_ come to a stop." He paused and sniffed. "Some of which I don't wish to speak of when in the company of others."

"Oi, keep all that rendezvousing to yourself and your wife, alien boy," the ginger woman spoke up. "Remember discretion of others."

"I've no problem with that. Now Rose on the other hand…"

The aforementioned woman swatted his arm. "You've slipped up more than me, don't even go there."

He cleared his throat, looking ready to change the subject. "So, where to ladies? Anti-gravity sightseeing on Tavario Beta? Twenty-four hour sunshine on Halergan Three? Medieval festivals on Caligaris Epsilon Six? Diamond coral reefs of Kaata Flo Ko? Or Kaao'Tilia, for that matter. Beautiful vacation spot and honeymoon suite." He threw a wink at Rose, who flashed a tongue-touched grin and giggled.

"That was where you two had your honeymoon?" Donna asked.

"It was beautiful," Rose said with a dreamy voice. "Pretty palm trees, warm suns and cool sand, a light show in the sky…"

The Doctor hummed. "Magnificent getaway."

"Sounds good," Donna said. "Although…if that was your honeymoon spot I'm guessing I'd have to be wary of where I'd walk."

He frowned. "Why?"

"'Cause knowing how much you two hang all over each other you might have shagged all over the planet."

"Donna!" Rose cried, blushing hard.

The Doctor remained silent with his eyes widened. He tugged on his ear lobe and stammered. "T-that's not…we didn't do that, we-we, ehm, well…we just…no, we didn't…"

Donna snorted and rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, spaceman. Sounds great! Although, being in a cyber world's left me knackered. Quick kip sound good right now?"

"Very good in my books," Rose said.

Both women made their way into the corridors, but Rose stood in the entrance way waiting for the Doctor to follow. He stood with the mysterious piece of jewelry in his hand, a frown on his face. She shook her head and moved back over to him. They lost another person and he was dwelling on it. One of her hands rested on his back as she rubbed it gently.

"It was a fixed point," she said softly. "We couldn't do anything to change it. It had to be that way."

"But why did she have your screwdriver?" he asked then raised his hand holding the silver piece. "Why would you give her that? And what is this? What's it's purpose? It's just…metal. Nothing special, just plain silver."

"Everything should be answered in its own time."

The Doctor sighed and nodded before opening a port in the console and slipping the piece of silver inside, shutting it afterwards. He turned to see her sympathetic look then wrapped his arms around her. Even though he apologized countless times about installing a teleport in her sonic without her knowledge, he was still hoping for forgiveness. She _was_ still mad at him, but they lost someone who would be close to them one day. His guilt was eating away at him so she would heal him. Pulling back, Rose took his hand and led them to their room. Coming to the door with their symbols intertwined, they stepped in. Rose didn't bother to shed out of her clothes, but removed her leather jacket. The Doctor shrugged off his pinstriped jacket and loosened his tie then toed off his trainers before moving to lay beside her on top of the duvet. She leaned over and opened the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out her diary, opening to the next blank page.

"How long has it been since you've written anything in that?" the Doctor asked.

"Not too long ago," Rose answered as she shifted to lean against the headboard with a pen in her hands.

"I hardly ever see you use it."

"Good, the last thing I'd want is for you to see what I'm writing inside it."

The Doctor pushed himself upright and waggled his eyebrow. "Hiding secrets, Rose Tyler?"

"Like I'd actually tell you," she snorted.

"True. But I was there for every adventure. All of them stored in here." He tapped his temple. "Storage enough to fill the attic."

"Your head's big enough though. Way too big, it might overflow the attic."

He huffed and moved to lay on his back with his hands resting behind his head. "Well, I've got tons of memories stored in this big ol' mind, most of which make _excellent_ pieces of literature and art. Especially art."

"How so?"

"By putting my artistic skills to good use, how else?"

Rose arched an eyebrow at him. "You mean drawing?"

"Yup."

"You still draw? 'S been a little while, hasn't it?"

"Not that long," he replied. "I've got many a portraits in my portfolio." He turned to her with a warm grin. "The majority of them involving a certain pink and yellow human. And…quite a number of them, I should point out…showcase evidence for what I believe is the most _impeccable_ depiction of the human female form that is my wife."

Rose turned her head to the side, blushing a bit. Leave it to her husband to add onto the collection of portraits he's done of her over the years. She smiled at him. "Dirty old man."

"Not sorry," he replied unabashedly. "Bet you've got every incident where I did something daft written down."

Rose hummed and tapped the end of the pen against her chin before continuing to write. "Maybe a few. At least half the book I'd say."

He groaned. "Roooose."

"Shut up." She poked him in the stomach. "Now I can add how ridiculous of an idea it was for you to put a teleport in my screwdriver."

"I'm really sorry about not telling you about that sooner, Rose."

"How many times are you gonna apologize for that?"

"Don't know. Until you'd reconsider trying to smack me again."

"So…never?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

Rose chuckled before finishing up in her journal, keeping everything short and summarizing the day's events in a full page. She'd fill in any other thoughts later. Closing the book, she placed it back in the drawer along with the pen and shut it. She nestled into her husband's side, pillowing her head on his chest with his arms around her. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep but, the Doctor had counted about eighteen minutes had passed until the silence was interrupted by a certain ringing sound. Rose groaned as she awoke.

"You don't have to answer it," the Doctor said quietly.

"No one ever calls my phone," she pointed out. "It could be important."

"It might not be. It could be a wrong number, like on a whim. We can stay like this a little longer." He snuggled into her more, lowering his head to trail his lips across her forehead and placing a light kiss between her eyes. "I don't mind staying like this. We were already interrupted _once_ today." He lowered down to press kisses in the crook of her neck, to her sweet spot.

Rose groaned. "I wanna stay like this too, but what if it's trouble?" She pulled herself out of his embrace, much to his whining protests, and reached over to retrieve her mobile from her jacket pocket. She studied the number. "It's Jack."

The Doctor let out a long suffering sigh and fell back onto the pillows. "Oh, lovely."

Rose chuckled. "You promised," she reminded.

"Yes, but I was hoping it would come some time _after_ we settled," he said. "After, you know…relaxation and activities."

She leaned down and kissed him. "Rain check?" He nodded a moment later with another sigh. She flipped her phone open and pressing it against her ear, a wide grin on her face. "Hey Jack! What's going on?"

 ** _"Hi, Rosie,"_** the immortal man said on the other end. _ **"Good to hear your voice. Listen, I'm glad I caught you. You and your husband need to get down here quick, we need you."**_

Her brows furrowed. "What's the matter?"

 ** _"Something's wrong with the kids."_**

"Kids? Whose kids?"

 _ **"All of them. Just get here as soon as you can."**_

She swallowed hard, her eyes meeting the Doctor's as he studied her. "We're on our way." She closed her phone and tucked it away.

"What's going on?" the Doctor asked, sitting up. "What'd Jack want?"

"Something's wrong and he needs us to come in and check it out."

"Something with kids?"

"Guess so."

"Okay. The coordinates for Torchwood should already be programmed into the TARDIS since your phone's hooked into the system. I'll drop us off." He hopped off the bed and fetched his plimsolls, putting them on. "Go tell Donna and let her know we're headed for Cardiff. Last thing we'd want is for her to stumble out in a dressing gown in the presence of _Captain Jack_."

* * *

 **SURPRISE! We're headed to Cardiff!**

 **Response to all the guest reviewers and, namely, _newboy:_ Thanks again, dude!**

 **Since I won't be online tomorrow, hope all of my fellow Americans have a nice Thanksgiving :D**


	43. Children of Earth

**A/N:** **Witness my descent into madness as we head to Cardiff xD I know this is supposed to happen _after_ Journey's End, but I'm changing the timeline. I've been considering on having our TARDIS gang visit Torchwood some time before that and thus this came to fruition. Thanks _scgirl-317_ for your persuasion! ****Much** **love and many thanks to you awesome viewers! You're all stars and I'm glad you're sticking around ;D**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 41: Children of Earth_**

 _Cardiff_

Gwen Cooper was standing on a busy Cardiff street, withdrawing money from an ATM when she noticed something strange that she had never seen before. And that wasn't saying much with the life she had. She saw a child in school uniform standing completely still in the street, unresponsive and staring ahead. The mother was tugging on the child's hand, beckoning them to stop being an embarrassment with everyone watching, but they remained forearm in their spot.

At first she thought nothing of it. Kids being kids and not in the least caring about their parents being chagrined by their antics. But then she saw a different child doing the same thing. The whole coincidence had to have lasted barely two minutes until the children thawed out and they began to move again, acting as of nothing had happened. One was even confused and didn't understand why their mother was yelling at them. Gwen knew she and her team had to investigate.

Meanwhile, Jack and Ianto Jones were inside of A&E posing as grieving neighbors to a man who had supposedly died from heart failure. Once they were left alone with the body they went straight to work in retrieving something from the deceased and uncovering what actually killed him. Cutting open the corpse they managed to extract a 'hitchhiker' from inside the body, which was a pulsing alien organ that had latched onto the cadaver.

Everything was hush-hush until the doctor walked in on quite the surprise. Luckily the men started rattling off some technobabble at the medical professional before cleaning up after themselves and making a getaway without another trace. Just when they thought they got off easy, that same doctor followed them to their SUV parked out front. The man wondered if they were from Torchwood, but Jack was quick to deny that. Luckily he and his team decided to remove the name stamped on the roof in order to avoid any advertising or marketing people, or just people in general to try and find them.

They were secretive and if the entire public knew about them then they'd be in for too much paparazzi-style attention. Right when they were ready to leave the doctor mentioned something about corpses going missing. It sounded interesting to Jack, but then Ianto mentioned all the paperwork needed. Brushing that off they left the hospital. The man gave them his name, on a good note: Rupesh Patanjali. Sounded like someone they could look up and see the dirt behind that man.

Making it back to the Hub, they were exchanging their usual quips and brand of humor while Gwen occupied the computer station. "Oi, Chuckle Brothers," she said to them as they came up the stairs. "I found something."

"Yeah, well I want a check on St. Helen's Hospital, specifically the morgue," Jack said. "And while we're at it I'd like a standard background check of one Dr. Rupesh Patanjali."

"Well, there's a computer right there," Gwen told him, nodding at the one beside her. "Do it yourself, we've got bigger problems to deal with right now."

Ianto chuckled quietly while Jack handed over his WWII coat with an eye roll. He was about to make his way over to his office, but then he caught sight of what information she was scrolling through and frowned. He leaned over her shoulder to take a quick peek. "Care to share?" he inquired. "What's happening?"

"I've been getting reports this morning of seventeen road traffic accidents," she explained. "It's been happening right across the country, all the way from Glasgow to St. Ives."

"Is that above average?" he asked as he went over to the neighboring computer.

"Well, they all occurred between 8:40 and 8:41 this morning. Every single one of them involved children."

"That'll be the school run," Ianto remarked as he occupied the third computer.

"There wasn't even any running involved," Gwen said. "All of them were just standing in the road. Not crossing the road, just standing. I saw it myself, Jack—these two kids were on Market Street earlier and they just stopped."

"And it's not just in Britain," Ianto reported as he scrolled down his screen. "Same reports coming in from France—fifteen road traffic accidents, all timed around 9:40. They're an hour ahead, so it was simultaneous."

"And it involved children?" Jack asked.

The Welsh man nodded. "Yup. Hold on, still cross-referencing. Here we go, more reports coming in. RTAs in Norway. Sweden. Denmark. Luxembourg. Germany. India. Egypt. Guyana. Spain. Portugal. Bosnia. Tokyo. Singapore."

"Probably in America too, I'm guessing," Jack mused. "But most of them are asleep right now."

"They are, but even there reports are coming in from 8:40 GMT. As far as we can tell from these at 8:40 this morning, no matter where in the world, every single child in the world just stopped."

Jack rubbed his chin in thought. "Okay, this beats a shady doctor with a corpse fetish," he muttered. Gwen turned to him with an odd look and he waved it off. "Don't worry about that."

She took his response and shrugged. She didn't have to ask, he knew that. She's seen a lot over the years—countless encounters with Weevils, creatures similar to the devil, getting bitten by a shape shifter to have a fetus grow inside of her on her wedding day just to name a few. An awkward medical professional who seems to have an infatuation with dead bodies disappearing didn't even scratch the surface of the other incidents they've come across over the years. Or even some of his own he's experienced while travelling with the Doctor and Rose.

He wondered what trouble they were getting themselves into. Other than shagging each other from the moon and back then beyond the stars and back to the moon again. All that tension between them in the early days of when he began travelling with them was so thick he wanted to jump in the middle and bring them together. They've been making up for all those missed opportunities back then one thousand fold and he loved the idea of that. Married life was doing wonders for them.

It's been so long since he's seen them in person after the deal with the Master. He knew they needed a long road of recovery where they wouldn't want to come back to Earth until they were ready which was why he hasn't called them, save for the incident with Adipose Industries. He had a hunch that drew them in to some investigating and he called them that night. Ever since then, he hasn't made contact with them. He's been busy running things around the base with the remaining members of his team and he knows the Doctor and Rose were busy saving other worlds out there.

"Oh, my God," Gwen said quietly. "It's happening again! Ianto, bring up the CCTV of the Bay." He zoomed over to a carousel where a mother was with her child, once again the youngster standing still with her eyes forward. "The child!"

"Come on, let's go!" Jack said as he fetched his coat from the chair where Ianto had slung it and quickly shrugged it on.

The others were right behind him as they hurried out of the base and ran across Roald Dahl Plas to where the little girl was located with her mother. What was happening to these kids? It couldn't be a template somehow controlling them, could it? Jack thought of a bunch of possible reasons. They noticed other children standing around the streets, still as statues.

"Are you alright?" Gwen asked as they approached the woman.

"We're fine," the mother said with a forced smile. "She's just playing a game, that's all."

"What a better time to play red light green light," Jack murmured.

"Now come on, sweetheart, people are staring at you," the mother said to the little girl, who remained motionless. "Sasha, stop it!"

Studying the girl, the trio were about to ask the mother some questions when Sasha opened her mouth and let out an ear piercing cry. The sound echoed across the Plas as every other child standing in place began to join in the wailing.

"What's that noise?" Jack said over the sounds. He turned to Gwen. "Did those other two kids do this earlier?"

"No!" she answered. "They just stood there and didn't say a word!"

"Sasha, stop it!" the mother cried as she tried to snap her daughter out of whatever phase this was. "Please help her!"

Ianto brought out a camcorder he had taken and began to film the children. Any type of reaction would be great and this seemed to be different. A minute later the screaming died down and the children shut their mouths, observing the Plas without blinking.

"We…" they each began to speak in unison, an ominous chant following afterwards of the same word.

"Whoa!" Ianto exclaimed, still recording.

"We are," the children said together. "We are coming."

Gwen shook her head. "Oh, my God!"

"Sasha, please!" the mother pleaded. "Someone help her!"

"Who are you?" Gwen asked the little girl, leaning down to her level. "Who's coming?" She was persistent and kept asking that question, but no other response left the child's mouth as the mantra continued.

Then there was complete silence. All of the kids stopped speaking. Sasha blinked and came out of her trance, grabbing her mother's hand. "C'mon then!" she said acting as if nothing happened and skipped away with her mother.

The trio just stood there observing every kid in the area as they began to move, almost as if someone had taken a large remote control and took off the pause and pressed play, continuing with what they were doing with no idea of what they had done. Ianto closed the device and pocketed it. Jack felt his insides trembling as he scanned his eyes over the area. He had no idea what it was they were dealing with or needed to prepare for, but he wouldn't find the answer out here. He motioned for the others to follow him as they dashed for the base to check up on anymore reports.

Suddenly Jack skidded to a stop and nearly caused the others to collide with him. He needed to make a call so he pulled out his mobile phone, pressing the very first one he had on speed dial.

"Who're you calling?" Ianto asked.

"We need a doctor," he replied as he waited for the line to pick up.

"What kind of doctor?" Gwen asked. "Like your friend Martha?"

A faint crooked grin appeared on his lips. "Different kind of doctor. _My_ Doctor."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Ianto watched as Jack shut his phone after making a call. He summoned his other friends, this Doctor and this Rose, two people which he knew were close to him and had been way before he met him. Most likely not in the manner that both he and the immortal man could say as a 'couple', even though he despised that word. It was the two of them together, two men with a strong sense of respect and love for each other. 'Couple' wasn't really a strong enough word to describe it. He was the man's lover, but wasn't the first.

That man was centuries old, many millennia to round it off. He's met many people in his lifetime and in some cases those previous lovers would pop out of nowhere and make an appearance. They'd met one of his former lovers from the time agency months ago who was responsible for a number of deaths. Preparing to meet past people that once meant something to the one you would lay down and die for was always unnerving, but would prove just how much that person has grown.

When Jack returned to the team after abruptly disappearing, he simply told them that he found his Doctor and belonged to Torchwood. There was a certain camaraderie that was palpable whenever Jack spoke of this Doctor and Rose, but he would never go into detail when something of his past was mentioned. That was the thing about Jack—he was difficult to know. In all the time Ianto's known this charismatic man, all the close and special times they've had together, he still didn't know much about him.

Behind the magnetic personality that Jack wore so well, the drop-dead charming nature that emanated from every pore of his body, under all of the toothy grins and laughs were dark shadows. An ancient cloth carrying old wounds hidden beneath the surface and held down with pain buried deep down inside. Things he wouldn't share with anyone else no matter how close they were. It was easy to love the man, he was a beautiful person—and he meant that in a masculine sense—but there were many times where he was sad. _Incredibly_ sad.

Trying to get stories and tales out of Jack was second nature to him, most of them being gratuitous and ending with him being naked and in an awkward situation—not that Ianto didn't mind those, he took much enjoyment and amusement from them—and others gave away small snippets of information about who he really was and where he came from among other personal things. He was a very private person while at the same time very outspoken. But he wasn't an open book. Not when it came to discovering the deep rooted pain that was lodged inside of him, a side he never wanted many people to see but could be written as clear as day on his face even when he didn't realize it.

Yet when the Doctor and Rose were brought up he became lighter. Like hefty amounts of joy were aching to burst out, like he wanted to tell Ianto and Gwen everything about those two. The darkness that was hiding behind his eyes lifted and was replaced with admiration and respect. It was like nothing he's ever seen before. He could only imagine what Jack's reaction to seeing the two in person would be like—reuniting with long lost friends, he thought. It was incredible how two people could give off such an effect on a man with a magnetic personality. Theirs must have matched if not outshone his own.

Being the glutton for research that he was, Ianto couldn't help but look up who the Doctor and Rose were. He had done it a long time ago after the first time Jack mentioned their names and was curious to know more about them. When he came across a myriad of records highlighting bits of who both of them were, he was shocked. The Doctor was the alien responsible for the creation of the Torchwood Institute way back in 1879. He always wondered why the organization had been obsessed with the other ancient man, if not a little suspicious. Ianto also dug up some information on Rose Tyler. She had been with the Doctor that day back in Scotland and was knighted by Queen Victoria herself. Pretty nice credentials, if he said so himself.

They were also at Canary Wharf the day that he was. But he never even saw them, he was too preoccupied in trying to save his then-fiancée, Lisa, after she was taken over by a Cyberman. He still ached from the unpleasant events from that day. But the Doctor and Rose managed to stop everything and save the day. Not everyone survived that battle, but they prevented the deaths of many more from happening. But why had they been labeled as threats? According to UNIT files, the alien and his wife were allies and _fixed_ more disasters than were created. Brigadier Lethbrige-Stewart even gave his own personal statements and said that he trusted both of them genuinely, having been good friends with the alien for many years and having the utmost respects and high regards for the man's wife.

Jack trusted those two profoundly, just as much as him and Gwen. He loved both of them. They were two of his dearest friends in the world and have seen things with him just as much as Torchwood had. The organization has made serious changes since its fruition by Queen Victoria's command and they would always be allies. They were on their side in stopping alien threats. And they were on their way to help them with this issue with the children around the entire planet. If Jack trusted them, then Ianto and Gwen would do the same.

"They're on their way?" Gwen asked.

"Yup," Jack replied. "They'll be here in a few minutes, maybe sooner. Depends on what I just interrupted them from doing."

"Do they know where to land?" Ianto asked. "Normally when people ask about Torchwood most people point towards the Bay."

"I programmed the coordinates into Rose's phone a while back. They'll be able to track us down and land inside. Don't wanna keep them waiting, come on." They dashed towards the entrance of the hub, but came to a stop when they noticed the doctor from the hospital following. Jack rolled his eyes. He raised a hand to cut the man off before he could get a word in. "Listen," he said with seriousness. "I don't know what you think you're doing following us, but if you keep stalking me your ass is as good as sued."

Ianto snorted from the side.

"No, I was just…" Rupesh said quickly. "I was hoping I could help, that's all."

"Doing what exactly?"

The man's beeper went off on his belt and he sighed. "I'm a doctor," he stressed. "If something's wrong with these kids—"

"Excuse me," Gwen spoke up. "You gonna take care of that?"

"Shit, sorry," the young doctor said as he turned off the device.

Jack placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "You're needed in A&E. The whole world's coming to a standstill and there's gonna be a lot of panicking. Sorry, but this thing with the kids is more important than missing corpses."

Rupesh slumped a bit before looking a little hopeful. "Is there a chance I could talk to you later?"

"We'll see what happens. We'll see if we can get back to you, just get going. You've got a lot of handling to do." Almost hesitantly, the young doctor nodded and took off in the opposite direction.

Jack shook his head before following his team into the main entrance. He wanted to bring the young man into the hub. Having medical personnel was imperative, especially in a time like this. Ever since losing Tosh and Owen they've needed some more hands working around here. He missed them dearly and wished they could come back. Neither of them deserved to die. No one could ever replace them, but they needed to employ more people to work with them one day.

Any minute now the Doctor would arrive with the TARDIS. Seeing their bright faces would be enough to put him in a better mood, not that it never worked that way with his team. God only knows how long it's been for them since that entire year was erased from existence, but they were back in the groove of things and travelled willingly to Earth again, so they had to be doing okay now. It's the Doctor and Rose, after all. Nothing stopped them. He hoped he didn't call them in a bad time, Rose sounded normal. Knowing them and with his timing, he probably caught them before they proceeded with bedtime privileges. It did take Rose a little longer to answer her phone…

Jack shook his head. He needed to focus. Before the Doctor could arrive, he needed to make a quick call so he made his way towards his office and dialed the number to the Home Office. Jack needed to let the government know Torchwood was on the case and could help them any way they could. He had intentions of contacting John Frobisher, the Permanent Secretary, and he wanted to make sure they would be on equal ground. The signal was busy. Most likely every single person in the country running to the phones. Jack stood there and sucked in a long breath, his foot tapping impatiently. Finally the line went through and he was able to speak to someone.

 ** _"I'm sorry, sir,"_ ** the young woman told him kindly. _ **"Mr. Frobisher isn't taking calls at the moment."**_

"Just tell him it's Captain Jack Harkness," he said as he paced. "He'll take that call, believe me."

 ** _"I'm sorry, I can't._** ** _If you could just leave your number or—"_**

"Tell him it's Torchwood."

 ** _"Right, and how do you spell that?"_**

Jack blinked once. "You're working for the Home Office and you've _never_ heard of Torchwood?" he asked incredulously.

 ** _"I'm new,"_ ** the woman admitted. **_"Just started today."_**

He rubbed his forehead with a sigh. "You picked a hell of a day, I'll tell you that. Listen, just tell him Torchwood—that's T-O-R-C-H-W-O-O-D, okay? We might be able to help. What was your name?"

 ** _"Lois Habiba,"_** the woman answered.

"Good luck to you, Lois Habiba." Jack clicked the phone off and set it down. "You'd think they'd train the new personnel better for worldwide emergencies," he muttered to himself.

It was then a familiar groaning filled the Hub and made Jack's head perk up, a slow smile spreading across his face. He dashed out of his office and made his way over where a whirlwind was forming on the floor.

"What the hell is that?" Gwen asked as the breeze caused stacks of papers littering all over the station to fly around, whipping their hair as well.

Ianto came running around the desk and watched with curiosity while Gwen stared in disbelief. Jack stood in a spot with his hands behind his back, watching the familiar blue police box begin to materialize by the lounge area. Once fully solid, the door creaked open and a blur of yellow and blue bolted out and into his open arms. Jack laughed along with Rose as he picked her up from the ground and spun her around.

"Jack!" the blonde said happily. "'S so good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Rosie!" he told her, setting her down with his arms still around her in a tight hug. "How've you been? It's been a while."

"Yeah, we've been planning on visiting you guys sooner, but things came up," she replied. "We've been okay."

He chuckled. "Just okay? Marriage working wonders for your better half, huh?"

"Please, I'm the better half of us two," Rose joked. "You know how rude he can be."

"Don't know how you've put up with him all this time, really."

"I have my ways."

Jack took the chance to properly take a look at how his friend appeared. She looked a little older from the last time he saw her, but the signature wide grin never aged a day and was glowing. "Well, you look amazing, Rosie," Jack said genuinely before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Rose always looks good," came the familiar voice of the man casually standing in the TARDIS doorway in a blue suit with his hair spiked up, a warm grin on his face. "Do I even have to warn you, Captain?"

"Yeah, I know, hands off the blonde," Jack said with a playful eye roll. "You've made that clear when you were all ears and Northern."

"I see you're behaving yourself," the Time Lord joked before stepping forward. "Self control has made its way into your nature, good for you."

Jack snorted. "Can say the same for you…or can't I?" He waggled his eyebrows and grinned wickedly.

"Steady," the Doctor said with a firm voice before smirking. The seriousness fell away from both of them before they both enveloped each other in a hug, laughing. It was almost as if no time had passed at all with the three of them together in the same room. The old Team TARDIS, like the old days. "Good to see you again, Jack."

"And you, Doctor. Nice to see you haven't changed a bit since I last saw you two."

Finally the two pulled away from each other. "Don't have plans to anytime soon."

"Always good to have a friendly hello from you guys," Jack said with a smile. He tilted his head. "Although…"

"Don't," both Rose and the Doctor said.

He sighed. "Fine."

"So!" the Doctor proclaimed as he placed his hands in his pockets and moved over to the station where both Gwen and Ianto were staring. "You must be Team Torchwood—well, of course you'd be, this is the base. Don't reckon you lot would have outsiders wandering around your work stations, although technically _we're_ outsiders around here and speaking of which, nicely kept." He raised his head and glanced around. "Plenty of space, well thought out design. Nice room in place for activating the rift with a manipulator, which I hope you've been careful with, can't afford to tamper with it too much, but I trust that you've each been cautious with it. From what Jack told us, I bet you're brilliant!"

Ianto and Gwen exchanged a look. "Bit wordy, you are," she remarked.

"That's me," he said with a grin. "Curse of this gob—talk, talk, talk. Until my wife shuts me up, of course." Rose snorted from the side and Jack grinned.

"That's the only thing he eats, his words," called a voice from the TARDIS. A redheaded woman exited the ship and came to join the others. "Why else would he look like a giant string bean in a suit?"

"Thanks for that, Donna," the Doctor sighed.

"Only being honest, I observe." She noticed Jack and smiled politely. "Hello."

"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack said with his usual charming grin.

"Don't," the alien said firmly.

"For God's sake, Doc, I'm only saying hi."

"Well, in your code, 'hi' is subtext for many a verbal exchanges."

"Oh, buck up, spaceman," Donna said with an eye roll as she shook Jack's hand. "I'm Donna Noble. I've heard a lot about you."

Jack snorted. "Good things, I imagine."

"Lots. Rose told me about a bunch of adventures you three have been on. This one," she pointed at the Doctor, "is a little green-eyed still."

"What?" the Time Lord cried. "I'm not jealous!"

Jack laughed, seeing that familiar Northern look coming over the alien's face. "No need to be jealous, Doctor. We've both been taken by the right people." He turned and winked at Ianto, who smiled a little. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Noble. Now, time you lot met the team." He turned to his team members and introduced them. "Gwen Cooper, former constable, very handy police liaison. And Ianto Jones, general factotum. Can do all kinds of things—cleans up after us, gets us everywhere on time, knows his technology, makes a hell of a cup of coffee, looks gorgeous in suits, you name it."

"Basically an advanced handyman," the Welsh man said.

"Yeah, if you're ever stuck just know he'll always lend you a hand," Jack replied slyly.

Ianto arched an eyebrow. "Only when needed, sir."

"Good to meet you, Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones," the Doctor said fondly as he shook their hands. "I'm the Doctor and this is my wife, Rose Tyler and you've already met our friend, Donna Noble."

"Pleasure," Ianto said.

"Nice to finally meet you," Gwen said. "You came in…a blue box."

"Yup!" the Doctor said, popping the 'p'. "That's my ship."

"A police box?"

"Don't knock it, it's a magnificent ship," he said defensively.

"How did you all fit in that box? It's awfully small."

"Only on the outside," Rose said with a grin.

"Looks intimate, I know," Jack said with a chuckle. "At least there's two people that can confirm that."

"Jack," the Doctor said with a warning tone.

"Gwen, eh?" Rose inquired with an inquisitive look as she shook the woman's hand. "Like…Gwyneth?"

"Right," the other woman replied. "Don't go by that though, too ancient, no offense to the bloodline."

"Tell me, Gwen Cooper, you come from an old Cardiff family, correct?" the Doctor asked out of the blue. "Say all the way back into the eighteen-hundreds?"

Gwen's brows shot up in surprise as she glanced over at Ianto. "Yes, actually."

"Knew it!" Rose said with a grin.

"Thought so!" the Doctor chirped, exchanging a delighted look with his wife and gestured at his face. "Spatial genetic multiplicity."

"A coupling of the rift and residence causing a coincidental resemblance!"

"Exactly! Ah, it's a funny old world, innit?"

Gwen shook her head. "You've met my family?" she asked.

"One distant relative back in 1869," the Doctor said. "The woman we met struck an identical resemblance to you, like looking into mirror. Could be an echo and repetition of physical traits across the time rift."

"She was brave," Rose said fondly. "And I'll bet you share that trait as well."

Gwen chuckled. "Try to be, at least. You're a bit nice, the three of you. I thought you'd be older, being time travellers."

"He's not that young," Ianto said with a smile. "There's quite an age gap between him and his wife."

"Did your research, huh?" Rose asked.

"Came across some files, yes, Miss Tyler. Both you and the Doctor, or Sir and Dame, I should say."

She laughed and waved it off. "Just Rose."

"And just the Doctor," the alien added before proclaiming. "So! What's going on around here, something with children?"

* * *

 **Late update, mind the wait. It's that lovely time of year with sicknesses and doctor appointments. =/** **Hope you enjoyed this!**

 **Response to _newboy_ : Oh, yes. He won't be pleased once he finds out.**

 **Response to _Jaye_ : It's okay, darling. I promise there won't be so much heartbreak, and I certainly won't be killing Ianto. Why would I? He's precious :3**


	44. Team TARDIS Plus

**A/N: This whole arc is gonna be at least ten chapters long, maybe a little more.** **Many thanks to every one of you awesome viewers! You're the only thing keeping me sane as of lately.**

 **Disclaimer: Much like I still don't own Doctor Who (unfortunately) I don't own Torchwood. If I did then Ianto never would have died. Hell, no one would have died. Probably. Well, Jack would, but he comes back two minutes later. Still, all rights to the writers and creators and the BBC. Seriously though. How could you kill Ianto, bastards.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 42: Team TARDIS Plus**_

The Doctor moved around the computer station as if he owned the place, as usual, and shrugged off his coat before throwing it over a railing. He slipped on his specs, Rose doing the same thing. Jack inwardly laughed at how similar they both were and how much she was becoming his wife. Matching clothes wasn't enough, they even had the same glasses.

Gwen went to sit by one of the computers and brought up the readings. "Earlier this morning children all over the place just paused. No warning, no explanation, nothing."

"They just…stopped?" Rose said with a frown.

"There's accounts coming in from everywhere," Ianto spoke up, operating the other computer. "Traffic reports saying that children had stopped in the middle of cross sections. And it happened again not too long ago before you came in."

"Has the rift been active?" the Doctor asked.

"No readings, it's been quiet. But it's not just Cardiff—it's the whole world."

"Everywhere where there's been daylight the children just stop whatever they were doing and then go on a moment later as if nothing happened," Gwen added.

"But what about other places where it's dark out?" Donna asked. "It couldn't happen if it was a different time zone."

"Unless it doesn't matter and it happens at the same time regardless if it's night or day," Rose mused.

"Good thought," the Doctor said, looking over Gwen's shoulder to peer at the reports. "The exact time was between 8:40 and 8:41 this morning in standard UK time, but widening the parameters around the world showed the same things. It may be nighttime in China right now but the children still froze in place. But why?"

"I recorded the last event," Ianto said as he moved over with his camcorder. "It happened at 10:30."

The Doctor straightened up as he watched the clip with intense concentration. Rose came closer for a better look while Donna watched from the side. Ianto increased the volume so they could hear every sound from the scene. It started on the little girl with her mother as she screamed before panning over towards the larger group of kids across the Plas. Then it showed the children when the ear piercing wails came to an end followed by them speaking in unison with an ominous message: 'we are coming.'

"Creepy," Donna whispered when the clip finished. "Worse than _Children of the Damned_."

"Have you ever seen anything like this Doctor?" Rose asked.

He shook his head and rubbed his cheek. "Not to my knowledge. Seems like hypnosis on a low-level field, but on a massive scale."

"It's like a transmission," Jack spoke up. "Like a pulse or broadcast of some kind."

"Like the Mosquito alarm, the one that only kids can hear," Ianto put in.

"Something unique and directed only for the children," the Doctor added. "Why?"

"We'd need a child," Ianto suggested. "Maybe interview them to see if they could let us know how long this has been happening to them?" He frowned. "Where d'you get a child, though? Finding lasers and weevils and hitchhikers are simple. But kids…"

"Not a bad thought," the Doctor hummed, scratching his sideburn. "Although it's uncertain if that would be able to help so soon."

"How come?"

"Well, thing is, these children look to be under some kind of hypnosis whenever this entity speaks through all of them at the same time. Once they're released from the trance they go about with no memory of what they just did, like they were being controlled by a remote. It's unknown if they'd have delayed reminiscents afterward."

"Could still try it out though, right?" Jack asked.

The Doctor tilted his head. "Suppose so."

"If it's controlling only them, you think there's a template or something inside of them?" Rose mentioned. "Maybe there's a certain wavelength you'd have to follow in order to find out who's sending it out."

"A very good thought," the Doctor said with a proud smile. "Brilliant, Rose. But unless anyone has any family members young enough then I doubt we'd be able to interrogate them, much less test them out."

"Weird," Donna commented from the side.

"We're missing the bleedin' obvious here," Gwen said.

Rose joined the ladies at the computers. Her brows furrowed when a young Asian girl appeared on an attached file with a video clip chanting 'we are coming' in English when it said it was recorded in Taiwanese. She tapped the Doctor's arm. "You should take a look at this, boys," she told them.

The men came around to watch the video of the young girl. "She's speaking English," Ianto said, confused.

"That's definitely English," the Doctor confirmed.

"How can she be speaking English when it says it was recorded in Taiwanese?" Donna asked. "Is that the TARDIS translating again?"

"I don't think so," Rose said. "Usually it would, but…it seems off for some reason."

"All the footage is the same," Gwen noted. "So every single child in the whole wide world is speaking English, so why's that?"

"I guess if you scanned the Earth from the outside, you'd register English as the dominant language," Jack shrugged.

"Actually that would be Chinese," Ianto corrected.

"Isn't it Mandarin?" Rose asked.

"Yes, actually. There's about a billion people speaking Mandarin. That's three times more than English."

The Doctor raised his brows at Rose who shrugged. "What, I remember that being a question on one of my exams. I may not have gotten A-levels, but I studied like hell for those."

He nudged her shoulder playfully. "You're a great learner, like a sponge."

She snorted. "Thanks, love. Good to know I'm a sponge."

"Oh, my God," Gwen said.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"Take a look at this. So every single child in the world is talking in unison, right?"

"Yeah," Ianto said.

"It's every single child…and one man."

She brought up a side video of an older man standing in a back garden of a building chanting the same 'we are coming' message as the children. "Who's that?" Rose asked.

"His name's Timothy White," Gwen informed. "He's a patient in a psychiatric ward at the Duke Of York Hospital, East Grinstead."

"Psychiatric ward?" the Doctor repeated with a frown. "What kind of mental illness would cause him to be involved with the children?"

"Maybe it's not mental," Rose guessed. "Could he have some kind of…I dunno, like some kind of hormonal thing? Like a connection with them in a way?"

"It's a possibility."

"How'd you get a hold of this footage?" Jack asked.

"Staff e-mailed it to the police," Gwen explained. "But every police force is swamped with mums and dads going absolutely mental, so it's just waiting in line. I reckon no one else has noticed him yet."

"East Grinstead, you say?" Ianto said.

"We should check it out. Talk to him and see if there's something in his records."

"Sounds good, who's up for a road trip?" Jack said. "It's a few hours away."

"I'll tag along," Donna said. "If there's files laying around I can sift through them. Bit of a natural at that. How 'bout you, Rose? Wanna come?"

Rose shrugged. "Sure, I'll go for the ride. Going to a mental house is always…interesting. If not a little unsettling."

"That settles that," Jack said. "You three check out what's up with this Timothy White, we'll stay here and keep an eye on these reports. Call us and let us know when you get there."

"We're on it," Gwen said with a nod. "Alright then, ladies day out."

"Should be fun," Donna said.

Rose went to follow before the Doctor had placed a hand on her upper arm and stopped her. "Be careful. Let me know what you've found out."

"Yes, sir," Rose said with a mock salute. He leaned over to give her a brief kiss before she left with Gwen and Donna.

"Your base is in a _tourist_ shop?" Donna asked when they exited the hub and made their way to Gwen's car and took the chance to observe the main entrance for the first time.

"For blending in," the Welsh woman said. "Can't have the general public knowing _exactly_ where we work."

"Smart move," Rose said. "For being a secret organization advertising it a lot would only attract more trouble."

She chuckled. "Yeah, and we still get a lot of that."

They came across a black car parked not too far away from the base and each got inside, Donna taking the back and Rose taking the passenger seat. "Company car?" Donna inquired.

"No, it's mine," Gwen said as they drove off. "Yan is usually the one who takes the company car. Although you'd have to watch yourself, it's been stolen a number of times."

Rose snorted. "Savages."

"Tell me about it. Triple deadlock seal and people still managed to nick it."

"'S unlikely that they've got sonic technology to break inside. Just a bunch of gits with nothing better to do with themselves." As they drove they began to make some friendly conversation. "What's it like, working for Torchwood?"

"So many things," Gwen answered. "Unlike everything I've done before. I was a constable when I first found out about the organization. Ever since then I was hooked in, could never leave it behind. I've seen a lot of things over the years as an officer but…never all of _this._ I've been with Torchwood for a couple years and even now I still get terrified. But at the same time, it's…brilliant, and-and beautiful, and completely bloody _magic_. It's bigger, y'know? It's like…like the whole wide world is bigger. My life is bigger than it used to be."

Rose offered the woman a meaningful smile and exchanged one with Donna. They knew where she was coming from. Everything changes when you make that decision to accept how much bigger the universe is than what you've known all your life. "We were the same way," Rose said genuinely. "We get that."

"Before I met the Doctor and Rose, I thought I was tiny," Donna spoke up. "I was a temp, but then I started travelling with them and they've opened my eyes to see how much more there was. And Rose could tell you how much hers changed since she met her husband."

Rose nodded and let out a deep breath. She's stressed it so many times how her life changed for the better since she bumped into an old mad man in a blue box and was pulled into the extraordinary life she's grown accustomed to. "I thought the same thing," she said. "Thought my life was dull and boring with nothing else to live for. But then the Doctor came into my life and he changed it forever. I could never see myself ever regretting my choice to be with him and not have this life together. I've never been happier."

Gwen smiled at her. "That man must be special," she said. "Not by being an alien, though. Just by how much he means to you."

"You bet. He means everything to me."

"They're so ridiculously in love it gives you cavities," Donna spoke up, making the Welsh woman chuckle. "Seriously, you'd need a crowbar to split these two apart. Like two puppies they are."

"Not much different than Jack and Ianto, I'd say," Gwen said. "Everytime they're next to each other it turns into a love and shag fest."

"Oh, don't get me started!" Donna exclaimed. "I can't tell you how many times I almost caught those two shagging on every surface of the TARDIS! Like bleedin' rabbits in heat!"

"Donna!" Rose cried, feeling her face heat up.

"I actually caught my two lovebirds one night after I went home," Gwen said. "They linger in the hub and wait until everyone would leave. Sometimes."

"There's no getting away from it with the randy aliens either," Donna said. "Not even a ship that massive can hide them from shagging."

Rose blushed, feeling embarrassed. Before she could change the subject a ringing sound came to their attention.

Gwen pulled out her phone and checked the name. "It's my husband, Rhys," she told them. She put it on speaker and set it down beside her. "Hey, you."

 ** _"I'm at the house,"_ ** Rhys said. _**"Nice place, think you'd love it if you were actually here."**_

"I know I promised, shut up," she said with an eye roll. "Change of plan."

 _ **"Oh, s'all right, I thought you'd be busy anyway. 'We are coming!'"**_

"What's it like?"

 ** _"The estate agent hasn't turned up. Fair dos, she's probably got kids. So, what do you think's causing it?"_**

"I can't say. Top secret."

 ** _"You haven't got a clue, have you?"_**

Gwen shook her head. "No idea. But we're working on it. Jack called in some extra help."

 _ **"Yeah? More friends of his?"**_

"Good friends, actually. Sorry I couldn't be there with you."

 ** _"Tell you what, it looks nice from the outside. And I reckon we could knock ten grand off the asking price. Three bedrooms—one could be a nursery."_**

"Oh, stop it!" Gwen told him.

Rhys laughed. _**"One day! Speaking of, thing I was thinking of earlier. Those kids went off at 8:40, when everyone's on their way to school, right? Then it happened at 10:30, that's break time. It's like it was timed. You know? So you'd get maximum kids out in the open, visible to everyone."**_

"Suppose so."

 ** _"Yeah, but that means it's timed around Britain. Specific British hours, yeah? It might be worldwide, but I reckon someone's looking right at us."_**

"Like there's a bloody sign over the country," Donna remarked.

"Oh, my God, that's good!" Rose cried. "How could we have missed that?"

 ** _"Who's that?"_ ** Rhys asked curiously.

"Sorry, forgot to introduce the other ladies," Gwen said. "This is Rose Tyler and Donna Noble, they came with the Doctor. Jack called them in."

 ** _"Oh, another crew, then. Having more extra hands would be helpful. Hello, loves."_**

"That was a really good thought, Rhys," Rose told him.

 ** _"I 'ave my moments,"_** he said proudly.

"Oh, my God, Severn Bridge!" Gwen exclaimed, feigning fear. "I'm going into England, farewell forever!"

 ** _"Good luck! Have you got currency?"_**

"Yes, and I've had my injections!"

"It's not _that_ bad," Rose spoke up.

"Yes, it kinda is," Gwen said at the same time as Rhys said, _ **"You bet."**_

Rose shrugged.

"Meh," Donna said.

 ** _"Be careful now,"_** Rhys said.

"See ya!" Gwen shut off her phone and pocketed it with a smile as they drive across the bridge. "He's gettin' a big snog when I see him."

"He's brilliant," Rose said. "Does he work with you or…?"

The Welsh woman sighed. "Not really, no. He just…finds out things and helps out. He's technically not working for Torchwood, just helps out."

Rose nodded slowly. "And he's totally fine with the life? I mean, dealing with aliens and all, he's okay with it?"

"Not at first. Before I began working for Torchwood he's only heard the stories about alien invasions that everyone was sayin', but didn't believe them. Thought it was hallucinations caused by terrorists putting drugs in the water supply."

"Believable," Donna remarked. "What'd he say when you told him your job deals with little green men?"

"Donna," Rose interjected.

"Sorry. Not all of them are 'little green men', but I'm guessing those were the only ones he pictured."

Gwen snorted. "The first thing you think of when you hear alien, right? Well, at first I just told him I worked for the special ops but after a short while I came clean about my job and he accepted it."

"Just like that?"

"Not right away. Then he saw some of the things we've dealt with and joined us on a few missions." The Welsh woman snorted. "Even had some running around on our bleedin' wedding day."

"Oh, God," Rose said with wide eyes.

"Were they robotic Santas too?" Donna asked. "Or red spiders?"

"No, but it was a shapeshifter that took my mother-in-law's form."

"No!"

Gwen laughed and nodded. "Swear to God!"

"She must have been a riot at the reception," Rose said with a chuckle.

"All of the guests were. Turned out the thing had bit me the night before and I wound up carrying its fetus." Rose and Donna gaped at the woman. "People thought I was actually pregnant with a human child."

"Oh…my…God," the redhead gasped out.

"My mum would've slapped the Doctor upside the head if she saw me walk down the aisle pregnant," Rose said. Just picturing how her mother would react when she saw her walking down the aisle with a belly. The Doctor wouldn't have a chance. "And you still went on with the wedding?"

"Have you any idea how much a wedding costs?" Gwen said with a snort. "I couldn't back out of it!"

The three woman laughed as they continued to drive down the roads to get to the mental ward.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Jack stood in his office and dialed another number on his phone. He slipped away from the computer area and let the Doctor and Ianto continue to study the reports from all around the world. His first call was to UNIT and he talked to a sergeant of all people who didn't disclose as much information that he needed. Out of the brief check, he was told that the base in Washington ran tests on a couple of kids from brain scans and checking blood sugar and radiation poisoning. Nothing. But with the advanced technology in the hub as well as the TARDIS they could run more thorough exams. Only problem was that they needed to find a young enough child. He had one in mind, as reluctant as he was to go through with his plan, but it was worth a shot.

The phone clicked on the other end and he held his breath. "Hey, it's me."

 _ **"Oh, I thought so."**_ It was Alice. It's been a long time since he heard from his daughter or had the time to even give her a call to check in to see how she was doing, and it pained him.

"Good to hear from you," Jack said with a faint smile.

 ** _"But not see, right?"_**

He sighed. "I'm sorry, really I am. I wish I could come over and see you two but I've been busy with work."

 ** _"Always what happens,"_ ** Alice said.

"How's things?"

 ** _"Terrifying."_**

She paused and he heard some shifting then a voice in the background that made him smile even wider. _**"Is that Uncle Jack?"**_

 ** _"Someone wants to say hi,"_** Alice told him.

"Don't let the good man down," Jack said.

 _ **"Hi Uncle Jack!"**_ came the happy sound of his grandson's voice that made his insides warm up.

"Steven!" he exclaimed. "Hey, soldier, how you doing?"

 ** _"I was talking like an alien!"_** the boy said. **_"Everyone was! It was amazing!"_**

"Yeah? Heard about that. Did you happen to raise your hand to the sky and say, 'phone home'?"

Steven laughed and Jack let the wide grin spread across his face. Even though they were communicating through a phone he could just see the young boy's bright face. He wanted to see them in person, but he needed to focus on work right now. But they could help him. **_"You wanna talk to mum?"_ ** Steven asked.

"Sure, pal," Jack said. "I'll talk to you soon."

Alice had taken the phone again. ** _"Go play some football, sweetie,"_ ** she said to her son. ** _"I wanna talk to your uncle for a little bit."_** There was a pause before she turned her attention back to him. ** _"They said on the news that we should send them back to school tomorrow,"_** she told him. **_"D'you think it's safe?"_**

Jack sighed. "Well, I don't know any more than you."

 ** _"Oh, come on."_**

"I don't." She clearly wasn't believing him. "We'll figure this out, I called in some friends to help us out."

 ** _"That so? And you still know nothing?"_**

"It's all a work in progress." Brief moment of silence. Maybe he should ease into the situation slowly. It's been a while since he caught up with recent events with his daughter. "Any word from Joe?" he asked hesitantly.

 ** _"In Italy…with her,"_** Alice replied. ** _"They finally got married. But he, uh…he phones every now and then, and sends Steven postcards. Remembers his birthday. There are worse fathers."_**

He closed his eyes and ducked his head. She didn't have to be specific, he knew what she was implying. He wanted to be there for her all the time, but with his hectic and busy life he knew less contact would keep her and Steven safe and away from trouble. It ached. "How are you off for money?" Jack asked.

 ** _"Don't worry about that,"_** she told him. **_"You give me enough. Kind of easy, writing cheques, huh?"_**

"Alice, you're the one who asked me to stay away. I'd come 'round here every week if you wanted me to. Every day, every week."

 ** _"Yeah."_ ** She paused and let out a deep sigh, her voice sounding a bit hurt. **_"I just can't stand it, Dad. I look older than you do and it's never gonna stop. I get older and older and you stay the same. One day you're gonna be standing at my funeral…looking just like you did when you were standing at Mum's. No wonder she was so furious. You make us feel old."_**

Jack rubbed his eyes and felt a wave of guilt wash over him. That was the thing about being immortal. He's dealt with loss over the years, lived for so long and had to watch those who were close to him fade away and slip from his grasp. Ever since the Game Station when Rose became the Bad Wolf and brought him back to life permanently after dying he knew right then and there he'd experience pain for his entire life. He could die every second of every day but those around him, those he loved and cared about, they would all be underneath him, would leave this world before he could.

He wasn't upset at Rose for giving him this power, he would never be upset with that blonde. But he knew the consequences of having an extended life and had to live with it, just like everyone else. "Actually," he spoke up, his voice firm. "I found a grey hair the other day."

Alice laughed at that and it made him feel better. **_"Oh! Well, that is the end of the world."_**

Jack laughed at that as well before stopping himself. "You ever gonna tell Steven?"

 ** _"What do I say?"_** she asked. **_"That you're his grandfather?"_**

"He's too young to notice, right now. That I don't age. But one day he's gonna realize."

 ** _"And that's another reason for you to stay away."_**

 _Sad but true,_ he thought. "I suppose. I could make the most of it while he's still young—take him out, buy him stuff. Me and him, sort of thing."

 ** _"You mean today?"_**

"I can stop over and pick him up."

Alice laughed, but he sensed no humor in it whatsoever. **_"Ah, you bastard."_**

"What?"

 ** _"Something happens to kids and you want to spend time with him on the same day."_**

"Alice—"

 _ **"You are not experimenting on that boy, Dad,"**_ she cut in. ** _"Not now, not ever. That's why I want you to stay away, because you're dangerous."_**

Jack inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. He knew she was right. She was smart and quick, of course she'd pick up on that. But he really did want to make the most of time with his grandson and see him. Today wasn't the day though.

* * *

 **Edit: Props to Donna Tempus for saying Team TARDIS Plus. It's a better name for the chapter. Giving credit when it's due :)**

 **Response to the _guest reviewer:_ Wow, thanks a lot! I'm glad you enjoy it :D I like to imagine that disaster of an episode that was GitF doesn't even exist. It was thrown into a black hole.**

 **Response to _Jaye_ : You bet! Ianto didn't deserve to die. He and Jack deserve all the happiness in the world.**


	45. Interrogation

**A/N:** **IMPORTANT NOTE: I've changed the name of this series from _Just As It Should Be_ to _Stars Aligned_ for future reasons. It's on all of the stories and will be for the future sequels and one shots set in the universe. ****As always, much love and many thanks to you awesome viewers! Thanks for keeping me sane and being my motivation and inspiration ^^**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 43: Interrogation**_

The Doctor was standing by one of the computers at the station as he studied the reports from around the world. Jack was in his office while Ianto went to check up on something personal. His mind was flipping through the possible species responsible for using the children to speak like puppets. It could be an experienced telepathic race if it had the ability to get inside the young minds without being present or an ear's shot away. Low-level fields were simple for an ancient species, even more than advanced ones like himself to be able to pick up on the signal.

Usually the TARDIS circuitry would take care of the translations, but the Old Girl didn't even have to use them. It was definitely English that the children were speaking. Why English? Why just one specific language? Typically when an alien entity possesses another being—usually human—the default communication is the native language of the creature. There was a slight overlapping with a deep tone beneath the children's voices. He straightened up and placed his hands in his pocket, his eyes still on the computer screen.

" _Find anything new?"_ his wife asked mentally.

 _"Just some more footage of children around the world acting the same way—non-English speaking nations speaking the tongue while standing still in place. It's not even the TARDIS translating the languages, they're speaking English **themselves**."_

 _"Been easy to tell that. You know what, though, Gwen's husband gave her a ring and brought something to our attention that we missed."_

He frowned. _"Really?"_

 _"So the kids all left at 8:40 on their way to school, yeah?"_

 _"Right."_

 _"That's when they each stopped. And then the next time it happened it was at 10:30, recess. Rhys—that's Gwen's husband—mentioned how it looked timed and that it was only going by British hours around the world."_

The Doctor's eyes widened in realization. "Oh!" he exclaimed out loud, smacking his forehead.

"Doc?" Jack said, sticking his head out of his office door. "What is it?"

"Of course, it's revolving around the British school system!" he said. "How did we miss that? We had the times from here. First they stop on their way to school during morning traffic and then again at recess—when the children are most visible!"

 _"_ So once again there's a giant red target painted all over Britain," Jack said as he moved over to the computer area with him.

"But why the children?" the Doctor asked.

"We need to talk to a child, don't you think?"

"It wouldn't hurt to. Have any luck?"

Jack sighed. "None. I have a feeling Ianto isn't having much luck either. Let me see if he has anything to spill." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone and dialed a number and pressed it against his ear. "Did you get a kid? No luck either, huh?" He nodded. "Alright, come on back here. We'll come up with something." He hung up.

 _"Wait a minute,"_ Rose spoke up in the Doctor's mind. _"Hospitals have sections for children to take care of, yeah?"_

 _"Oh, Rose Tyler, you're brilliant!"_ he replied proudly.

 _"Try my best,"_ she replied. He could hear her wide tongue-in-teeth grin and matched it.

"Not that I'm complaining," Jack cut in. "But are you and Rose sending each other intimate pictures of each other? 'Cause if you are, that's pretty selfish of you not to share."

"In no way is _that_ even considered selfish, Jack," the Doctor said sternly. "It's more along the lines of discretion."

Jack grinned wickedly. "That aside, which I hope we could come back to later, what was Rose telling you?"

"She just happened to mention that hospitals have childcare wards."

"Oh, perfect! Good idea, I say it's another road trip for us. Ianto's on his way now, so when he gets here we'll be right off. Guess running into that doctor earlier paid off." He took out his phone again an punched in another number. "Rupesh! Captain Jack Harkness. You've got a children's ward, haven't you? I need a kid. I'll be over shortly." He hung up and smiled at the Doctor. "Remind me to give your wife a kiss for being brilliant."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Not before _me,_ you won't. You've got others to kiss. Besides, don't suppose Ianto would be too thrilled about that."

"Was it too obvious?"

"With you?" the Doctor scoffed. "The way I've seen you looking at him gave you away. I'm actually shocked that you've found a man to love you other than yourself."

Jack chuckled as he moved to stand at his side. "Still so sassy. You got room to talk, though, Doctor. You always gave off the impression that you would never do domestic."

"I don't," the Doctor said. "You'll never see me in a _house_ with _doors_ and _carpets_."

"Maybe not, but even _you_ have to admit everything you've got is pretty domestic—being married, watching tv, cooking…"

The Doctor turned to him with an arched brow and tilted his head. "Weeell…"

Jack patted his shoulder. "Just some observations, that's all. So, how've you two crazy kids been? Been a long time since…you know."

The Doctor took a deep breath. He knew that topic was bound to come up some time today, not that he wanted to dwell on it. The last time they saw Jack it had been the morning after they broke the paradox machine and erased the entire year from existence. "Yeah…been away for a while. Just wandering around, trying to avoid trouble." He frowned. "Which doesn't always work out the way I want it to."

"Never does, does it?" Jack said.

The Doctor shook his head before raising it up to scan his surroundings again. "I have to admit, I'm impressed with what you've built. Updated software, refurbished interior. You created _all_ of this?"

"Yes, I did. Everything that Torchwood was when it was first created back in Scotland by Queen Vicky is changed. That old policy of placing priority on obtaining alien technology over helping people and saving lives is gone. I vowed to make this the kind of organization that would make you proud. Have I?"

The Doctor gave the area a meaningful look. He recalled his outburst when he first found out what Jack had been up to after the Game Station, but both his and his wife's trust in the immortal man pushed the doubts aside. Jack wasn't rebuilding the Earth, but rebuilt a once malign organization into a good natured one that helped save lives. "Can't argue with that," he said sincerely.

"Uh oh, do I sense a compliment?" Jack joked. "Someone's in a good mood. Rose is rubbing off on you more and more each day."

"Well, she _is_ the best part of me."

Jack grinned before studying him carefully. "I don't blame you guys for not being around too long. Healing was your number one priority. You two needed each other more than anything."

"We always will," the Doctor said before clearing his throat. "But we're fine now. Everything good, brilliant, really."

"That goes for the bedroom privileges too, I'm betting." The Doctor turned to him with a pointed glance. Jack held up his hands innocently. "Can't help it. Rose told me things before. Nothing in detail, but enough."

"I haven't forgotten."

"You won't deny it though." A ghost of a boastful smile appeared on the Doctor's face as he returned his attention to the computer in front of him. "Just know that if you ever need any pointers or advice in the field…you can always page Dr. Love over here."

"No thanks," the Doctor snorted, shaking his head. "I think you should know I'm experienced enough."

Jack arched an eyebrow. "Oh, so you would be able to give _me_ some pointers, then."

"No chance."

"Damn, you're such a buzzkill." On the opposite on in the station was the live footage that showed the black company car pulling up by the pier. "That's our ride," Jack said. "You coming?"

"Nah, I think it's better that I stay here," the Doctor said, gesturing at the computer screen. "With all of these reports coming in, I might stumble across something referring to the entity speaking through the children."

"You sure? You'll be here by yourself."

"Not all the way. I can always check in with Rose right here." He tapped his temple. "All the company I can have for the moment."

"Alright, just don't go sonicing everything in here. Namely the coffee maker. That's the last thing Yan would want, something happening to _that_."

The Doctor turned to him with an incredulous look over the rim of his glasses. "I'll restrain myself."

Jack nodded before heading down to the lower level to retrieve his war coat and making his way out of the hub to join Ianto.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Entering the mental hospital was simple for the ladies as Rose flashed her psychic paper to the guards, letting them think they were police officers. Well, not so much for Gwen since she actually was a constable. For Donna's case they made it easy and said she was an officer in training to avoid suspicions. Rose felt herself shivering as they walked down the corridors. They found their way in a small office area where a uniformed lady nurse had been.

"Excuse us," Gwen said. "We're looking for one of your patients, Timothy White."

"What of it?" the nurse asked.

"We're in the middle of an investigation," Rose cut in, flashing her physic paper again.

Off to the side was a monitor displaying a slightly grainy black and white live shot of a man sitting at a table in the center of a vacated room, fidgeting in place. "Is that him?" Donna asked.

"That's him," the nurse confirmed as she began to explain. "Timothy White, fifty-five years old. He's been with us three months."

"Does he have any medical history?" Rose asked. "Like any illnesses?"

"Far as we know, there's not much to say. He has a habit of looking at things differently than others."

"Different how?" Donna asked.

"Almost like a child," the nurse replied. "When it comes to medical history there isn't much to go by but he's got a history of being in and out of care all his life."

"Timothy White's," Gwen mused. "Funny, my mum used to shop there."

"Well, if he's got a different name, he's never said," the nurse said.

Rose put on an inquisitive expression as she turned back to the monitor to study the man. If the man chose an alias then he probably figured 'John Smith' would be too common. It was, seeings as how the Doctor had used that pseudonym for centuries until he finally changed the last name to Tyler.

"He spent forty years living in Leeds," the nurse continued. "That's where he first came on record. Found homeless, living on the streets at the age of eleven."

"Eleven?" Donna echoed in shock.

The nurse nodded. "No one ever reported him missing. Apparently though, he did have a Scottish accent back then. Gone now, but he was a long way lost."

"Can we talk to him?" Gwen asked.

"Just head down the east corridor, you'll find a guard to lead the rest of the way. I'd accompany you, but I have work to do around here. Be gentle with him. He's our most special patient, so try not to get him too wound up."

"We won't," Rose assured.

The trio made their way down the hall instructed. As they passed by some rooms Donna made a comment at how the place reminded her of Bedlam, which only made Rose shiver again. Not having the best of luck in hospitals was something she's never been keen about, especially when it was her and her husband investigating something.

 _"You're cold?"_

She inwardly flinched at the sound of the Doctor coming to her mind. It was so eerily silent in the halls that it seemed louder. _"This place gives me the chills,"_ she replied. _"'S not exactly somewhere to give you a warm welcome."_

He shuddered. _"Hospitals. What more could you expect?"_

 _"Knowing our track record, something terrible to happen at any corner._ _Find anything?"_

The Doctor sighed. _"Not a thing. Just more clips of the children."_

 _"Any idea of what could be doing this?"_

 _"Too many possibilities, I'm still unsure. And even if I found out who's responsible for speaking through the children we still wouldn't know the motive behind it._ _Jack and Ianto went to a hospital—a regular one that is, not a mental institution. They're headed for a childcare ward to interview one of them. Reckon they might be able to try it out, there's nothing else we can do right now."_

" _Alright,"_ Rose said. _"You didn't wanna go with them?"_

 _"Nah, figured I'd hang around the base and keep an eye on the computers in case the children had another episode. Jack can handle himself, and he's got Ianto with him. That's more than enough company for him."_

 _"You didn't wanna be in the center of any interrogating yourself, did ya?"_

He paused. _"He tried it on me earlier,"_ he grumbled. She chuckled. _"Rose Tyler, you find amusement in others trying to learn about our **intimate** life? Namely **Captain Jack**?"_

 _"You know he can't help himself. He practically **begs** for us to give him details."_

The Doctor snorted. _"That's the **last** thing I need to happen."_

 _"Wouldn't stop him."_

 _"Rooose."_

She giggled at his whining. _"Calm down, I have discretion. Just don't go doing any jiggery-pokery."_

She could hear his eyes rolling. _"Blimey, why does everyone think I'm gonna touch everything?"_

 _"'Cause your curiosity always gets you in trouble."_ He muttered something in Gallifreyan and she inwardly smiled. _"We're coming up to the room now."_

 _"Okay. Be careful."_

At the end of the hallway was a metal door without a slot. A guard stood with his hand on the doorknob and turned it. Once it was opened, they each stepped inside to see the older man seated by the long table in the center of the room. He turned in their direction and twitched. Rose frowned. This poor man looked so afraid, almost like a little kid. The guard shut the door behind them as they moved further into the room. Three other chairs were set up on the opposite side of the table. Rose looked back at the corner of the room and noted the security camera with a blinking red light above the lens.

"Don't take me," Timothy said fearfully.

"It's alright," Donna said gently as she took a seat at the end. "We're not taking you anywhere."

"We just wanna have a chat with you, Timothy," Rose said. "We wanna talk about the children." She took the center seat while Gwen took the other end.

"Can you remember the voice?" Gwen asked. "You said, 'we are coming.' Can you remember why?" He remained silent. "D'you know what we think it was? Aliens."

Timothy raised his head and flitted his eyes between the three of them. He looked ready to speak but only shook his head.

"'S okay," Rose said softly. "We know they exist. _You_ know they exist."

"Those days of not believing are long gone," Donna put in. "It's scary, but it's true. Everyone's eyes are wide open. Or…almost everyone."

"We've all met aliens," Gwen told him, her voice low. "But we're not the authorities, or the police, or the army. So anything you say is just between us."

"You've…you've _met_ them?" he asked quietly. They nodded in response.

"Fell in love with one and married him," Rose mentioned. He looked horrified. "Don't worry, different kind. He's a _good_ one, I promise."

The women carefully studied as Timothy moved his eyes over each of them like a cornered animal. Without warning he reached over and grabbed Gwen's hand, catching them all off guard. He pressed her palm to his nose and inhaled deeply before looking up in surprise. "You're telling the truth," he said. He then reached over and took one of Donna's hands and did the same. "So are you."

"How can you tell?" Donna asked curiously.

"I can smell it," he answered.

Rose offered him her hand, but as he grabbed it he froze up. He leaned in close to her and breathed deeply. She studied him oddly and backed away a little, trying to keep some personal space. His eyes narrowed as he sat back down in his seat, a wondrous expression coloring his face. "You smell…different," he said.

Rose exchanged a quick look with Donna and Gwen. "Is…that good?" she asked warily.

"It's nothing wrong, just…strange. Something…interesting. You're telling the truth, too. But the way you smell…" He paused and his body shook a bit. "You're not human."

"'M an advanced one," she informed. "Like my own brand."

"You're an alien."

"Not really, no." Rose leaned over and gently held the man's wrist, trying to placate him. "We're all safe. It's okay. We're not gonna hurt you, we're friends."

"Still not safe," Timothy said before twitching again. "Isn't it, isn't it?" He composed himself and moved his eyes over to the side and whispered. "They're watching."

The red light continued to blink on the security camera as the three women looked over their shoulders at it. "Can't have that now, can we?" Rose muttered as she reached a hand into her jacket pocket and pulled out her sonic.

"What are you doing?" Donna whispered.

"Keeping this session private." Carefully positioning the sonic stealthily beneath her arm she turned it on. The camera sparked before breaking.

"Impressive," Gwen said with a grin. "A better gizmo than mine."

Rose returned the smirk before pocketing her sonic. "Thank my husband for making me one."

"Praising him after what he installed in it?" Donna asked. "Thought you wanted to shove it up his arse after he sent you away."

Rose pursed her lips. "Have to give him credit for most of the settings."

"Before you slug him, right?"

"Took care of it already. But sometimes he needs more reminders."

Timothy began to laugh hard. "You're not like them." He glanced up at the camera then leaned forward. "They can't see us, right?" he whispered.

"Nope," Rose said.

"Good." He sat back and reached a hand into his pocket, pulling out something wrapped in tin foil. "Not supposed to have these. I took some extra from the kitchen lady without her knowing." Opening the foil he pulled out a few broken pieces of chocolate biscuits. "Don't tell anyone, please?"

The women exchanged smiles. The nurse _did_ say he would act like a child. "We promise we won't tell," Gwen said.

"Want one?"

The three of them shook their heads. He looked at them blankly before picking up a biscuit and chewing on it. Seeings as he was becoming more comfortable around them now seemed like the perfect opportunity to start talking about the children. "We never told you our names," Rose said to him. "I'm Rose, this is Donna, and this is Gwen. What's yours?"

He hesitated, keeping his mouth shut. There was fear in his eyes, almost as if saying his name was a sin.

"When was the last time you said your real name?" Gwen asked.

Timothy swallowed and moved his hands down to grasp the tin foil, his hands shaking a bit as he closed it up. "Never," he admitted. "I was…a kid."

"What happened?" Rose asked.

Timothy inhaled a shuddering breath and visibly shook again. "They took us out," he said. "In the night…in the dark." He twitched for a moment. "Don't let them take me away."

"We won't," Donna said gently, patting his hand. "We promise."

"They told us we were going to a new home."

"Who said that?" Rose asked.

"The staff," Timothy answered.

"From what, like an orphanage?" Donna asked. "Where were you from?"

He nodded. "Holly Tree," he said.

"Is that a town in Scotland?" Gwen asked. "Or a place…?"

" _The_ Holly Tree," he clarified, a distant look in his eyes as he reminisced. "They drove us away in a big white bus for miles and miles. They were there in the sky."

"What did they look like?" Rose asked.

"Light. The light…took them."

"Took who? Who'd they take?"

"My friends."

"But not you?" Donna asked.

Timothy shook his head. "I ran away," he said shamefully.

Rose offered him a small smile and reached for his hand. "There's no reason to feel bad about that," she said softly. "We do that all the time."

The man returned it and gently nudged her hand with the backs of his fingers. "You three, you're so nice. The staff were nice too," Timothy said, looking away. "The man that drove us away, he was too nice."

"What man?" Gwen asked. "Do you know him?"

He shook his head. "Man in the army," he replied. "Had a uniform and was all smiles. He told me to hurry up with the others so I wouldn't get left behind. There was…there was something in the light. There was people, there was…" He flinched and looked over his shoulder. "Isn't it, isn't it, isn't it?"

The women each leaned forward and gently held onto his wrists as he twitched in fear. Poor man. The experience scarred him for life and he constantly lived in fear. "You're alright, you're safe," Gwen told him.

"It's okay, you're safe now," Donna put in.

"Don't let them get me," the man said, still shaking. "Don't let them take me."

"We won't," Rose said, rubbing the man's wrist to settle him down. "Do you remember what happened this morning? Do you remember what they made you say?"

He nodded. "'We are coming'. They always say that. I've been smelling them in the air for months. Long time coming."

Rose's brows shot up. The man's sense of smell was very sensitive, but at the same time heightened. It somewhat reminded her of the Doctor's, just a tad bit more acute. Being able to find out certain information simply by using his nose was always amazing at how accurate he would be but it was understandable with him being an alien with 'superior physiology'. This man must have acquired the ability some time after the last time these creatures were on Earth.

Timothy looked away, still fearful that something was coming for him. "I don't wanna go with them," he said quietly.

"Tim, we can help you," Rose told him. "We won't let them take you, we promise."

"Really?"

"Of course we will," Donna said.

"You're so nice."

"Always tryin' to be," Gwen said with a gentle smile. "But Tim, if kids went missing something's got to be written down so we can find it. In order to do so, we need to know the name you were born with."

"It's only for us," Rose said. "We won't tell anyone else."

The man flitted his eyes between the three of them, considering their words. Appearing reluctant for a brief moment he leaned forward, the power trying to break through. "I was Clem," he whispered, shaking. "Clement McDonald."

The women smiled at him. "Nice to meet you, Clem," Rose said.

"Pleased to meet you," he said, returning the smile. His eyes moved over at Gwen as he sniffed loudly. "Congratulations, by the way."

Gwen stared at him, confused. "Sorry, for what?"

"The baby," he said.

"What?"

"'Bout three weeks gone by the smell of it."

Rose and Donna exchanged a glance while Gwen blinked a few times and shook her head. "No, I don't think so."

"Yes. I can smell it." He inhaled the air around her again. "Three weeks."

Just before any of the women could come up with a response, the door opened and the blonde nurse entered with a breathless smile. "Oh…bloody hell," she said. "I've been running around so much I came back in my office and saw that the camera's gone off, just went dead! No harm done, though, eh?"

"Not at all," Rose assured with a smile. "Everything's been fine."

"The guard out there can tell you that," Donna said. "If something went wrong we'd've given him a yell but we're good."

"Good," the nurse said. She frowned and looked over at Gwen. "You okay, miss?"

Gwen genuinely looked spooked, but she blinked out of her daze and addressed the woman. "Yes. I'm fine, thank you. We'll be on our way out."

"Right. Well, hope everything met your standards." She walked over to the table to stand beside Clement. "Time for your meds, isn't it, Tim?"

"Is it lunch time yet?" he asked.

The nurse smiled. "In a few minutes, yes."

"Okay," he said with a nod. He raised his head back to the ladies. "I'll remember you three. It's not hard to forget nice people."

"Thanks for your time, Tim," Rose said with a smile.

"And, again, congratulations," he said to Gwen.

The Welsh woman nodded without saying another word and the women made their way out of the room. Rose inwardly shivered again, but recovered when she felt the Doctor slipping into her mind warmly. She caught him up with everything they found out from Timothy White—or Clement McDonald, rather. _"The poor man never grew up,"_ Rose finished. _"You think we can do something for him?"_

 _"We can try,"_ he replied. _"So he was an orphan, moved around for eleven years, most likely with some added months. At fifty-five years old this encounter happened in 1965."_

 _"You know anything about it?"_

 _"Nothing. I must have missed it when it happened."_

Rose was a little surprised by that, but then again her husband moved around a lot in his earlier years and, if she was correct, in that year he was in his first regeneration and travelling with his granddaughter. _"Well, this happened in Scotland,"_ she told him. _"We have to check up more on Clem and this Holly Tree orphanage."_

 _"Sounds good. Find out anything else?"_

Rose glanced over at Gwen as they walked through the building. She still looked shocked by what she was told, not believing it. _"Apparently Gwen's pregnant and she's more than a little confused at the moment."_

 _"She had no idea?"_ the Doctor asked.

Rose's brows raised. _"Hold on, **you** knew?"_

 _"Superior physiology,"_ he said smugly, making her eyes roll. " _Human women give off a certain blend of pheromones when they're pregnant. I didn't point it out earlier 'cause I thought she already knew and, since we've only just met her, I didn't wanna give her the impression that my senses are highly sensitive and make her uncomfortable. Although…don't really see how it would make her **too** uneasy."_

 _"Yeah, **that's** the thing,"_ Rose snorted. _"Arriving in a bigger on the inside police box would barely reach the top."_

 _"Right. Suppose so. How's she taking it?"_

 _"Thing is, Clement told her. He said he could smell it. He could smell a lot of things, said he could since the first encounter."_

The Doctor hummed in thought. _"Must have picked up heightened senses from the species. Well, it's true though. Gwen Cooper has a wee one on the way."_

 _"Wait until she finds out it's true."_

Exiting the hospital the women made it to Gwen's car and made their way inside. The Welsh woman reached for her phone. "Who're you calling?" Donna asked.

"The Hub," she replied. "Maybe Ianto could get a background check on Clement McDonald."

"There's no need to make a call," Rose told her. "Both him and Jack are headed to a child's ward to find a kid and I let the Doctor know about what we've found out."

She looked at her with furrowed brows. "How's that? I didn't see you talking to him with a mobile or…anything."

"They have this thing where they can talk with their minds," Donna supplied. "Like some kind of Vulcan mind meld."

"'S not Vulcan," Rose said with a chuckle. "He's a Time Lord, they're telepathic and we can communicate to each other even when we're far away and unable to use phones."

Gwen's brows raised and she grinned. "Wow, talk about serious advantages with being able to _think_ to each other."

"Has a lot of advantages, yeah," she said with a wide grin.

Donna snorted from the side. "Be warned for when you see them giving each other googly eyes. They've got a habit of shagging each other with their looks."

"Donna!"

"What, it's true! Blimey, not even a ten foot pole could keep you off each other when you can do freaky stuff with your minds." Rose blushed.

Gwen laughed as she began to pull away. "So he knows about everything?"

"Yup." Rose bit her lip. "I…even mentioned what Clement told you. Turns out…he wasn't lying."

The Welsh woman turned to her with wide eyes. "What?" she cried.

"The Doctor said he could smell it on you, too. He's got a sensitive nose as well."

She only blinked. "But…"

"Congrats," Donna said with a smile.

Gwen resembled a fish—blinking in confusion and mouth hung agape in shock. "Oh, my God."

"Think I should take the wheel?" Donna offered.

"No, it's okay," Gwen said.

"Sure?" Rose asked, looking out the car window to find that they had come to a sudden stop. "'Cause we're not moving right now."

"Oh."

Donna patted the headrest and opened her door. "I call the driver's seat."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Trying to find a child to interview was easier said than done since Ianto had failed to do so. Luckily he and Jack were on their way to the hospital to check out a child's ward. Why didn't they think to do that sooner? But it wasn't just about trying to find a child, that wasn't all he was doing earlier. He wanted to check in on his sister, Rhiannon. It had been a while since he's given her a proper visit considering she was the only family he had left, her and his niece and nephew. He was constantly busy working and rarely had a chance to take some downtime. He never told her about Torchwood. She thought he was only a civil servant. Saying that he worked for an organization that deals with alien threats wouldn't sit right with her at all when she had no idea of what was going on around her—although these days it was impossible to miss with open eyes. But it was better that way.

They were on good, if distant, terms with each other. He had visited her house with intentions of trying to take one of her children back to the hub for some tests. He tried to talk her into letting him take one of them, but Rhiannon refused to let either of the children out of her sight on a day like this. He didn't push the issue and just gave up on trying to ask again. Even though she trusted him and knew just how much he cared for her, she had every right to be worried and keep them far away from him. This life was a difficult one. Always encountering trouble and dealing with people and aliens with hostile intents put a target on each of their backs, and that included family. The last thing he would want was to endanger their lives so he would keep his distance from them and check in whenever he had a chance.

With work still his priority he decided to just stay a little longer with his sister when she insisted. As it turned out he was seen out one day with 'a gorgeous man that resembled a film star' and she was curious to know if he had gone bender. Being put on the spot was enough to make him flustered, but he would never hide his true feelings for Jack. He loved that man dearly. Trying to explain it though? It was…odd. Not wrong or anything, it was good. Great, even. Bloody fantastic. He chose not to broadcast his sexual choices, though.

Rhiannon seemed accepting of his relationship with Jack and comforted him when he told her he wasn't entirely sure what sort of relationship it was, which he was grateful for. He hasn't admitted it to a lot of people so to have his sister supporting him made him feel less problematic when put on the spot. She promised him that she wouldn't tell anyone about his relationship and he believed her. That was until Johnny had come into the house and called him out, saying he had been taking it up the arse. Once the humiliation set in, Ianto took the riffing with a grain of salt and put up with Johnny to save face before taking it upon himself to leave. Good thing he did too.

On the estate where his sister lived were a group of reckless delinquents who would have tried to make off with the company car. Bad enough the vehicle had been stolen one too many times over the years despite being a top of the range car with a triple-deadlock. Now he and Jack were about to head back to the hospital to find a child to interview and hopefully test.

Pulling into the parking lot, Ianto didn't even get to park when they noticed Rupesh running out of the main entrance. Both he and Jack hopped out of the car just as the young doctor approached them. "I promise, we can zap these kids' memories so they won't remember a thing," Jack said hurriedly. "No side effects."

"Wait, you don't understand," Rupesh said. "There's been another death."

Jack sighed when the man went back up the sidewalk and towards the doors. Ianto shrugged. "Persistent much," he remarked.

"Dogmatic's more like it," Jack said.

They didn't have time for this case as much as they wanted to investigate it. A mysterious pileup of corpses was up against obsessed children. Out of the two the latter was more important and more rare, thus more important at the moment. But they followed the man into the hospital anyway.

Just a quick look wouldn't hurt and then they would head into the children's section. What did they have to lose right now?

* * *

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	46. Spies and Allies

**A/N: M** **uch much love goes out to all of you lovely viewers! Seriously, I can't thank you guys enough for sticking around and giving me feedback. You're all stars ;D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 44: Spies and Allies**_

Jack and Ianto noted how busy the workers were, but Ianto noticed something off about Rupesh. For some reason he had a feeling something else was bothering this young man, something more than another corpse. He was keeping a close eye on him. "So," he said. "Another dead body?"

"Mr. Chow Lee Jee," Rupesh informed. "Chinese again. He came in with a nosebleed that wouldn't stop. Next thing you know it's been diagnosed as a brain hemorrhage. He died at 11:25." He led them towards the mortuary where a guard stood by the plastic partition dividing the hall from the examination room. "Sorry, they're with me. Dr. Patanjali, A&E. We just need to check Mr. Chow Lee Jee."

The guard let them pass as they entered the autopsy room. Jack pulled back the green sheet covering the body, revealing the ashen face. "Well, he hasn't gone missing," he commented.

"I can see that," Rupesh said lightly.

"Need to run a toxicology scan. Not on the NHS, we've got much better equipment."

Ianto stood at the head of the table and carefully lifted the man's eyelid with his thumb, studying it. "Pupil's are blown," he noted. "That corresponds with the brain hemorrhage."

"Could it be induced artificially?" Jack asked.

"Very likely. Anyone could inject a body with drugs and other stimulants to dilate pupils. Even something as simple as over-the-counter eye drops even when unresponsive."

Jack leaned over for a closer look while Ianto backed up a bit. "No sign of trauma to the skin, apart from bruising, but that's—"

"Watch out!"

In the corner of his eye, Ianto caught Rupesh pulling out a firearm from beneath his jacket and clicked the safety off. He pushed Jack out of the way just as the shot was fired and ducked down to the floor. The shot just missed both of them and hit the ground. Taking the opportunity for defense, Ianto rolled towards the young doctor and grabbed his arm, trying to disarm him before he could try another one.

"What the hell?" Jack exclaimed.

"It's a set up!" Ianto yelled as he struggled with the other man.

He brought a leg up and swept the man off his feet, bringing him to the floor. Kneeling beside him he kept the man grounded by pressing his knee into the man's ribs and lower back and his free hand at the crown of his head. The gun fell from the doctor's hand and Ianto quickly picked it up and held it at the base of the other man's skull. He froze under him. The guard that had been standing by the entrance had come charging in, but Jack whipped out two pistols he had strapped to his holster and fixed them on the guy.

"Don't try it, big fella," he said.

The guard made a move to the side communicator but Jack shot them, rendering them useless and broken. Swiftly he stepped forward and chopped the large man between the neck and shoulder with the barrel of his gun, knocking him out and sending him to the floor unconscious. He stayed by the plastic partition with both guns out, ready for the cavalry to come charging down the corridors while also keeping an eye on Ianto over his shoulder. It was a planned ambush so others would be on their way.

"Please!" Rupesh pleaded. "Please don't hurt me!"

"Trying to add us on the pile of dead bodies, eh?" Jack said, his eyes still trained on the guard.

"It's not my fault, I swear! I was just following orders."

"Who are you working for?" Ianto asked, keeping his gun pressed to the back of the man's head. He would never kill him. If anything he would move and shoot the man in the shoulder if he tried to come at them again. Just keeping him alive.

"The government," he responded hesitantly.

"Double agent," Jack said.

The man didn't answer and Ianto pressed the gun closer to his head, making him shudder in fear. "I spent months working with the government," the young doctor confessed shakily. "They wanted me to get inside Torchwood to see what you've got in there."

"Trying to act like a number one fan, then."

"What about those bodies?" Ianto asked. "Were you the one who killed them?"

"I had to," the man said. "I did what I had to in order to attract your attention. It was perfect timing and fitted the story I told you."

Jack and Ianto exchanged a glance. No wonder why this doctor seemed off and persistent. He had been bait for them. But why would the government need to send in a spy? "You know about the kids," Jack said. "An entity is possessing them and saying 'we are coming', not hard for the government to see on their tvs at home and in their offices."

"I don't know what's wrong with the children," Rupesh said. "The children weren't part of my job."

"No, trying to execute us was," Jack said sharply. "Who sent you here? Who wants us dead?"

Rupesh swallowed hard and shook beneath Ianto's grasp. "John Frobisher."

Silence filled the air, save for other communicators in the distance beeping and saying something about an abort of mission. "Oh…shit," Ianto breathed out.

"We need to get out of here," Jack said. "Now!"

Ianto scrambled to his feet and followed Jack out of the room. He came to a stop and turned back to see Rupesh rushing over to pull out a comm and was about to speak into it. Luckily Ianto had decent eyesight and good coordination. Pulling back the plastic he raised his arm up and fired a single shot. His target was hit—the man's shoulder. The young doctor screamed in pain and fell to the floor, dropping the comm in the process. His hand was pressed onto the wound, the blood trickling onto the floor.

"I'm so sorry," Ianto said with a head shake.

"Ianto!" Jack called. "Come on!"

"Coming!" He quickly moved into the room and picked up the communicator, sparing a short glance at the wounded man as he rocked on the ground. Ianto dashed out of the room and met Jack at one of the hallways. "Look for a fire escape. There could be others coming through the front."

"Others joining the party, wouldn't be fun otherwise," Jack said as they cut down another corridor.

Taking the scenic route, they found a back door and wavered through civilians before moving around to the front where the company car was parked. Another order came over the communicator declaring an aborted mission. Glancing up he noticed men in black protective gear packing up their items and running away. Snipers. "This doesn't make sense," Ianto said as he drove away from the hospital, the tires screeching against the asphalt. "Why would Frobisher want to kill us?"

"We're being targeted for some reason," Jack said. "We need to be careful and tell the others when we get back." He pulled out his phone but Ianto stopped him.

"We can't use our phones. If the Home Office set this up then they have all our numbers and frequencies and can trace us."

"Alright, once we get back to the Hub we'll regroup with a plan."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The Doctor searched through the computer, checking up on this Clement McDonald. Rose had apprised him of his actual identity among other important bits of information, but there wasn't enough that explained what had happened in 1965. He came across buried UNIT files from the incident and opened them up. Sure as Rose had told him about Clement, the man was born in 1953 and moved around the Scotland area through orphanages. One of which he was transferred into in April was the Holly Tree Lodge just outside Arbroath. Scrolling down further he found that in November of that year Clement was transferred along with eleven other children to…

The Doctor's brows rose up. It just stopped there, like it was erased or simply kept away from knowing eyes. Both the Torchwood Institute and UNIT had been keeping this secret all these years. Whatever creature had arrived on Earth forty-three years ago was coming back. He let Rose in on the new information and she sounded shocked. She told him that she would call Jack on her phone to see if he knew anything about it. Running a hand through his hair he leaned forward to find more on the classified files, but they were all blocked. He cursed. Usually hacking into the buried cases were child's play, but UNIT updated their security.

He hit the back of his head. "Think, think, think," he muttered to himself.

Something had occurred to him. He may have not been around the area to see or know about what happened in 1965…but he knew someone who was. He dashed into the TARDIS and went right for the phone and dialed a number, waiting for the line to pick up. It finally clicked and the man he was hoping would respond picked up.

 ** _"I suppose something big is happening, Doctor,"_** the Brigadier said. **_"Otherwise you would never call just to say hello."_**

"Alistair, good to hear from you again," the Doctor said quickly. "And yes, something big is happening. Right across the whole planet as I'm sure you're aware."

 ** _"Ah, yes. Something to do with the children. Haven't seen it in person, but I was sent some video clips onto my laptop."_**

The Doctor frowned. "Where are you?"

 _ **"Guyana,"**_ Alistair replied. _ **"I was sent about a week ago on yet another mission in South America."**_

"Of course they sent you. Well, why wouldn't they? You claim you're semi-retired and happen to be the best officer on staff."

 ** _"This life never gets away from you no matter how old you get. You know that, old friend."_**

"Too right. But you haven't seen any children in person, only heard about them?"

 ** _"The area I've settled in is a little more than a desolate wasteland with no children around, only homeless elders. But I've come across some radios and heard about the epidemic and saw some of the clips online."_**

The Doctor rubbed his chin. "So, back to the reason why I called you. Something has possessed every child on Earth, every continent, every country. Now, I'm here at Torchwood Three, which was rebuilt as I'm sure you know, and we're helping the team out with this."

 ** _"Calling in reinforcements,"_ ** the Brigadier commented. _**"No one finer than you, Doctor. You and Dame Rose, I imagine. She's right beside you, isn't she?"**_

"Not at the moment," the Doctor replied. "She and Donna, our companion—have you met Donna? I don't think you have. You'd like her, she's very sassy. Talks back at you, a fiery ginger woman she is."

 _ **"I bet she and Rose get along just well since they both have to deal with you all the time,"** _ Alistair joked.

The Doctor snorted. "They leave me outnumbered in my own ship, that in itself speaks volumes." The other man chuckled again. He walked around the console as he spoke. "Thing is, whatever's speaking through these children is coming. We don't know who or why, but one thing we do know is that it's not only speaking through the young ones. There's also man who had seen the first encounter with this species back in 1965. I wasn't even around when it happened. I've tried to log into the UNIT files to find out more about this man, Clement McDonald—the man who's speaking with the children—and it's preventing me from finding out about what happened in 1965."

 ** _"That can't be. You're in our classified section and able to log right in to search whatever you wanted."_**

"Well, I probably still can, but for some reason this particular case is being kept secret, like mum's the word and they want to keep their lips sealed. Now, you've been in this business for a while, Alistair, so you've got to know about this already and what happened back then."

The Brigadier hummed in thought before sounding a bit alarmed. ** _"It sounds like…oh, no."_**

"What?" the Doctor asked, stopping in his tracks and leaning on the console. "You know about it. What is it?"

 ** _"To me it sounds like…Operation Bright Light,"_** Alistair responded, his tone sounding fierce.

The Doctor frowned. He had never heard about this, as he already mentioned, but never once did he ever come across a file with that name. "What was Operation Bright Light?" he asked.

There was some shifting, most likely Alistair moving away from others to a more appropriate location to speak about it. **_"At that time that had been an outbreak,"_** he explained. **_"A mutated strain of Spanish influenza, which would have allegedly killed millions. There was no known cure, but that was when those aliens came."_**

"Who came? Who were they?"

 ** _"The 456."_**

He scratched his sideburn, going through his mental archives to find the name of the species. He had never heard of them before. "And just who or what are the 456?" he asked.

 ** _"No one knew,"_ ** Alistair told him. **_"They only made communications through a radio frequency upon landing and it was what they wanted to be called."_**

"What did they want?"

 ** _"There was only one cure, as these aliens have claimed but it was nothing short of blackmail!"_**

"Calm down, Alistair. Why?"

 ** _"In exchange for the cure they wanted twelve children. I opposed this mission, but I was not that much of a higher rank at the time. I was only a Colonel then and no one ever thought to change their minds and think of a more rational plan. They told all of us to keep it hidden from the public. The government decided that if any children were to be taken away they would be orphans, and they devised a plan where they would lie to them and say they were being transferred into another orphanage in Harbor Heights."_**

He wasn't liking where this was going and held onto the edge of the console, his jaw set tight. "And they were just _handed_ over?" he ground out. "Those twelve children, just _handed over_ to these 456?" He stopped and realized something. "No…hold on. They must not have gotten everything they wanted."

 ** _"Reports by one of the staff said that one of the children were not taken,"_** Alistair said.

"Clement McDonald," the Doctor stated. "He was in the group and ran away from the light. He wasn't taken. Do you think they're trying to come after him again?"

 _ **"I haven't got an idea, Doctor. It could be a possibility, but no one knows what they're capable of doing or what their true intentions were on that day. They're a group of blackmailing swindlers."**_

His mind was racing as he began to pace around the console again, his free hand running through his already tosseled mop. Twelve orphans were taken away under the false pretense that they were to be transferred to another home, taken into the light of these 456. But for some unknown reason they decided to leave behind one orphan—Clement McDonald. Telepathic races going through children on a low-level would guarantee that they were able to feel the vibes each of the youngsters gave off. Perhaps Clem wasn't the required age like the others? But why were they so hell bent on wanting the children? The Doctor inwardly growled. Every child on the planet could be in great danger if these beings were coming back. Why couldn't he have known about this species?

 _ **"Doctor?"**_ Alistair asked, breaking his musings. ** _"You still there?"_**

"Wasn't going anywhere," he replied, his voice a bit raw. "It's weird, all of it. Why would they want children? For what purpose?"

 ** _"I wish I could help you with that, but I don't have the answer,"_ ** the Brigadier said. **_"Those racketeers don't ask questions, as I've read."_**

"If only I knew who them—a designation, a planet of origin, something to properly identify themselves. Then we'd be able to find them and report them to the Shadow Proclamation."

 ** _"I thought you didn't like that organization."_**

"They have their times when they're useful," the Doctor admitted. "And based off of what you've just told me, we're dealing with intergalactic thugs, and that's up their alley." He rubbed his cheek and blew a puff of air past his lips. "But then again I'm not in the mood to deal with that lot right now. We'd have to find a way inside the government to figure out what they're hiding."

 _ **"I can make my way over there,"**_ Alistair offered. ** _"I'm sure UNIT has gotten involved somehow. Should take about twelve hours once everything gets assembled, maybe sooner. We've got fast workers here and my mission is nearing its end."_**

The Doctor bit the inside of his cheek. It would be helpful having the Brigadier coming along to join the team and go inside the government. He could bring the TARDIS to his location and pick him up, but there was still a risk at being seen by other officers. The last thing he wanted was for the government to know he was in on the case. At least not yet. "Alright," he finally said. "Get here as soon as you can, Alistair. Thank you, old friend."

 ** _"Always need some back-up, Doctor,"_ ** the Brigadier said. There was a short pause. _**"You said Torchwood, didn't you?"**_

"I did. What of it?"

 _ **"As in the one run by Captain Jack Harkness?"**_

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Yes…" he drew out slowly. "What about him?"

 ** _"There's something about him I think you should know."_**

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Jack stared out of the car window as Ianto drove them back to the hub. He should have known that something was wrong with Rupesh Patanjali from the moment he began to follow them in the Bay earlier. And to think that they were looking for a medical doctor to eventually join their team and it had to be a traitor. He almost shot them. Jack wasn't too worried about that since he'd come back to life with his Lazarus effect thanks to Rose, but Ianto could have been killed right there. He almost took a bullet for him. There were many times where Ianto has been in similar situations, but the last thing Jack wanted was for him to die. He wanted to preserve every moment they had together. He was immortal and Ianto wasn't.

That aside, Frobisher was his main contact in the office and he wasn't expecting the man to order his execution. Jack didn't know what he did, but he obviously pissed the guy off enough to make him send people out to do some dirty work. It probably has something to do with the children and what's been possessing them. The government figured that Torchwood would be on the case and work on it and they didn't want them to interfere. _No witnesses_ , he thought. He's been pondering the possible ones responsible for hypnotizing the children, most of them he wouldn't expect to come to Earth. However…there was one species that he considered being accountable, but it was too soon to make assumptions yet.

He inwardly jumped when his phone went off in his pocket. He exchanged a look with Ianto before reaching for it. "We can't answer anything here," Ianto told him. "The government could trace it."

"I know that," Jack said as he checked the number. "It's Rose. She might be trying to let us in on some information about Timothy White."

"But we can't use our phones. I can find a phone booth for you to call her back. They won't be able to pick those up."

"Alright, go 'head."

Jack pushed a button to reject Rose's call. The last thing he would want is to endanger her or the Doctor and their companion now with the government being hell bent on wanting them dead. If those crooked bastards were trying to trace their every movement they would strike with the very first chance they get. A phone booth was a few feet away on a corner and Ianto parked the car near it. Jack jumped out and punched in Rose's number and waited for her to pick up.

 ** _"Hello?"_** asked the blonde when she answered, sounding uncertain.

"Rosie, it's me," he said quickly.

 _ **"Oh, Jack, hey. I tried calling your mobile and it went to a voicemail."**_

"Yeah, I couldn't risk picking it up."

 ** _"Where are you calling from?"_**

"A public phone not too far away from the hub, 'bout a half mile. Listen, Ianto and I just came out of the hospital."

 ** _"Did you interview a kid?"_**

Jack sighed. "No, but we encountered a spy."

 _ **"A spy?"** _ Rose echoed. _**"Who?"**_

"Some doctor I ran into earlier this morning before the whole 'we are coming' deal. Turns out he was a double agent the government hired to spy on Torchwood and was sent to execute us."

 ** _"Oh, my God."_**

"Yeah, must have struck someone's nerve. Until then we have to be careful with the phones, mainly the mobile ones. Since the office is one of my contacts they have our numbers. Not yours, thankfully, but one call forwarding to mine could have that caller traced in a millisecond."

 ** _"I'll let the Doctor know."_**

"Did you find out anything about Timothy White?"

 ** _"Yeah, I already told the Doctor about everything, but we'll wait 'til we get back to let you in on it."_**

"Sounds like a plan, see you there, ladies." Jack was about to hang up before something important came to his attention. "By the way, do you happen to know if your husband kept his hands to himself? I know he's a technology buff, but knowing how antsy he is I wouldn't put a pass on him to start sonicing whatever he could get his hands on."

Rose chuckled. _ **"Don't be surprised if someone's coffee maker had some jiggery pokery done to it."**_

Jack grinned and glanced over at Ianto, who was still sitting in the driver's seat watching him. "Oh, boy. Yan wouldn't be too thrilled about that."

"What?" Ianto asked with a frown. "What are you talking about?"

 ** _"Don't worry, Jack,"_ ** Rose said. _ **"I already warned him, the place should still be standing when we get back."**_

"Hope so, spent a lot of time rebuilding it," he joked.

 ** _"Wouldn't want all that hard work go to waste. You three would be out of a job."_**

"The dreaded unemployment line, now that's a nightmare. Although with our experiences in the field I reckon we'd each find jobs. Maybe even come along with you guys. It'd be like the old days, us three getting into trouble. Maybe…even get into a few sticky situations."

Rose giggled. **_"Sorry to tell you this, Jack, but it only takes two to tango."_**

"But a third can take the lead and make things more interesting," he added cheekily.

 _ **"Jack."**_

"I know, I know, I'll stop. Bad enough the Doctor looked like he wanted to put me on a leash earlier."

 ** _"Ha! Nice thing to picture! Anyway, we're on our way. And Gwen's got a surprise for you lot."_**

Jack's brows raised in curiosity. "What that?"

She didn't respond at first. _**"I think it's better of you heard it from her."**_

There was some shifting around before a beeping sound came to his ear, most likely the phone was put on speaker since Gwen was driving. "What's this big surprise? You runnin' for Prime Minister or something?"

 _ **"God, no!"**_ Gwen said. She was hesitant and just before he was about to question her she spoke again. **_"It's weird…I never thought I'd actually say this, but…there's another Williams on the way."_**

Jack's mouth fell open. "You mean…you're…how did you…"

 ** _"Apparently the man we interviewed has heightened senses and could smell it,"_** she said. **_"Rose told the Doctor about it and he told her that he smelled it too. It…it's so noticeable to sensitive senses."_**

"How long?"

 _ **"Three weeks."**_

"That's good, isn't it?"

Gwen sounded like she inhaled a shaky breath. **_"Yeah. Bloody hell, it's brilliant!"_**

Jack grinned widely and looked over at Ianto in the car. "Ianto! We're having a baby!"

The Welsh man blinked a few times before exiting the car and sprinting over to the booth. "We are?"

"Have you told Rhys?" Jack asked Gwen.

 _ **"I've only just found out myself,"** _ Gwen told him. **_"If I had found out sooner I wouldn't probably be this shocked. Probably."_**

"Oh, you told me before you told him," Jack muttered. "Everyone of us know before him, even my friends that you've just met a few hours ago. He's gonna _love_ that."

"Congratulations," Ianto said into the phone.

 ** _"It's bloody spectacular and everything but what about my job?"_ ** Gwen asked. _**"I mean…maternity leave when it gets to that time and all and-and…"**_

Jack chuckled quietly. "We'll manage," he assured. "Come back as soon as you can so we can all catch up."

 ** _"On our way."_**

They both hung up at the same time and Jack shook his head, exchanging a bright look with Ianto. So many unexpected things happening today, what more could possibly come next?

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The ladies made it back to Cardiff. Not only did they have to worry about these creatures coming back to Earth and possessing all of the children, but now the government was out to eliminate Torchwood from the equation. Rose sought out the Doctor through their bond, but he was keeping himself shut off for some reason. A moment later he acknowledged her nudging and let her know that he was still researching something in the data banks. She already warned him about the use of phones in case he were to use a mobile one, even though his preference was the TARDIS phone.

"Blimey, it's already half past five," Donna remarked from the back seat. "If I didn't know any better I'd say we used a time machine to kill."

"Can't mess with established events," Rose reminded.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You two we're quick to plant that in my mind."

"Time flies when you're having fun, eh?" Gwen said.

"Flies is a bit of an understatement," Donna said with a snort. "More like zooms off until it crashes into a nearby planet."

Rose and Gwen chuckled at the redhead's choice of words. The Welsh woman seemed to finally break out of her frozen state after finding out she was expecting a baby. It didn't seem like she was really prepared for that, especially since she's yet to tell Rhys about it, but she was managing. They pulled up by the Hub and parked. Rose alerted the Doctor mentally and he sent her the equivalent to a nod. When they entered, Jack and Ianto were already there. The Doctor wasn't in the computer station, but he let her know he was in the TARDIS taking care of something in the medbay. She had a feeling she knew what it was. Him stocking up on his medicine, what else was knew.

"What a day this is turning out to be," Jack said as he shrugged off his coat and handed it to Ianto. "Is your husband okay, Rose? I assumed he was in the TARDIS working on something. We just got in before you three and didn't look around for him."

"'S okay," Rose replied. "He's fine, he told me he's in the medbay."

He frowned. "He's sick?"

"Jus' something minor, nothing serious. He just gets a spell every once in a while."

"Boy, I can only imagine how fussy he gets when he has a runny nose." Rose chuckled at that.

"Please," Donna spoke up. "I once seen him freak out when he got jam on his tie. He was worse than a five year old. I dunno how Rose handles him most of the time."

Jack smirked. "It's her superpower. So…I'm sure you ladies know that were being targeted by the government, right?"

"Not all the details," Rose said.

"What for?" Gwen asked. "Why would they wanna kill us?"

"Yeah, if you lot are the ones who save them, why are they making you Britain's Most Wanted?" Donna asked.

"No witnesses," Ianto said. "It was a planned ambush, but we caught onto it before they could make a move. They know we're working on the children's case and are trying to wipe us from the scene. At some point they would have tried to assemble something to get to each of us."

"But you _help_ people," Rose said with a frown. "You're on the same side as them, you're not the enemy."

Jack snorted. "Tell that to Frobisher."

"Him?" Gwen said incredulously. "What the bloody hell is _he_ up to?"

"Who is it?" Rose asked.

"You don't know?"

"We don't get out very often. At least not on Earth."

"John Frobisher works in the Home Office," Ianto explained from his position at one of computers. "He used to be a part of the Civil Service before being promoted to the Permanent Secretary position."

Rose's brows furrowed. That didn't exactly sound like someone who would assemble a plan to kill an organization's crew.

"What, is his side job like a hitman?" Donna asked.

Jack shook his head, placing his hands on his hips. "Frobisher's just a civil servant, he's nothing. That's the thing, he's not authorized to set out executions."

"If it's all connected to what happened in 1965 and he's a secretary, maybe he's got the reports," Rose put in.

Something shifted in Jack as he stiffened. "Did you say 1965?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's when Clem McDonald came into contact with some alien species on their first encounter."

"Clem McDonald?" Ianto questioned with a frown.

"Timothy White's actual name," Gwen supplied. "He's been in hiding for years, ever since the last time this species landed on Earth."

"And he's connected to the children since he was hypnotized with them."

"He said that he and some other kids were taken away toward some light," Rose said. "The Doctor was able to make it out that it took place in 1965."

Ianto nodded. "Hold on, I'll see what else there is." He began to type on the keyboard.

Jack was standing off to the side with his hands in his pockets, a distant look in his eyes. Rose studied him carefully. She knew that look well. Her own husband was prone to pull faces like that when he was deep in thought and brooding, something inside of him trying to come out. Something eating away at him.

"There's no further records," Ianto said as everyone gathered around the computer. "It says the kids were taken away in November of 1965 when the lodge was closing down. They were being taken to a second care home called Harbor Heights in Plymouth."

"Then it just stops," Rose said. She recalled the Doctor telling her earlier that he had hit a roadblock while trying to get into the classified files.

"Exactly. There's no trace of them arriving. I mean, it _was_ the '60s. A lot of the paperwork's gone missing."

"Clem said that he and his friends were brought to a light and it took them away," Donna said.

"If what he's saying is true, then they never made it to the orphanage. But took them away?"

"The 456." Everyone turned their heads toward the TARDIS at the rough sound of the Doctor's voice. He stood in the doorway with a grim look on his face.

"456?" Ianto repeated.

"Doctor, what are you talking about?" Rose asked.

He stepped out of the ship and placed his hands in his pockets as he sauntered over. The hard look never left his face. "It's what took the children," he said. "Apparently forty-three years ago, this species had arrived to Earth to make a barter with the government, and not a pleasant one, when a widespread illness broke out across the area. They promised a cure but, in return, they wanted a small group of children."

The women gasped while Ianto stood in shock. Jack, on the other hand, stared at the ground.

"And it appears that they've come back," the Doctor continued. "For reasons unknown, at the moment. I still don't know exactly what we're dealing with since that was the name they chose to be called by humans, but I tried to narrow it down. All kinds of alien races match the characteristics of what we've seen so far—psychic manipulation that's capable of hypnotizing children, advanced lifespans and knowledge of understanding the English language, which would be whether or not they're capable of actual speech despite translation technology."

"So do you know who they are?" Rose asked.

The Doctor sighed. "No. There's several thousand races that fit those descriptions."

"Several thousand?" Donna asked.

He tilted his head. "Well…several _hundred_ thousand, really."

Ianto frowned. "How did you find that out? The files on the computer didn't record anything about these 456, they just stopped."

"Well, Ianto Jones, it just so happens that a dear old friend of mine has been working for UNIT for decades. More or less retired, but the man's nearing his eighties and it hasn't stopped him once."

Rose's eyes widened in realization. "Alistair was there during the first encounter."

The Doctor nodded. "Before he became a Brigadier, mind you. He was only a colonel then and this happened before I even met him. Who needs computer files when we've got good ol' Alistair on our side? I told him about what's going on—which he already knew about anyway—and he gave me the information. But…that wasn't all." His face darkened. "Someone else had been there."

His eyes moved over towards Jack, who held his gaze but looked uneasy. The rest of the group stared at him.

"Jack?" Gwen asked. "What's he talking about?"

"I was there," he replied quietly.

"In 1965?" Ianto asked.

He nodded before hesitantly saying, "I gave them the kids. 1965, I gave them twelve children…as a gift."

* * *

 **Since I won't be online when the day comes, hope you guys have a merry Christmas to those who celebrate it! :D**


	47. Discoveries

**A/N: Hope you guys had a nice Christmas and happy holidays, whatever you celebrate ;)** **As always, much love and many thanks to every one of you! You guys light up my days :D I'll wait for you lot at the end of this one…**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 45: Discoveries**_

Everyone, save for the Doctor, stared at Jack in shock. He stared at him hard. Rose knew what kind of man her friend was. On their first meeting he had been a con man trying to scam her and the Doctor, but they saw through it. She never thought of him to be a bad man, even back then. But this? She knew there had to be a good reason for why he would do something so drastic.

"Jack," the Doctor spoke up. "What happened that night?"

Jack took a deep breath before motioning to the others to follow him over to the couch and took a seat. The Doctor and Rose stood close together while Gwen and Donna sat in the computer chairs. Ianto sat beside Jack on and reached out for his hand. Jack began to recall the events of that night 1965. He told them about the 456 and how they contacted the British government, offering a cure for a deadly flu strain set to arise and how the payment had been twelve children, how his partner claimed that the aliens promised the children would live forever and how he had surrendered the young ones to the aliens.

Rose shivered inside. Clem said he and his friends were led by a man in army attire with a wide smile. It was Jack. In a way, she was shocked that he'd done such a thing, but seeing the hurt in his eyes revealed just how much regret the action caused him. He was so similar to the Doctor in so many ways. They've both been around for a very long time and have done many a things, some resulting in massive piles of guilt. Her husband slipped his arm around her waist and gave her a gentle squeeze.

Continuing with his story, Jack kept Ianto's hand firmly grasped in his as he worked up everything to let it all out. He mentioned how one of the staff told him that he was asked to be the man to give the children away not only because he couldn't die, but also because at that point he didn't care about anything. Just as they found out already Clement had escaped the abduction from the 456 and disappeared into the night, but Jack had no idea at the time.

Once he was finished everyone remained silent. Gwen was the first one to speak, her eyes widened in horror. "You just…" she said quietly. "You just _handed_ them over and hoped for the best?"

Jack nodded, not meeting anyone's eyes. "Yes."

"But…why? How could you do something like that? They were children, Jack!"

"I know, Gwen," he replied. He chuckled mirthlessly. "I've never always played the hero card like you see me now. It's all pretty recent, actually. But back then…" He sighed. "I was tired. I spent years working for Torchwood—decades. Spent so much time looking for the Doctor, waiting to encounter a version of him in the right timeline. When I had no luck I would walk around, not caring about…anything. I would just do my jobs appointed to me, most likely die in the process, then drink until I forgot everything when I woke up. Didn't always work out so I kept at it."

"I can't believe you never said anything," Ianto said quietly.

"Oh, Jack," Rose whispered sadly.

"I could have said no. I _should_ have after those bastards lied to us. I was just…"

"It wasn't your fault," Ianto said gently. "There was no other choice for you at the time."

"You said you just walked around Earth without care," the Doctor spoke up softly. Jack nodded. "When did you start to care again?"

The immortal man scrubbed a hand down his face. "The nineties—'91 to '93, to be exact. When I wasn't taking up a job I would swing by the Powell Estate." Rose gasped quietly and he smiled a little. "You were just a little girl, Rose. I saw you and Mickey-boy playing on a swingset with your mother standing on the side. I didn't say hi or anything like that, didn't wanna damage the timelines. I was stranded on Earth and needed to see a friendly face. The last time I did it really made me think. I knew you'd be ashamed of me if you saw what I had become after Satellite 5."

"Jack…" Rose said before moving over to pull him in a hug. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," he said. "I told you before, Rose. Don't ever feel guilty about bringing me back. What you did was out of love, just to keep me around." A crooked grin appeared on his face. "How could I complain about that? I take it as a compliment that you felt the universe would be a sad place without me in it."

Rose grinned while the Doctor playfully rolled his eyes. "You and your ego," she said, pulling back. "Any more you're gonna end up having one as big as that one." She nodded at the Doctor. "Not even enough room in the TARDIS to hold you two."

The Doctor sighed before turning back to Jack. "What about the kids? Did they show any signs of possession or under any type of hypnosis…?"

Jack shook his head. "They didn't speak through kids back then, they were just taken away. I didn't recognize the signs at first."

"What about Clement?" Donna asked. "The last time he saw these aliens he started to have a better honker."

"He's connected to them," the Doctor said. "There's still something keeping them linked together."

"And then the government tried to kill you earlier, Jack," Rose mentioned. "You think there were others?"

Jack shrugged a shoulder. "Probably. They don't want any witnesses."

The Doctor's jaw stiffened, his ancient mask revealed. "So they're killing anyone in sight just to keep them, and you included, from talking?"

"'Fraid so. We need as much help as possible, Doc. I didn't know it was this bad until now and it could only get worse from here, now that we've got the government looking for our blood. That's not really a nice spot to stand in."

"Of course we'll help," Rose said sincerely.

"One word I never refuse," the Doctor said gently.

"Not including some things your wife says," Donna muttered from the side, earning herself a pointed look.

Jack chuckled through his nose before the Doctor walked over to the couch and placed a hand on his shoulder, nodding tightly. Of course they would help. The universe would implode if they didn't. "Now then," the Doctor proclaimed in a louder tone as he strolled back over towards the computer station. "Since we're dealing with a corrupt government—no surprise there, seems to be the norm for Britain these days—the best option we've got right now is to get into contact with someone on the inside, someone willing to work as a double agent."

"What about Alistair?" Rose asked. "If UNIT officers are getting involved then we could make him grab some information and bring it back here."

"He was my first thought, but it'll be a while until he makes it to London."

"Can't we just pick him up from wherever he is?"

"Don't have the coordinates. And he's already on his way via aircraft, so all we can do for now is wait until he touches ground on British soil."

"So if your friend can't spill the beans then who are we gonna get?" Donna asked.

"There's one other person," Jack informed. "Before you guys came I made a call to the Home Office and tried to get through to Frobisher but a PA answered."

The Doctor crossed his arms over his chest. "Can we trust her?" he asked.

"Sounded reliable. Today just so happened to be her first day on the job."

Rose snorted. "Nice day to start."

"Told her the same thing. But she could know a lot of things, maybe hack into their archives and know about the plots to destroy Torchwood. She may be new to the work area but she could still let us in on everything she knows."

"Being a personal assistant, that's part of job title," Donna said with a small grin. "Kinda like a temp, we all know how to do our jobs right."

"That settles it," Gwen spoke up. "We can set up a small meeting somewhere and ask her what she knows. Can't ask her to bring Frobisher."

"What if she does, though?"

"With the way everyone's running around mad I doubt he'd leave his position," Ianto said. "If she agrees for a meeting you'll have to be aware of your surroundings. They'll be able to trace your phones to the station and to the Hub, so you'd have to lay low and find a place without much attention."

"Think I got the place," Gwen said. "I'll give her a ring."

"You can use the TARDIS phone," the Doctor put in. "The Old Girl can hide under an undetectable wavelength so She can remain untraceable."

"She?" the Welsh woman asked.

"All ships are 'She'," Rose said as she and the Doctor walked up towards the TARDIS. They stepped inside and left the doors open for the others if they cared to enter.

Gwen furrowed her brows before moving forward, only to come to a stop with widened eyes. Ianto came beside her and looked around the console room in wonder. The Doctor and Rose stood at the top of the ramp, him with his arm around her shoulders as they watched the two Torchwood members try to figure out why and how a blue police box could contain a room so large.

"It's bigger on the inside," Gwen whispered in awe.

"Yup!" the Doctor chirped with a bright grin.

"That's just…" Ianto breathed out in wonder.

"Amazing?" Rose supplied with a grin. "Brilliant? Impossible?"

"All of those."

The Doctor moved around the console and indicated the phone. "Right then, dial up the number and there you go. Undetectable wavelengths, ones not even the government can pick up. Well, unless on a massive scale from an added power surge, but that's unlikely to happen, I'm sure."

Gwen nodded before picking up the phone. "I don't even know who I'm asking for. What's her name?"

"Lois Habiba," Jack supplied.

"What happened to Bridget Spears?"

"Probably on another line."

The Welsh woman continued to dial the Home Office number and waited for a line to pick up.

"Wait a mo'," Rose spoke up as she maneuvered around the console to press a button. "Filter the call through the speakers, that way we can all hear it. You can still speak to her through the phone."

"Oh!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Good idea, love."

She grinned at him. "Got a bunch of those."

 ** _"I'm sorry,"_ ** came a woman's voice through the room. ** _"Mr. Frobisher's unavailable at the moment, can I take a message?"_**

"No thanks," Gwen said. "Is this Lois Habiba?"

The woman hesitated. **_"Um, yes, actually. Who is this?"_**

"This is Gwen Cooper from Torchwood, and our team is working on this case. We know about Frobisher and that you won't be able to patch us through to him. Not like he'd talk to us anyway. You do know what Torchwood is, right Lois?"

 _ **"Yes."**_

"Then you should know that right now you lot need us. The whole world needs us. We can help but someone who informed us they were working for the government tried to kill some of us."

 ** _"Why would the government want to kill people who can help?"_ ** Lois asked. **_"I don't understand."_**

Gwen snorted. "Yeah, well, tell that to your boss. He's not too thrilled to know about us wanting to help. He's the one who sent the man to kill us. Look, I know all this sounds mad, but you have to believe me."

 _ **"I do believe you."** _ She paused. ** _"I saw it with my own eyes."_**

Everyone's brows raised. "So you can set up a meeting, then?" Gwen asked.

 ** _"I'm not tracing this if that's what you were thinking,"_ ** Lois assured quietly.

"You wouldn't be able to anyway, advanced technology." The Doctor tilted his chin up and preened while Rose grinned and nudged his side.

 _ **"Yes,"** _ the PA finally said after a moment.

"Great. How's a chippy in about half an hour sound?"

 ** _"Okay."_**

"Thank you."

Hanging up Rose pressed a button on the console to close the TARDIS filter. "'Least she's on our side in this," she commented.

"Yeah, but she's still skeptical," the Doctor said. "She needs more convincing, more reason to believe us and to stay on our side. We might need her again if Alistair can't make it in time."

"Got it," the Welsh woman said.

"Rose," he said, turning to his wife. "Go with her. Whatever information you receive from the woman pass it through. We'll be able to figure out more of what's coming, at least depending on what she knows or spills."

She nodded. "'Kay."

"We can run a check on the children while you two are gone," Ianto put in. "See if there's been any changes with them and with Clem McDonald or if anything comes from the sky."

The Doctor clapped his hands together. "Brilliant. Plans coming together, I like that. Management is key, as is strategy."

"You would make an excellent professor with your ramblings," Ianto remarked.

Everyone chuckled, including the Doctor. "He's done it before," Rose said. "Wouldn't be surprised if he did it again, and not while being undercover."

"Bit too overqualified in the field, mind you," the Doctor said, tilting his head. "But young minds are always in need of molding."

"Well, you and your lectures are lengthy enough and send people snoring," Donna told him.

"Oi!"

Rose patted his shoulder and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Prepare some dinner for us when we come back."

"Your wish is my command," he said with a teasing smirk. "Be careful. Watch her closely, 'cause you never know who's a double agent with the paranoid government."

"If anything happens I've got my gun," Gwen informed, opening her jacket to reveal her firearm strapped to her belt. The Doctor pulled a distasteful face. "I don't plan to use it," the Welsh woman assured. "Need one close just in case."

He studied her then nodded tightly before Rose and Gwen slipped out of the TARDIS. "Don't stock up on too many chips!" he called out. "I'm thinking stir fry!"

"Pockets!" Rose sing-songed in the distance.

He rolled his eyes playfully.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"Smells gorgeous in here," Rose commented as they sat down at one of the empty tables. "'S been a while since we came to a chippy."

"Don't make too many stops on Earth, huh?" Gwen asked, sitting beside her.

"Not as much anymore. Usually if someone calls us or we just stumble on over to see what's goin' on. But yeah, not as much."

"What about family? Have you got a mother and father or…?"

Rose bit her bottom lip and sighed. "They're gone," she replied quietly, popping a chip in her mouth.

Gwen placed a hand on her wrist, face showing empathy. "I'm so sorry."

"They're still alive, though. Safe and sound, they are. They're just…not around."

"Like out of the country?"

"More like out of the universe."

Gwen frowned. "You did say that you were human, right?"

Rose chuckled. "Yeah, I am. I was born in London. Thing is…do you know about the battle at Canary Wharf?" The other woman nodded. "Well, we were there—the Doctor and me, we were right in the middle of it. My mum ended up in a parallel world to this one. She's been stuck there for a few years now. At least from our perspective. In her time it could be ten years, we don't know."

"Oh, my God."

"But she's fine. She's there with my old mate and a parallel version of my dad and their baby. They're okay, that's all that matters."

"You miss them."

Rose nodded. "Everyday. I'll never be able to contact them or see them again. But knowing that they're safe in that world is more than enough for me."

"That's good," Gwen finally said. "So, you and the Doctor are friends with the Brigadier?"

"Yeah, those two go way back. He's one of the Doctor's best friends."

"Good to have someone else from UNIT on our side."

"You can always trust Alistair. He's been in this business for years, he knows what he's doing. He's always busy though, being a top officer and all brings him to all kinds of places."

"Well, having one person to trust is what we need right now. But this woman, if she's definite, she should be able to help us."

Rose nodded. A young woman entered the chippy and was making her way towards them. Gwen, who had been hiding behind her fringe a bit to keep herself from being too recognizable, straighter up a bit.

"Hi," the woman said. "I'm Lois."

"Good to meet you," Gwen said.

"Oh, God, this is probably the worst mistake of my life," Lois said, shaking her head before she took a seat across from them. "I've read your files. Some of the stuff you've done, you're like unsung national heroes."

"We'll do autographs later," the Welsh woman said. "We need to talk."

She studied Rose carefully with a frown. "Who are you? I never came across your file."

"I'm Rose Tyler," she replied then held out her carton. "Want a chip?"

"No thanks," Lois said kindly.

"And, no, I'm not a part of Torchwood, but we're strong connections to them. They're allies to us."

"Us?"

"Me and the Doctor."

Lois' eyes widened in shock. "The Doctor?" she repeated quietly. "You're with the Doctor? He's one of the classified files in the database."

Rose snorted. "Don't tell him that. It'd inflate his ego more than it already has. Trust me, it can't get any bigger."

"He's saved this planet so many times, I've read about some of the things he's done over the years. But I thought he was an enemy to Torchwood."

"'S a long story," Rose waved off. "You know about Canary Wharf?" The woman nodded. "That was the old Torchwood base, the ones who were behind the whole…incident. They had thought that what they were doing was helping the world, but everything turned around on them. The Doctor had warned them about it and things happened because they wouldn't listen to him. After the battle it was rebuilt by our good friend, Captain Jack. He made sure the Doctor would always be an ally for the organization, to ensure trust and that we'd be able to help when all else fails."

"Oh, my God," Lois whispered. "None of this makes sense. If you're the bad guys why doesn't it say that on your file? And if you're the good guys, who am I working for? And why do they want you dead?"

"That's what we're trying to find out," Rose said.

"Earlier today someone posing as medical personnel tried to kill Jack and Ianto," Gwen said. "Why would they do something like that? Frobisher is our man in the government, why would he send out others to execute us?"

Lois shook her head. "I don't know. I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I knew I couldn't bring him with me to let him have a proper chat with you. If he knew you were here you'd be dead. Do you know a Captain Andrew Staines?"

Gwen frowned. "No."

"A Colonel Michael Sanders? Ellen Hunt?"

"No."

"What for?" Rose asked curiously. "What do they have to do with anything?"

"They're all dead," Lois told them, leaning closer. "They were killed hours ago."

Rose scratched her eyebrow. "Probably around the same time Jack and Ianto would've been killed."

"No witnesses," Gwen said.

"I didn't sign the Official Secrets Act to cover up murder," Lois told them. She shook her head. "But then I didn't take the job to commit treason on my first day."

Rose offered the woman a small smile. This young woman was afraid she'd lose her job and for good reason. To the government, Torchwood was labeled as the enemy and with the Doctor known as one of the main defenders of the planet he was most likely on watch at all times. She was against what her bosses and other superiors supported and that was a good sign.

"We're sorry," Rose told her. "We know this is scary and risky of you and your job but we need someone on the inside to be on our side."

"We owe you one for this," Gwen said. "Thank you."

"Everyone in the office seems to think what's happening with the kids is all to do with aliens," Lois said.

"It is," Rose told her. "We know it's aliens but we don't know exactly what it is we're dealing with."

"They're coming soon, aren't they?" the woman asked. "I figured it since there's something big being built on the top floor of the MI5 building."

"Wait, what?" Gwen spoke up.

"What, like a 'build it and they will come' kinda thing?" Rose asked.

Lois shrugged. "I don't know but it's like they're getting ready for something. And if you lot, Torchwood and you with the Doctor, if you're the alien experts and they really are coming back, why does Mr. Frobisher want you out of the way all of a sudden?"

"Like we said, they don't want any witnesses," Gwen said.

"The government's hiding everything from the public and most of its workers," Rose added. "Like yourself. They think that whatever they're doing must be the right thing but it's more than that. Their egos are probably clashing and making their own decisions without any thinking. We've dealt with paranoid governments before."

"Always a blast, ain't they?" Gwen said.

"Well, we've got some secret 'weapons' to help us out, soon this will all be over."

Lois nodded and looked down at he watch around her wrist. "I should get going," she said.

"Thanks again," Rose said. "If we never see you again until this is all over, good luck."

"Better yet, come on over and ask for a job with us," Gwen said with a small smile.

Lois grinned back before taking her things and making her way to the exit. One step further, but needed to take a few more jumps.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The Doctor and Donna remained in the TARDIS, trying to iron out more details to make it easier to single out certain possible species for identification. Rose informed him about what the PA from the Home Office told them. His jaw tightened. All of this just to keep Torchwood from talking. Sometimes he couldn't believe what limits humans would take just to keep secrets and to think they're doing justice for what they've done. Sometimes he could.

"I can't believe you never told anyone about that," Ianto told Jack softly from the side. "Being there in 1965 to hand over…children."

Jack kept his eyes on his computer and sighed. "I couldn't," he admitted. "I thought they wanted me because I can't die, but it was because of my carelessness. I felt nothing. Everyone looks me like I'm some kind of hero—"

"But you are. You're just…complex. All of us are, it defines who we are. We all make mistakes that we wish we could go back in time to change."

"Fixed points, Yan. It would create a paradox."

The Welsh man nodded. "Right, of course." He paused for a moment or two, both of them returning their attention to their screens in front of them with the same information. "D'you ever think that, one day, your luck'll run out? That you won't come back after dying?"

Jack blew a puff of air past his lips and leaned back in his chair, an even look on his face as he held the other man's gaze. "I'm a fixed point in time and space. That's what the Doctor told me, so I think that means it's forever."

"And…it had something to do with Rose, right? You mentioned that earlier that she was the one who did it to you."

"She was," Jack continued. "She absorbed the Time Vortex—the powerful energy source of the space and time continuum where everything blends together and divides or shifts and changes, underlying the whole of Creation. She became this powerful being and used her abilities to bring me back to life." He chuckled through his nose and smiled a bit. "It's complimenting to me that she didn't want the universe to not have me in it."

"Oh…" was all Ianto could respond with, a wondrous look in his eyes before a sad one crossed through. "So…that means one day you'll see me die of old age, and just…keep going."

"Yeah," Jack said softly, trying to mask up as much pain as possible.

Ianto's mouth twitched up in a half smile. "Then we better make the most of it."

Jack returned it before typing back on his computer. "Suppose so."

"Like right now?"

"Ianto, the world could be ending."

"World's always ending." Jack laughed a bit and grinned. That was the answer he was expecting.

But before either of them could make a move, the Doctor popped his head out of the TARDIS. "Any luck?" he asked.

"None," Ianto reported.

"Right. Well, a small break wouldn't hurt anyone. We can finish this up and continue tomorrow morning, or later on if you're nocturnal. It's getting late for you lot of humans and, knowing my wife as soon as she comes back, she'd most likely want to fall into bed after dinner. It's her one vice, her and her sleep."

"Sounds good," Jack said, jerking his head towards the TARDIS as he and Ianto stood up and came into the ship.

The Doctor directed them to the galley as well as guest rooms for them to sleep in—giving an additional warning to Jack if he had any intentions of sneaking into anyone's room and shagging on the TARDIS. He and Ianto exchanged a secret smile when the Time Lord left.

"Oh, I know that look," Donna said from the side. "I see it my way around here with those bloody randy aliens. If you two plan on doing it I can keep that skinny one distracted. Although with Rose coming back his eyes won't be anywhere else, so don't worry about getting caught."

"Kinda makes things more interesting," Jack said wickedly.

"Oi! Not to me, sunshine! I dealt with enough of stumbling into rooms where those two have almost shagged each other's brains out, no more!"

Jack laughed before turning to Ianto. "We'll have some dessert after dinner."

"Captain's special?" the other man said conspiratorially.

"Maybe the whole menu."

"God, I don't know who's worse," Donna complained.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Not much longer after the Doctor occupied the galley, he sensed his wife arriving. He shrugged off his suit jacket and threw it on the side, rolling up his sleeves and getting right to work on the vegetables. He shut his eyes when he felt them blurring a bit. Rassilon, this was the worst periodical sickness he's ever had in centuries. Must have been this body. It was the most sensitive of his incarnations. Reaching into his trouser pocket, he pulled out a syringe filled with a liquid and brought it up to his neck, carefully injecting it. He pulled it out after it hissed and he felt his body settling down almost instantly. He let out a deep sigh and tucked the item away.

"What was that?"

The Doctor turned slightly at the sound of Jack's voice, noting the other man standing in the doorway before continuing to cook. "Just a remedy," he replied simply.

"I thought Time Lords never got sick."

"I'm still susceptible to brief intervals of a specific Gallifreyan sickness. They're periodical and can happen at any consistent rate. Can be any given time—every few decades, centuries, various incarnations, solely depends on my system."

"Man, I'm sorry," Jack said.

"Nah, it's nothing serious. Nothing I can't handle and haven't been able to handle lately."

"No, I meant I was sorry for _Rose_ ," the other man clarified. "God only knows how much she's had put on her plate dealing with you when you're sick."

The Doctor huffed as he threw the veggies in the frying pan along with some chicken. The TARDIS hummed around him, alerting him that Rose and Gwen had arrived on the TARDIS. Jack said he would show the Welsh woman around the ship so she could settle in.

"How many rooms are in here?" Gwen asked.

"All kinds," Rose answered.

"Never really counted," the Doctor admitted. "I've had this ship for centuries and I still manage to stumble into a room I've never seen before."

"Like my own," Jack spoke up with a grin. He gave the man a stern look and the immortal man nodded. "Fine, I'll stop. C'mon, Gwen, I'll show you around."

"Rhys might come over," she said. "Or he might wait until tomorrow since he's probably asleep right now."

"Well, I'll keep some stir fry on the side for him," the Doctor told her. "Should be ready in about ten minutes. Possibly eight point fifty seven if the chicken heats up faster." He took out his sonic and aimed it at the stove. "There we go, should be done soon. The TARDIS will let you know when it's ready."

"How?" Gwen asked. "Does it have an alarm or a bell?"

"No. Unless you want Her to sound an alarm for you. Although, don't reckon that would work out well. So many alarms around here going off. But then again it's your preference, that is if you want the Old Girl to sound like a foghorn—"

"What he's trying to say," Rose cut in, "is that you'll know. Just listen for some humming. You won't get lost, She'll lead you here when we're ready."

Gwen's brows raised. "It can move the rooms around? How?"

"Sentient ship," the Doctor said with a smile.

The Welsh woman nodded before following Jack into the corridor. Rose moved over to where he stood. "Smells delicious," she said with a grin.

"Hope you didn't fill up on chips," he said. "I'm making enough for the whole lot of us."

"I only ate a couple, I'm starved."

He arched an eyebrow. "You saved a carton, didn't you?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe one or two. Just in case you tried to steal any of mine."

"Rose Tyler, what do you take me for?"

"A bottomless pit sometimes." He snorted. She patted his back. "Need some help?"

"Just set up the table, love, thanks."

Rose went in the cabinets and took out some plates and moved over to the table and set them up. She then retrieved some utensils, but then she came to a sudden stop when she felt the world around her tilt to the side, which was badly since the TARDIS wasn't moving. It was only her again. She leaned on the back of one of the chairs in an attempt to steady herself.

"Rose?" the Doctor asked, coming to stand behind her as he placed a gentle hand to her back. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just hungry," she said dismissively. "Really haven't eaten anything all day 'cept for chips."

"You're dizzy again."

"You can get dizzy spells from not eating anything for hours."

He studied her and rubbed her back. "Just sit and relax. You'll feel better soon, dinner's almost ready. But if you still have a fainting spell I'll check you out in the medbay and give you something for it, okay?"

Rose nodded as she took a seat at the table. He gently rubbed her neck before leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head then left to get the food prepared. She found herself recovering quickly and sat up straighter, toying with her fork on her empty plate. Soon the others came into the galley and took their seats at the table. Rose stood up and helped the Doctor put out the food on everyone's plate. He took his usual spot beside his wife and began to dig into their meal.

"This is really good," Ianto remarked.

"I see your cooking's improved significantly since last time," Jack said.

" _My_ cooking?" the Doctor said incredulously, his words a bit muffled from the food.

"More than your table manners have."

Rose snorted. "Those never go away."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "At least I didn't let my wife cook. You've seen what she could do with banana bread." She smacked his leg under the table and he snickered.

Conversations went smoothly while they ate, going through various topics. Jack and his team began to talk more about their work, talking about two of their past members that they recently lost—Tosh and Owen—and how they were brilliant at their fields. Ever since their deaths they had been looking for replacements to help them out around the base, which was challenging to them since they said no one could replace their friends. They also went on to talk about Martha's brief involvement with them months ago.

During their meal, Jack had brought in a bottle of liquor, his special hypervodka. He offered it to the Doctor and Rose, but they kindly declined. At least _Rose_ was kind. The Doctor had brushed it off far too quickly, prompting Jack to pester him about being too affected by the spiced alcohol. Rose laughed at her husband when he grumbled something about 'humans and their desire to become inebriated' and continued to eat. Jack asked if they still had the bottle he had given to them last year and she told him that they had finished it. He grinned slyly and moved his eyes over to the Doctor, who was trying his best to go off topic.

Rose fought back on another dizzy spell that lasted about twelve seconds, brushing it aside. Dinner soon ended as the group helped out by putting everything away. It was getting late and most of them needed a rest anyway. Ianto and Gwen made their way into the corridors, saying that they were going to check the monitors in the hub. Next thing Rose knew was the sensation hit her again with a cold chill shooting down her spine. She rested her hands on the edge of the counter to regain herself.

"Rose?" Jack asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'," she responded. "Little dizzy, 's all."

"Didn't look like 'a little'. Are you feeling sick too?"

Her brows knitted together. "'Too?' Oh, you mean the Doctor. He's just been feeling these effects from this sickness he got over for the last few weeks."

"You couldn't have caught it somehow, did you?"

"No, some days I just feel…you know, blah."

"Rose, love," the Doctor said as he came over to where she stood. He placed his hand on the back of her neck and tenderly massaged her skin. "You're cold." He pressed an open palm to her cheek, his voice soft. "You feeling okay?"

Rose sighed. "Doctor, I'm fine," she stressed. She inhaled deeply and shivered again.

"No, you're not," he said gently, and then pressed his lips against her forehead. "You're not running a fever. You've been like this all day, haven't you?"

"Not all day, jus' here and there. Like some chills and a couple aches."

His brows raised in concern. "You've been in pain?"

"'S not severe," she assured quickly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"They don't last anyway, only for like, I dunno, two minutes."

"Hold on…" He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his sonic to scan her body. "If your system caught something then you might need some more advanced medicine to treat it."

"More advanced?"

"Well, more than what you took before. Any signs of nausea or anything?"

Rose shook her head. "No, 'm fine."

The Doctor hummed in thought. "Must be a small bug. Humans don't have strong enough immunity like they claim. You're always bound to catch—"

His words came to a sudden stop much like his form when he stopped whirring the sonic and held it up to study the readings. It appeared as if someone had taken a remote and pressed pause. He was frozen solid, barely rising and falling while taking a breath. In fact Rose was convinced he had stopped breathing altogether. But why? Was something wrong with her? Her insides began to tremble in fear the more she studied his reactions. His eyes were wide and his brows were knitted.

Concern? Shock? Fear? She was usually good at reading him but she couldn't make it out. It was all sorts of emotions swirling over his face.

"Doctor?" she asked gently. "What is it?"

Mouth still hung open the Doctor managed to close it, leaving his lips parted but his eyes remained large. She was sure he hadn't even blinked once. His vision was trained onto the sonic as if he were trying to fathom what was listed on the readings. She hesitantly tapped his mind but came up short. He felt…blank. Like he couldn't form a proper thought. Not good.

"Doc?" Jack asked. "You okay?"

"It…" the Doctor finally said, his voice barely audible. "It can't be…"

"What's the matter with him?" Donna asked as she came over to stand with them, seemingly finished with her duty at washing her plate. "He drop something on his jacket again?"

Rose's nerves weren't easing up. She hated when he kept things to himself, worse when they gave off such an impression of consternation. She walked towards him and placed a hand on his arm. "Doctor, what's it say?" His mouth moved but nothing came out but odd sounds. "Just tell me," she said gently. "What's wrong with me?"

The Doctor finally did the simple exercise of blinking his eyes rapidly. His breathing was hitched and he noticeably swallowed hard. "Rose…" he choked out. "Y-you…you're…"

"What? I'm what?"

His eyes never left the screwdriver as he lightly shook his head, his voice still deathly quiet. "You're…pregnant."

* * *

 ***cups ear* Waiting for it...**


	48. Fallout

**A/N:** **Damn, what a way to end the year, huh?** **You know how hard it was for me to not reveal this sooner? I admit I threw signs of a 'possible pregnancy' back in the Sontaran episodes, but Rose that was to throw you guys off. Now it's real and explained further in this chapter.** **Anyway, much love and many thanks to each of you awesome viewers!**

 **And Happy New Year! :D On a side note, _Weathering the Storm_ turned a year old today. Look how far we've come.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 46: Fallout**_

The room fell into a deathly silence after what the Doctor revealed from the sonic screwdriver's scan. Rose's mind was racing at impossible speeds but no matter how fast she was lagging behind as she tried to catch up to what her husband just told her, something she had never thought she'd ever hear in any given lifetime. Even just repeating the word to herself reverberated loudly, not that it was bringing her out of her shock. Pregnant. _Pregnant._ At some point she might be able to process the statement but she felt the world around her turning a complete one-eighty on its axis.

Not only was this impossible…no, it was just that. It was _impossible_.

A couple years ago when they first did tests on her body and found that the smattering of Huon particles that lingered inside of her had integrated with her system and made her biology more advanced than the average human's they went over what it meant for her next, future wise. Her lifespan had increased to a length that matched the Doctor's, thus allowing them to be together forever just as she promised him, she gained a healing factor that could create remarkable results on any wound—save for extremely fatal, she found out—at a substantial rate. And one of the other things they found out was the slim possibility they had of child conception.

The Doctor had gone over the details about how unlikely it would be for them to even have a child with the differing biologies and the less-than-a-one-percent chance of possible conception. Well…as it turned out, the sliver came out on top and the odds were defied.

Rose just stood in her spot unable to even move but she instinctively brought a hand to rest on her abdomen. Her mouth was still fallen open. She was trying to find a word or a sentence or some kind of response but she failed to do so. She wanted to ask her husband if it was true and that she hadn't heard him wrong. Knowing how far away sounds were briefly becoming to her during yet another one of her dizzy spells she didn't trust herself that she may have misheard him. But now that he mentioned it she could feel something deep down. It was true. She tried to tap into his mind again, only to come to the same result.

"Oh, my God," Donna breathed out with a smile.

Jack let out a laugh, his grin splitting his face. "Oh, Rosie, that's _amazing_!" He pulled her into a hug and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around before setting her down. She still had the same shocked expression on her face. "That explains why you were glowing more than usual, you've got a time bun in the oven. No wonder why he can't keep his hands off you. Then again, how else could this have happened." He laughed again. "How're you feeling?"

Rose didn't even know where to begin. She didn't even know what she was feeling. Everything just happened so fast. They had just finished dinner and they were chatting about random topics relating to work and adventures. They were just cleaning up and now they were talking about pregnancy. _Hers._

"Uh…" was all she could get out. She shook her head a little. "I-I don't…I don't even…"

"Mom-shock," Donna spoke up. "Happens all the time." The ginger woman turned to the Doctor and elbowed his ribs. "Can say the same for you, Dad!"

"When this is all over we're celebrating!" Jack said. "A mini-Doctor and Rose is on the way!"

Shock was a bit of an understatement on the Doctor's part. He was sure both of his hearts were just as frozen as his stature. His mind was desperately trying to catch up with everything around him but it was lagging far behind, unable to even process the fact he just read before his eyes. His throat was tight, any form of a sentence trying to come out but his words were stuck with nowhere to go. His insides trembled as he kept repeating the scan showings in his mind, to himself. He could barely reach out to his wife mentally. The gravity of the word was so strong he was more surprised that he was still standing and that he didn't pass out.

He was always a man for words and let his unstoppable gob move at every fast pace he could allow it, points that he couldn't put a brake on himself. Very rarely would anything clam him up, the only exception being his wife. Whether it was anything remotely distracting to him that made him warm up with giddiness or take his breath away with her innate splendor. And now…now he felt every breath of air rushing out of him. This wasn't possible. Humans—even advanced ones—were not meant to be able to conceive with a Time Lord. He knows everything about his physiology and its compatibilities with other species, namely humans. It was never supposed to happen.

Yet, according to the readings on the sonic, it defied those facts. Rose was pregnant.

He tried to inhale a shaky breath through his nose but his respiratory bypass had already kicked in from inability to do so. A plethora of emotions were swirling inside of him, so many that he could barely label them, but some were prominent for identification: senses of joy mixed in with larger amounts disbelief by the very idea and slight confusion at how it even happened despite their differing biologies. But the main intense sentiment that lingered inside of him and overshadowed the rest was one that he dreaded the most. Fear.

The fear of what of what this could lead to down the road of their long lives, especially with the high chances of running into danger. Along with that fear there was that main fact that humans aren't meant to conceive with a Time Lord, actually sustaining a cross-species pregnancy would be rough. More than rough— _life threatening_. Her body may have been more advanced than the average human's, but could she be able to handle this?

His hearts clenched. No, he didn't want to think of that, not ever. Complications were already set out there for normal _human_ pregnancies. This was nothing ordinary, far from it. That painful thought added to their lifestyle certainly didn't help make his nerves settle down any less. Long ago they both decided that, even if they were somehow able to conceive, they wouldn't choose to upbring a child into their chaotic lifestyle. This wasn't even planned. Rassilon, this wasn't even possible to _begin_ with. He needed to run more thorough tests on her to make sure she was okay and just how much her body was withstanding with this newfound discovery.

Before anyone else could utter a word the sound of footsteps running towards them came to their attention. Ianto popped his head into the galley entrance. "It's happening again," he said before frowning. "Is…everything okay?"

"More than that," Jack said, still grinning. "Gwen isn't the only one with a surprise." He stood between the Doctor and Rose with his arms slung around both of their shoulders. "There's a Time Tot on the way."

"Oh, congratulations," the Welsh man told them sincerely before turning to Donna. "This is becoming quite the trend. What about you?"

"What _about_ me?" the redhead asked, confused. "I ain't expecting anything!"

Jack chuckled. "You might be next on the list."

She snorted. "Not a chance."

"Anyway," Ianto continued, "as I was saying, the children have stopped again. They're saying that they're 'coming tomorrow' now."

"Right, let's have a look," Jack said as he pulled away from the speechless couple.

"And there was someone at the door. Rhys just showed up."

"Oh, he's got some news to find out about."

No sooner after Jack's comment Gwen came back into the galley with Rhys, who was moving his wide eyes around the room in complete wonder.

"How is…" he said. "This-this…"

"Told you, I don't even know," Gwen said, patting his arm. "The outside's smaller than the inside."

"Sounds like something out of a bleedin' J.K Rowling book!"

Gwen then introduced her husband to both the Doctor and Rose, who were still mute for the moment until they shook the other man's hand. Jack informed the Welsh couple that they weren't the only ones expecting, which then led Rhys to become indignant that he was the last to find out something again. Gwen congratulated the Doctor and Rose before tugging her husband out of the galley in search for a guest room. Jack, along with Donna, made their way out of the galley as well and into the corridor. The Doctor and Rose, however, still haven't budged from their immobilized states, acting as if they hadn't heard anything. But while in the midst of all the shock and confusion there was a strong certainty that they didn't.

Neither one of them moved nor did they put on a different facial expression other than the mutual surprised ones from the bombshell. Their minds were beginning to function a little more as the time went on while at the same time still trying to process it all. The latter finally turned to face the former and managed to lower his arm that still held the sonic raised up. She brought it over to look at the results herself and, clear as day, it was true. She could feel it still, but believing it was a whole other level.

"Doctor…" Rose finally breathed out.

She studied his reaction again and felt another shiver pass through her. She couldn't make out what he was feeling, but then again she didn't know how _she_ was feeling. Their world had suddenly turned on its head with this unexpected finding and it still felt unreal, like a hallucination. Motherhood was something she had never imagined herself getting involved in, even before she met her husband. She was perfectly fine with that. She never saw herself mothering a child at any point in her life. But when it came to the Doctor and everything they shared together she had wished she could give him everything.

Deep down inside she knew he missed fatherhood, even if he wouldn't come out and admit it. He loved his children and grandchildren, but he was left with the pain of losing them so long ago. And then, more recently, they had Jenny. Rose didn't believe that the young girl was completely gone, though. Something itching in the back of her mind was telling her that Jenny had survived by some chance and is out there somewhere. It was a shot in the dark, but she had hope. If not…no, she didn't want to believe that. Maybe this was a sign. Maybe this was their chance. Maybe, just maybe, he could be a father again and have those holes filled. This was an impossible situation but maybe the universe was trying to give them something good for once.

The Doctor inhaled another shuddering breath before turning to face her, his mouth open and ready to speak. Again, no words fell out. Very rarely would he become so mute, both inwardly and outwardly, but massive amounts of shock could leave even the most talkative person silent.

"Rose…" he finally choked out. "I need to run some tests on you now. To see how you're…" He gestured at her middle. "How you're doing."

Rose nodded in response. She reached over for his hand and offered him a gentle squeeze as they slowly walked down the corridor. His mind still felt cluttered but he was a little more open than it had been so there was some functioning. She was still trying to wrap her head around it all though. It still felt like a dream and that none of this was real, but with every step they took she could feel his efforts of trying to express any other feeling besides shock.

They entered the medbay and Rose made her way over to the bed, taking a seat while her husband went right to work. He dashed around the room and gathered various pieces of equipment and devices she had never seen before. Then again she didn't expect him to run tests on her to determine if she was _with child_. She watched him move in a mechanical manner, turning into a clinical doctor with a lowercase 'd' without a lab coat. He performed a number scans over her entire body with a device with a name so long and complicated she couldn't repeat it, followed by taking a small blood sample and a brief test in which he would lick the inside of her wrist.

She worried her bottom lip between her teeth when he gathered everything into the systems and stood by the large computer on the other side of the room. They remained silent the entire time, not counting the few 'are you okays' and 'try to stay stills'. It wasn't that it was unnerving or uncomfortable, it was just that…they were still trying to find which words to utter out in order to start the next conversation. Too many thoughts running through both of their minds made it difficult to choose where to begin. So they stayed quiet and waited for the results to come in.

Standing hunched over to peer at the computer screen before him, the Doctor slipped his specs on and carefully studied the results. For a moment he felt his eyes blurring a bit but he fought past the uneasiness as best as he could. A lump began to grow in his throat, making him unable to swallow. He couldn't deny the reality of what was in front of his face, the evidence was written perspicuously. Not only that but he began to connect the dots. According to the scans, Rose was four weeks along. His mind backtracked. That was after the unscheduled trip to Messaline, right after they had lost Jenny.

His insides tightened up at the reminder of the young girl being taken out in cold blood. That ache had been plastered shut for the time being, not completely gone since it would never heal, and now it was beginning to open up again. A child, something that had come from both him and Rose. Then she was gone. What if this child met that same fate?

His jaw was set as he tried to remain focussed. His wife's well-being was of top priority, as it always was, and he needed to make sure she was okay for right now. Never has there been a human/Time Lord pregnancy. Everything was done by sharing genetics through the looming process with only a few exceptional rare cases of natural birth. How could Rose be able to handle this? She was still human in biology despite her changes and holding something so…unique was powerful and overwhelming. And possibly fatal. He tightened his grip on the edge of the table hard enough to make his knuckles white. That wasn't the road he wanted to go down, not the train of thought he wanted his mind to enter. The territory was shaky and nerve ending, something to plague him for the rest of his long life.

It then occurred to him the time elapsed since they had seemingly conceived. Four weeks. He thought about every place they landed in that time and it made another wave of sickening fear wash over him. She was put in danger quite a few times, especially with the Vespiform and the Vashta Nerada. He subjected his wife to danger while she had been carrying their unborn child, something that hadn't crossed their minds.

Around the same duration of time that he's been having his brief sick spells that he believed were part of the periodical Gallifreyan illness he would get every few centuries, not to mention the start of Rose's dizzy spells. Of course, how could he have missed this? It was dangling in front of him the entire time and he never put two and two together. Well, to tell the truth, this was the very _last_ thing he imagined was the cause of their sicknesses as of lately. It wasn't even a conscious thought.

He would have been able to detect that his wife was pregnant early on, though. As he's already said, human women would radiate a specific blend of hormones when pregnant that would only be picked up by those with a sensitive sense of smell. It was how he was able to tell Gwen was. But Rose? Nothing. Not a whiff. Unless that had to do with her system being a little more advanced than an average human's. Perhaps the process was slower for her? He wasn't sure.

If the potential complications and ramifications to having a part human/part Time Lord child weren't enough to put a strain on her body then being surrounded by the madness that was their lifestyle would put them both in peril. The sickness lingered in his gut and pained him, but he kept his emotions shielded behind a cloak. Trying to wrap his head around all of this was giving him a headache but he wouldn't let anything be too palpable for his wife to see. He couldn't let his emotions overshadow him and make her perturbed, even though he was concealing as much anxiety to fill both of them combined. He would try to ease into this as easy as he could.

Rassilon, help him. Hell, _every god_ be with him.

"So…?" Rose asked quietly, breaking the heavy silence in the room. "Is it alright?"

From across the room the Doctor briefly glanced up to see her face, noting how shaken up she was no matter how much she kept herself steeled. He could feel her through their bond, but amazingly she didn't seem as concerned as he was. Why was that? But there had been a hint of alarm in her tone when she spoke. She needed some reassurance. He straightened up and placed a hand in his trouser pocket.

"The results read that it's not in any harm at the moment and is healthy," he finally replied thickly. "Both of you. I can't…I can't go far into detail since its brain isn't fully developed just yet."

"How far along am I?"

"Four weeks."

Rose slowly nodded as she inhaled a deep breath, her bottom lip still between her teeth. His eyes briefly moved back down to study the monitor as he fiddled with the keyboard. "What about the complications?" she asked. "What am I bound to expect?"

The Doctor sucked in a breath at her questions. He didn't even know the full extent of what to expect with this. How could he explain that to his wife? He couldn't lie to her and say that there weren't any and that it would go smoothly, she'd see right through that. She's smart. He needed to be honest with her and try to make out what inadvertently lay before them now. He raised his eyes to meet hers, holding her gaze levelly.

"I'm not even sure," he said truthfully.

"Well what was it like on Gallifrey? I mean, not with the Looms. You said natural birth wasn't unheard of, it still happened during the curse."

"It took centuries for the curse to be lifted, I've told you that." He pushed himself away from the table with his hands buried in his pockets as he walked over to where she sat on the bed. "On rare occasions were Gallifreyan offspring created in the conventional sense with a mother carrying the child themselves without both parents processing genetic material through the Looms. But even still there's no record of any kind that could be a reference for us to tell me everything to expect with a cross-species pregnancy like this."

Rose slowly nodded. "So…this is the first one to ever exist."

"Far as I know…apparently so. This is…impossible on so many levels."

"Isn't everything with us?" she snorted. A tiny smile appeared on the Doctor's face. "What about the symptoms? Is that why I've been lightheaded and cold?"

He swallowed hard. Her body temperature decreasing slightly was the one concerning him the most at the moment, among other possible future complications. "It's due to the pregnancy, yes. Because Gallifreyans have a lower body temperature than humans it seems that your system's begun to drop in order to meet the needs of the child. Not as much since it isn't fully Gallifreyan, but enough to cause some changes to your own."

Rose chewed on her thumbnail. "It makes sense…" she whispered. "I was late."

The Doctor blinked once. She had never mentioned that in these last few weeks. "You were?" She nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, sounding a little too firm than he intended.

"I didn't think anything of it," she retorted with the same tone. "It's been like this for years, ever since I started travelling with you. I've never really been consistent with my cycle. But, about these symptoms…how long are they gonna last?"

The Doctor ran a hand through his hair and rested it on the back of his neck. "It's far too early to tell," he finally replied. "You've already begun feeling some symptoms at a steady rate, more often than a typical pregnancy. Well… _fully_ human pregnancy, I should say. Having a part-Time Lord puts your body in a bit more strain than the average human pregnancy. Development for the fetus would be more difficult and complex since it's a hybrid, so it would take longer for your body to adapt to the changes. As for the gestational period, there's a high chance of it lasting _longer_ than nine months."

Rose's eyes widened. "How much longer we talking about?"

He bit his lip and scratched his cheek, watching her with apologizing eyes. "Best estimate…closer to twelve."

That fact made her noticeably shiver. "A year…" she drew out.

"Could be a little more than a year, actually," he murmured. "Not enough signs to determine the amount of time for the gestation."

"No wonder why looming was a popular choice. Even if your people weren't sterile I bet it was. How big will I get?"

"Too early to know for sure. Far as I can tell the fetus wouldn't grow beyond its normal size despite the many intricate systems a part-Gallifreyan would need, but I'd imagine that you'd appear smaller in size than expected in the period."

"But…what about these short tremors I've been feeling?"

The Doctor furrowed his brows in concern. "Tremors?"

"Yeah, like these little vibrations. 'S nothing bad or anything, just…waves. Almost like something was trying to tap into my mind. Is it because the baby's part-Time Lord and it's telepathic?"

"Yes. In the beginning of the gestational period the child begins to form a telepathic link to the mother, intertwining with our bond. It's not fully developed enough to be felt through at its full extent." He let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Rose. I wish I could tell you more about any other complications but I just…I have no idea."

He swallowed hard and put on his best mask to conceal the pain in his chest, the ache tugging at his hearts. The last thing he wanted was for Rose to see or feel his trepidation leaking through. There could be a myriad of risks with this impossible pregnancy and it made his nerves fray. There were times where he loved not knowing anything and let the mysteries come to him but this was one instance where he was greedy and wanted every detail to come to him.

"Are we…" she started again, her voice still hushed. "Are we gonna keep it?"

He knew that was coming. The weight of the question he's been preparing to answer once it was asked and yet he couldn't find his voice to give a response. "It's your decision, Rose," he murmured.

"Mine?" she asked incredulously. "This is _our_ decision, Doctor. _Ours._ You have just as much say as I've got. We _both_ created this."

"Well, yes, but…" He rubbed his eyes beneath his specs and began to stammer. "T-this is…it's a-a big decision, something that wasn't even supposed to happen to us."

Her next words came out as a whisper, barely audible but he was able to make them out clearly. "You don't want it."

The Doctor felt pain. It wasn't a question she was asking; it was a statement. "No, I wasn't saying that," he told her gently, moving closer.

"You're not exactly _thrilled_ about this."

The Doctor removed his glasses and placed them in his breast pocket, his eyes slipping shut for a brief moment. "Rose, it's not that I don't want to keep this child. I would never want you to lose it, it's just…" He sighed. "A _lot_ to take in right now. We've talked about this already. You're not even meant to _have_ a child, advanced system or not. The chances of that even happening were less than one percent, slim to none."

"And this is the less than one percent," she said, lowering her head to stare at her belly where she rested her hands, where their child was beginning to grow.

His eyes followed and he felt his hearts clench. "But Rose…that aside, we discussed that, with our life and the way we live—"

"Yeah, I know," she cut in. "Running all over the place wouldn't really be the best environment for a child, but…we can manage. We've got the TARDIS. The Old Girl can help us. We can help each other, we wouldn't have to worry too much, yeah? We'll be alright."

The Doctor let out a mirthless chuckle. "Easier said than done, that is," he muttered.

"Don't do that, Doctor," Rose said firmly, her stare hard. "Don't you _dare_ start thinking that this baby is a curse, this is _our child_. Don't even try that."

"I never said it was."

"Aren't you happy about this?"

Truthfully every emotion pouring out from the depths of his hearts were waging wars inside of him. Every shred of happiness, even the smallest ones of joy at this unexpected discovery, were being smothered by a cold blanket of fear, chilling him to the bone and paining him. He hasn't felt this way since Jenny. The wound was still fresh after they lost that young girl and it began to tear into him along with the other ones he's received over the years. He could see his children and grandchildren before his eyes, alive and free. Until they were taken away from him. He lost them all, just like he's lost nearly everyone else in his life.

How could he be able to face this again, being a father? The thought continued to burn through him. Ever since the loss of Jenny the afflictions from the past stabbed at him again, reminding him of everything he lost and things he could never have again. He and his wife were given the opportunity to raise that girl as their own, to make her realize just how much of both of them were a part of her. And she had. But her life, just like her creation, had come to an abrupt end. It hurt a lot. He let himself open up to accept that girl as his own and it only led to him having another name added to the never-ending list of people he lost.

It was one of the main reasons why he and Rose decided that children wouldn't be suitable for their lifestyle if they had the option given to them. Even though they never were a hundred percent certain that they never wanted kids at some point in their lives if the opportunity was handed right over to them they thought that what they had at the present moment was more than enough. He had his wife. He didn't need to start a family again, but…he didn't know. His viewpoints were becoming fickle with every minute he kept thinking about this occurrence.

"Rose, I…I am," he finally spoke, breaking the silence. "But this…isn't anything simple."

"Is anything ever simple with us?" she remarked with a half smile. She inhaled a shaky breath then raised her head, her eyes shining before placing a hand on the side of his face. "Just think of it. We created this life—this _miracle._ I know we never imagined this ever happening to us, but the universe gave us this child."

"Just like it gave us Jenny," he blurted out, his voice strained.

"Doctor—"

"And look what happened to her because she came from us," he went on with a louder voice, taking a step back as he craned his neck to look at the ceiling. "Anything close to me ends up that way, doesn't it? Why do I deserve anything if it only gets ripped away from me?"

"We won't let that happen again," Rose said as she slid off of the exam bed and made her way over to him and placed a hand on his arm, trying to ease his tension. "We don't even know for sure if Jenny is gone. She could still be out there somewhere. She could still be alive."

His eyes dropped much like his voice. "It's unlikely she did. We waited for her to regenerate and nothing happened. There were no signs of life."

"What about that speck in the back of our minds then? For the last month we've been feeling it. It could be her. I have a hunch."

"It's just a hunch, it doesn't mean it's true," he replied glumly. "And this whole time we should've figured this all out, that you're…you're pregnant. All the signs were there and we missed them. You've been having expected symptoms, those, along with my sickness…"

"Wait, your sickness?" Rose asked with a frown. "How d'you mean? That has something to do with it?"

The Doctor rubbed his eyes again, leaving his fingers there for a few moments. "From what I can tell what I had originally thought was just a periodical Gallifreyan illness was actually another symptom from the pregnancy. Because we're bonded it was transferred partially into me, and I kept as much as I could to myself rather than let some slip its way onto you. The bouts may only be temporary but can be unbearable at times. You still managed to grab the majority of the symptoms but a small varied amount was left onto me."

"Oh. That's…different."

"All this time we would've known. Had we really opened our eyes we would have seen it. That's all my fault, really. I never thought to run any tests on us, especially you."

"Don't blame yourself, we just never thought about—"

"For Rassilon's sake, Rose," he cut in. "You know how much trouble we got ourselves into in the last month? You were almost kidnapped and thrown into a den with paemovores, you were poisoned, you were dodging bullets, carnivorous shadows—"

"I've been able to hold myself up, though," she defended. "Don't you _dare_ try to keep me locked up in the TARDIS just because I'm pregnant. I can still move around freely without a problem."

"But you're—"

"If I have a dizzy attack it never lasts. Besides, you've been giving me medicine for it and that helps. It doesn't harm the baby, right?" He took a deep breath and shook his head. "Then we can manage," Rose added softly. "The baby's been okay this whole time, yeah?"

"Well, yes, but…" The Doctor shut his eyes and desperately tried to shake off his anxiety but to no avail. "I don't know what to expect with this, like…how much danger you could be in now. There has never been a part-human/part-Time Lord in existence and it could put you in the position of suffering with too many risks."

"You said that about our bond," Rose pointed out gently. "Nothin' bad ever happened to me because of it. My mind isn't burning, 'm capable of containing that. I've been for over a year. How much different could a baby be?"

 _Very different. And scarier._

He took another deep breath. Being able to sustain a telepathic bond was one thing, but to sustain an impossible pregnancy? "It would take an incredible amount of energy," he told her. "More magnified through our shared bond. Since it would become linked to both of us there's no knowing of what to fully expect with this, Rose. Bonds are one thing, but…this? Its brain isn't even fully formed yet to find out the force. I just don't know."

Rose reached down and took one of his hands in hers. She knew what was going through his distant vision. His family. His children and grandchildren back on Gallifrey. She could see the buried pain he tried to keep hidden beneath every ancient line etched across his face. She could see right through him, she always did.

"I know you're afraid," she said softly. "I can feel it in your mind. You're scared. But Doctor, we never thought we could have children and now—"

"You never wanted them before though," he cut in. "You made it clear that you never had the desire—"

"No, that's not what I told you." She paused for a second. "Yeah, I said I never saw myself becoming a mother one day. I don't need to have children to be happy 'cause I've got you." Her hands raised up to cup his face, his eyes moving over hers. "You're more than enough for me and I love you. If I wasn't able to have children with you then I wouldn't want any regardless. But the universe gave us this child. We only had a slim chance and this could be the only opportunity we've got. I know this wasn't thought of or planned but we're having a baby against all the odds. We created this child out of love, Doctor. I wish I could give you everything from home, even this. We can have this together."

The Doctor held in his breath before letting it out slowly through his nose. Reels of every night where they made love flashed through his mind when he shut his eyes, every passionate moment shared between them, every intimate touch and kiss, undeniably emanating every ounce of love they offered to each other. A warm wave came to him courtesy of his wife, intensifying the bond between them and every emotion that radiated from each image. He felt the TARDIS coming to him, also sending him reassuring hums. He saw the night when this child was conceived, reminiscing on the events leading up to the endless bouts of love that cut deep into them. There was pain but then healing. Slow healing.

He didn't _need_ to have everything from home, not when he had his wife with him by his side for their eternal lives. But he felt himself loosening up and relaxing a bit. His mind was still racing and battling with every emotion, sides taking sides and thinking about every pro and con to having this child. Long ago when he surrendered to his true feelings to Rose he informed her that he wouldn't be able to give her everything like a normal human could, one of which being children. He never imagined himself becoming a father again, much like he never imagined himself marrying another being. But Rose was always the exception when it came to his life decisions.

He would do all he could to make sure she was happy and wished he could grant her everything she desired but he felt an opposing weight of grief clawing at him deep down, something chattering away in the back of his mind that was crushing down on him. He's always brushed it aside whenever he focussed solely on his wife and not the demons that lurked inside of him, but with his attention on the fetus growing within her an uncomfortable sensation came over him, one he regretted feeling.

"Rose," he whispered, his voice taking on a hint of vulnerability and regret, more than he intended. "There's a chance it might not survive, especially if you couldn't…" He inhaled a shaky breath and carefully took her hands in his, brushing his thumbs over her knuckles. "I don't want any harm to come to you or this child, and…the chances of losing _both_ of you…"

Rose's look was empathetic as she gave his hands reassuring squeezes. "'S a part of me too, you know. It's gotta have that strong will, right?"

He smiled at that and blew out a puff of air and shook his head. "Blimey, this is sudden."

"You think?" she said with a snort. "As if this day couldn't get any _more_ unexpected."

"I-I'm still trying to process everything." Rose let out a small yawn. "You should get some rest, Rose. This has gotta be a rush for you as well."

Rose nodded. "I reckon a rest is what both of us need right now."

"Not for me, what with this 456 dilemma with the children and now with… _our_ child dilemma. It's best that I work as much as I can to monitor you as well as check on any scans of the children on this planet. This species—which we still don't know their origins or true identification—is coming back, so I need to do some more digging up on them among other things. I just…I just need time to think."

"Will you at least stay with me until I fall asleep?"

He gave her a soft smile. "Of course I will."

With their hands still joined they both made their way out of the room and back into the corridor. Taking some breathers to fully process this impossible news was all they needed at the moment. So many questions were swirling around in Rose's head that she didn't even know where to begin. Never in her life did she ever think such a situation like this would come to her and the Doctor, especially after learning that it never could happen. Well, never say never, right? The reality was that she was carrying their child. She was still trying to wrap her head around it all, and she knew that her husband was still almost at a loss for words.

The news really shook both of them up, and she wasn't too surprised by the Doctor's reaction. In fact it was everything she was expecting: apprehension. He was the Doctor, after all, and he wouldn't be himself if he didn't begin to dwell on the negative and fear for what would become of the future. He was afraid, even if he wouldn't admit it. Though he was keeping his mental end stable and blocked off from anything harrowing or trepidatious, she could see the concern behind his distant eyes, could feel his comfort. He said he was unsure of what could happen to her with this pregnancy but she wasn't the least bit afraid. Sure, she was still surprised and still trying to process this as much as he was, but she didn't feel afraid. She felt at ease. The TARDIS was sending her calming hums as well, and that helped her even more.

Finally making it to their room the Doctor opened the door and led them inside. The TARDIS kept the lights dim and sent them both calming hums as they made their way over to their bed. Rose shed out of her clothes and slipped into her pajamas while the Doctor simply removed his tie and plimsolls then slipped under the covers with her. She curled up into his side, one of her hands resting on her abdomen where the fragile life was growing. A sense of awe dawned on her again when she felt another faint wave, only a small one in their connection that was barely rippling.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Doctor," she whispered. "We're gonna be okay."

The Doctor brought up a hand and softly stroked her hair before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Get some rest, love," he said quietly. "Tomorrow's gonna be a long day."

* * *

 **And that ends Day One. I know it's dragging but even though I'm changing so many things and preventing certain events from happening there's still lots to be covered. Because of the length of this Torchwood x-over** **I've cut out Midnight.**

 **Special thanks to the guest reviewers! I know I haven't been posting responses to you guys, but know your feedback is always greatly appreciated ;)**


	49. Day Two

**A/N:** **This was originally two separate chapters but I smashed them together to get through this arc faster.** **As always, much much love and many thanks to all of you awesome viewers! You guys are truly the best!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 47: Day Two**_

The Doctor sat in his leather chair behind his desk located in the corner of the bedchamber both he and Rose shared, glasses perched on his nose with a look of concentration creasing his brows and a pencil twirling between his fingers. He could feel his eyes slipping but he fought the feeling of fatigue as he remained immersed in his research.

Admittedly he was feeling exhausted since he's been tackling everything around him without stopping once for a breather. That and pushing his sleep cycle back for almost a month now, which was highly unlike him, not counting the fifteen and a half minute kip he took earlier. But now that he had more things landing on his plate there was no way he could rest. His mind was racing at speeds that could break the time limit. Only a couple of times did he take a break away from his station and it was only to head down to the medbay to retrieve some extra liquids to ease any dizzying sensations, which, for the most part, have eased up almost completely.

Small piles of paper were sprawled across the surface, all detailed descriptions of every possible species that matched the traits of these 456. He was still stuck on it, but narrowing them down further was more of a challenge. Some were stronger than others but he didn't have much of a lead since he didn't see its face or form. With these beings arriving today, as they have claimed, then his lead would be coming soon. As if that wasn't enough information to intently engage in he also had an open hardcover book pertaining to Time Lord reproduction pulled straight from the TARDIS' library shelves, bless the Old Girl. Beside it was a notepad where he had been jotting down as much information as he could find on the subject. Like he imagined he found little to nothing related to cross-species pregnancies, very little mentioning of humans altogether.

Not much of a surprise there.

Multitasking through the night he also paid close attention to the other scans he performed on his wife in the infirmary. Luckily neither she nor the baby were showing any signs of harm, only the same as they have been with the slightly decreasing temperatures. Nothing _too_ serious. He could breathe a little easier knowing that, but he still couldn't shake the overwrought trembling of his nerves. He wished he didn't feel that way, especially when this was something involving both him and his wife, something that they created…although that _was_ the main reason why he was like that. He couldn't escape those feelings.

He honestly never wanted to put her in such a position in knowing that it could become a danger to her well-being. Having children may have been something he had wished he wanted with his wife but knowing how difficult their lives were where nothing was simple and madness was a strong breeze that blew their doors down with they both thought it best not to indulge in that life. Of course they weren't even _meant_ to conceive, so the repercussions were insubstantial. It wasn't that he _didn't_ want this child because parts of him _really did._ One of the things he wished Rose would be able to have one day was children, and it was one of the things he regretted when their relationship grew. Impossible though it was it still managed to come to them.

He would _never_ wish any harm coming to it or his wife. It was just…his never-ending fear that lingered deep down. The curse that the universe has thrown onto him since day one, one that fit in nice with the Time Lords.

For years he was having wars waging inside of him, treading on waters he never imagined finding himself of all people involved in. The internal struggle he had been fighting for so long was whether or not he would allow himself to become bare for Rose, to open himself completely and let down every wall to grant her access to the deepest parts of him, the cracks of his hearts. Doing so made him feel peace. _So much peace._ Nothing made him feel better than to have his precious Rose do the impossible by healing him in countless ways, leading themselves to be called husband and wife, to be able to spend forever together, even if it meant that she would have to watch her friends wither and die around her.

Overcoming that had been tough, even more rough after the events of over a year ago when his wife had been taken away from him and caused every one of his wounds to tear apart, letting him bleed out in agony at the nightmarish images that he still kept buried deep down inside to this day. It was something about _him._ _Always_ him. For some reason the universe would only leave a black cloud hanging over him, and everything would come at a price. Every time he was given something special something terrible happened to it. He had learned that the hard and hearts-wrenching way when he witnessed his wife's death before his eyes, much like every other person he had encountered over the years, especially the ones he held the closest to him. There was plenty of good in the universe as well, though. He had been blessed with his wife, something he would never begin to fathom or imagine how or why he deserved someone so patient and loving.

Parenthood was something that hasn't crossed either of their minds in a while, since after leaving Messaline to be exact. It may have seemed like too much of a dream that Jenny would have survived after they had stayed with her for hours that day only to be met with the worst results any parent could receive, the parallels of other deaths he had witnessed. But that small itching feeling in the back of their minds kept telling them otherwise. They had acknowledged that feeling in the last month, but it was too faint to even be identified as a presence of another. Rose still had a notion and believed that the girl was still out there and, truthfully, he wished it was true. Even if it were true by some chance it only created an extra layer of guilt after they had to leave her behind.

Shutting his eyes for a moment the Doctor dropped his pencil and rubbed them beneath his glasses. So many things swirling in his mind he needed a bigger head—even though he already has a massive one according to Rose.

The TARDIS hummed comfortingly in his mind and he let out a deep breath. Shifting his focus from one vital issue to another he gently sought out his wife through their link. He sensed she was still sound asleep, feeling her usual calm and equable presence. He looked up from his pile of work to see her still laying beneath the duvet, all wrapped up in her typical dwelling hole. He smiled. At least she was relaxing. She needed it, especially now that she was carrying their child. She needed all the energy she could get, more than usual if her system was doing its best at adapting to the baby's needs.

He turned back to the printouts of the analyses from every scan he had run on her, studying every detail carefully, specifically the human genetics. Along with his wife's safety in carrying a hybrid fetus came the one factor that struck out the most to him, the main thing that made him tremble and lock up. The part human factor. Granted, Rose was a more genetically enhanced human since her body altered, making her capable of many a things a regular human couldn't withstand, but mixing her DNA with his own during conception? There was a guarantee that their child could live an extended lifetime like their own, but human lives were still so fragile and delicate. What if the human side couldn't handle the Time Lord side or vice versa? What if _Rose_ couldn't handle it?

The thought made his hearts constrict in his chest. He surmised that if Rose hadn't pulled in the Time Vortex thus leading to her system adjusting to the Huon particles then the possibility of conception was still slim to none, but if they had somehow managed to succeed like they presently have then the child would only have one life. The part human side guaranteed that it would only age slowly with one life, nothing extended. Now though this child had stronger human DNA. It wouldn't wither away like other humans, just like its mother. Thankfully. But that still didn't give him a reference of what to fully expect with this.

All he took from the volume in front of him was everything he had already said the night before in regards to the symptoms affecting both parents, more specifically the mother since they were carrying the child for an entire year, possibly longer in their case. His insides shook. An entire year this would take. Unbeknownst to them they had already knocked out one month of pregnancy but it was only the beginning. Rassilon only knows what could happen further down the gestation period. The Doctor figured some things out but they were only educated guesses based on the results from the various scans he performed on Rose. Once the wee one's brain grows they'd feel it. What if it was too much though?

The Doctor held his forehead as he returned his attention to the issue with the 456, tapping the end of his pencil against the pad where the myriad of possible species were written down. His mind, however, kept wandering back to his wife and their unborn child and what their future could mean.

Their life had never been anything simple but it was content prior to accepting Jack's phone call to check out the problem with the children across the planet and everything had taken a sharp turn now that a new life was beginning to grow. Not growing as exponentially as his concern for that matter. This child was theirs, more specifically it was _his._ If he were to lose this child just like he had lost nearly everyone else in his life, including his past children and grandchildren and more recently Jenny, it would add another painful name to his list that pained him.

No.

He shook his head vigorously. That wasn't a place he wanted to enter. Bad enough he's been in that dark area since discovering the impossible news. The ramifications of this pregnancy were still unknown and not laid out before him, but he wouldn't let his wife panic. He would reassure her that she and the baby were safe and if, Rassilon forbid, something severe proved to shake either of them up, he would do all he could to make sure nothing happened. He may feel his anxiety washing over him but he would do all he could to keep it to himself and not overwhelm his wife.

Rose made a soft sound that got the Doctor's attention. Pushing his chair back he stood up and walked over to his side of the bed and slowly slid in, resting on top of the duvet. He leaned against the headboard facing his wife, smiling softly. Her back was to him and she kept a firm grip on the covers. Gently reaching a hand over he slowly ran his fingers through her hair. She made another sound and turned around to face him.

"Doctor," she said, her voice groggy.

"Morning," he said softly, continuing to run his fingers through her hair.

"Is it morning already?"

"Relatively speaking." He leaned over to give her a peck on the lips. "How're you feeling?"

"'M fine," she replied.

"No pain or…anything?"

She shifted a bit to raise herself up more, mirroring his position against the headboard. "Nothing. Just feeling…"

His eyes widened. "What? What's wrong?"

Rose blinked a few times to get her vision to focus more. The heightened concern in his voice wasn't anything less than what she was expecting. Of course she still couldn't believe that she was carrying their child. Judging by his reaction the apprehension was lingering, not that she thought it would fade away within a bunch of hours. It hurt her a little knowing that he felt that way but she knew he didn't mean to. He couldn't.

She placed a hand on his wrist, giving him a gentle squeeze. "Doctor, calm down. I'm only hungry, that's all.

He let out a sigh and chuckled quietly. "Oh. Good. Nice to know you still have an appetite. The TARDIS alerted me a short while ago that Jack was already awake so I wouldn't be surprised if the others are gonna be up and about shortly."

Rose nodded, studying the Doctor's face with a frown. He looked exhausted. Knowing him as much as she did she could guess that he barely shut an eye last night for a rest. He may have stayed with her until she fell asleep but that never meant he did the same, the circles under his eyes proved that. His sleep cycle could easily be pushed since he never required much sleep, save for the aftermath of some bedtime privileges. Although he did say that he would be busy tackling not only the issue with the 456 but also by gathering every scan result on her and the baby.

"You didn't sleep," she said. It wasn't a question.

"I took a quick kip a few hours ago," he replied nonchalantly, brushing it off. "Like I said, too many things to research. Besides, I don't need much sleep. Not a human," he added with a playful wink.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Did you find out anything about these 456? Did you find a match?"

The Doctor puffed his cheeks before blowing out a deep breath, scratching his sideburn. "Well, no, still working on that bit. I was able to narrow it down a little to a little less than several thousand, but…yeah, I've got nothing at the moment."

"What about…the baby? Is it okay?"

"Oh, hold on."

He swiftly moved off the bed and towards his work desk in the corner of the room. His suit jacket was resting on the leather chair. As he dug around looking for his sonic Rose noted the messy pile of papers spread out across the desk along with a thick leather-bound book Though the light was dim she could make out the Gallifreyan scripture on the cover. She wasn't fluent in his native language but she could make out one specific word that stood out the most: reproduction.

A moment later he came back over to their bed and knelt beside her, running the sonic over her middle before reading the results. "All fine," he reported softly. "I've, uh, also printed out the scans from last night for some…references. Just to keep record of every one for the next…" He inhaled a sharp breath, his dimples showing. "Twelve months."

She released his wrist and placed her hand on the side of his face. "Doctor, we're gonna be okay. We'll manage." He sighed and shut his eyes. "Why don't you go get some breakfast ready while I shower? Don't wanna keep our guests waiting. Especially Jack."

"Rassilon, don't I know that," he muttered.

"He could easily find his way to our room, you know. Both him and the TARDIS are cheeky like that."

The Doctor's eyes nearly popped out of his skull, a look of horror on his face. "Ohhhh no. No no no no no no. Not on this ship. Not on my TARDIS. He may get away with that kind of rascalous behavior in the Hub and barge into other people's private rooms, but I'll be damned if he even attempts to make his way in here."

Rose giggled and patted his arm. "If you get on the Old Girl's bad side don't be surprised."

"Banana pancakes sound good?"

"Were there other options?"

He tilted his head. "Weeell…"

She raised herself up to give him a kiss to the cheek. "I'll see you out there."

"Right. We've got quite a day ahead of us."

Sliding off the bed Rose moved into the en suite just as the Doctor left their room. She shed out of her clothes and turned the shower knobs before stepping inside, letting the nice warm spray wash over her. Her muscles began to relax as much as her mind while she reached over and squeezed some lilac-scented soap from some planet and began to lather herself languidly. Her hands lingered over her belly for a few moments. She swore that she felt another faint tremor at the contact and she smiled a little.

This was still as much of a surprise to her as it was for the Doctor. Never in her life did she think she'd ever experience pregnancy, and this was something she could give her husband. She had to admit that she was a little afraid of what this could mean for them down the long road ahead of them, but they could get through this. They were in this together. How else was this baby created?

Another thought had come to her. Why didn't the TARDIS inform them about whether or not Jenny was out there somewhere or even the fact that Rose was expecting? Then again the Old Girl might not have been able to detect any signs for either situation. For Jenny's case it could have done with the fact that, if she were out there, she would be too far away. But for the baby? Surely She could have sensed anything mentally since this child was telepathic and already trying to send waves. Unless the process was more difficult and slow. Even the Doctor didn't know, even though his illness in the last month was clear-cut evidence along with her own symptoms.

She could only imagine how Donna was feeling right now, probably feeling smug about telling them both months ago that they would have a child at some point in their lives despite their different biologies. Jack was equally as excited about this, no surprise there. Through the Doctor's exhaustion she could still see the shock behind his eyes. There was no hiding it from her, she could easily read him like a book. She kept wondering what the next year would look like, what changes were going to take place around here. Would Donna still be travelling with them? They wouldn't be upset with her if she chose to leave at some point from now. She was their best friend no matter what.

One thing that would change at first would be their lifestyle. Just a bit. Maybe slow down a little with the running until it became closer to the one year mark. In the last month nothing shifted much inside of her. Perhaps the moment the baby was born it would adapt to their habits of travelling without a problem. Their life across the stars would never come to a stop, no matter what entered their life. After all, this baby was a part of them, so its destiny of becoming a being of Time was already written in the stars yet journeyed. The environment may be a little mad with people coming and going but they had friends to help and support them.

They could manage with this, all it would take is time.

Then her thoughts drifted onto what the Doctor would be like throughout the period. Sure there would be the bouts of pregnancy symptoms and hormones that they'd both have to deal with, dual since he felt a handful of his own. Well, in sickness and in health, right? She couldn't imagine him being anything less than the most proud and amazing father once their child was born. Seeing glimpses of how he was with his children back on Gallifrey and especially with his granddaughter Susan she knew that he wouldn't have trouble getting back into the groove. Even when Jenny came into their lives she was able to pick out those pieces of him, the lively specks of fatherhood. He may have said that back in the War when he lost everything and everyone that the parts of him being a father were buried in the ground like them but she didn't believe so.

The big question was what would this mean for their future? Obviously nothing would ever break their love for each other and tarnish everything they had. They may have agreed before that if they were able to have a child that they wouldn't subject it to the madness around them but she didn't want to lose this child. The chances of this child even coming into existence were less than one percent and by some miracle the universe blessed them with it. This child was part-human/part-Time Lord, a part of both her and her husband. He wouldn't be the last of his kind anymore. After the last time they encountered one of his kind it wasn't anything pleasant to deal with, and he made it clear that he'd rather be the last of an ancient race than to have that lunatic wandering around.

But now they were having a child together, something as a result of their love, that was a part of both of them.

He may be feeling hurt with the painful reminder of everything he had lost back then but he was gaining something more. He could become a father again. She would be the one to grant him that and it could seal the wounds she couldn't close on her own. She could see that beneath the worry was joy. She smiled at the mental images of what she would expect out of her husband throughout the pregnancy—his sheer enthusiasm of the experience by monitoring every precious minute of it, just spending as much time as he could with the life growing inside of her by reading theories about Einstein and Eddington and why he disagreed with most of the latter's then rambling on about his banana grove abundant with sections of the fruit among other things. He would show unconditional love for their child.

His endless comfort would always be there down the road, that much she was certain about. He may be struggling with his anxiety at the moment with the unexpected shock but she knew that further on through the next year or so he would ease up. He had done it for her when he confessed his feelings for her, then he could overcome his fears and hold this child close to his hearts.

Finishing up her shower Rose reached for a towel and dried herself off before stepping out of the en suite to search through the wardrobe for something comfortable to wear. She chose a simple jumper and loose pair of jeans to go with her trainers. Nothing fancy. The Doctor may have said that it would take a while for her to even show signs of a baby bump, but for the next twelve months she figured that she wouldn't wear anything too tight. She wandered over at the Doctor's desk and looked over the printouts, brushing her hands over them briefly before entering the corridors.

"There she is!" sang Jack as he came up to her from behind, walking in-step with her.

"Of course you'd be awake now," she joked.

"Oh, I took a few naps here and there," he said nonchalantly. "Some longer than others."

"Lemme guess, you were with Ianto?"

A slow grin appeared on his face. "He really likes my coat."

Rose laughed and elbowed his side. "The Doctor's gonna love that you broke his law of shagging on the TARDIS."

"Hey, he's broken it plenty more than me," he said slyly, making her blush. "How you feeling, Rosie? Still can't believe you've got a Time Tot on the way, huh?"

"Bit of an understatement," she responded. "It feels so…"

"Amazing? Scary? Just so many things that switch from one to another, right?"

Rose snorted. "Pretty much. We never thought this would happen to us, Jack. Not only didn't we plan this but we just weren't expecting this. We weren't really meant to conceive."

"Not even with your changes?" he asked with a frown.

She shook her head. "'S just all so sudden."

"It's good to see you finally moving around after the two of you ended up frozen last night after hearing the news. How's he taking it?"

"Okay, I s'pose. He ran some scans on me last night and kept the results on record 'cause he doesn't know what to expect with a part-human/part-Time Lord pregnancy. He's just…you know how he is."

Jack stopped for a moment, an incredulous look on his face. "He's actually brooding over _this_?"

"He's just concerned about me and what'll happen to us in the future."

"Why? Are there certain complications?"

Rose nodded. "He doesn't know the full extent to them, though. That's what's getting to him the most."

Jack sighed. "Of course it is. You're always his number one priority, Rose. Always have been even back then. He does all he can to make sure you're safe, he's so crazy about you. Now you're carrying some luggage so he's going extra protective on you. Nervous father, am I right?"

"You'd now about it, I guess."

"Actually, I do. Mind you, nothing close to hybridization, but still a bit domestic."

Rose's brows shot up. She expected that Jack had to have had a family at one point. After all, like the Doctor, he's been around for a long time and it was bound to happen some time in the past.

"He'll be fine, Rose," Jack said gently. "There's gonna be a mini you and him coming in this world." He threw a crooked grin. "The little one's gonna be gorgeous with those genes."

She laughed and lightly pushed him as they came to the galley. The Doctor was already preparing the pancakes by the stove while Donna sat at the table, a wide grin on her face when they entered.

"What, no breakfast in bed?" Jack asked jokingly as he moved over to the cabinet and grabbed plates.

"Don't push it, Jack," the Doctor said with a side eye as he flipped the pancakes in the skillet.

"Guess you have to be blonde to get the full home experience," the immortal man muttered.

"Oi!" Rose cried from her seat across from Donna.

"He's not lying," the redhead put in. "But I'd rather not have any service. 'Least when it's not on my own terms, otherwise I'd take a tray at my door."

"Where's Ianto?" Jack asked.

"In the Hub," the Doctor answered as he raised the sonic up a setting on the stove. "I told him he can brew up some coffee here but he insisted that he use one he was more familiar with, apparently."

"Yeah, that's Yan. He's adamant about his coffee maker."

"Gwen and Rhys should be out shortly. The TARDIS alerted me that they've awakened and should be joining us."

"Must have spent all night arguing about me," Jack said. "I may have slipped that Gwen was expecting."

"It's a growing club," Donna said with a laugh before turning towards Rose, who offered a small smile. Donna leaned over. "Told you so, didn't I?" she whispered.

Rose frowned before realizing what the other woman was talking about. "You sure you don't have psychic abilities from bein' a super-temp?"

Donna chuckled. "Still though, I was right. I said that you and your other half would be able to have children one day. I knew it! What's it feel like 'mum'?"

Her eyes widened a bit at the term. "Bit of a shock still," she replied. "I really don't think it'll ease up any time soon."

"Not surprising. Took Tiffany from Clemens a whole five months to realize she was having twins. How far along are you?"

"Four weeks. Since…Jenny."

Donna's mouth hung open. "Oh, my God."

"And, from what the Doctor believes since he doesn't know what to expect with this, it's gonna take twelve months."

"What?" Donna cried, her voice still hushed but knowing how much the Doctor had sensitive hearing Rose figured he still heard every word. "Twelve months? A year?"

"Time Lords are more complicated, and being mixed with a human makes it more…complex."

"I feel bad. That's an awful lot of morning sickness."

"He actually experiences that," Rose told her. "You know his sickness for the last month? Turns out it was a symptom from the pregnancy he can feel due to our bond."

Donna's brows shot up and she let out a small laugh. "A man with morning sickness! Now that's a riot. No wonder why he was more whiny than I've ever seen him. I bet his hormones are acting up too, huh?"

Rose shrugged. "Dunno. 'M still the one who's gonna feel everything, he only has a fraction of the symptoms."

"Tell you one thing, he deserves it. Men always complain about the slightest issue like not knowing where to blow their nose, and it's only perfect to have him suffering while you carry your bun in the oven."

Rose chuckled a little. She admitted that she felt a little sorry for having her husband deal with morning sickness but they were in this together, were sharing this experience. It was only appropriate to have him feel a sliver of what she would be going through in the next twelve months. She looked over at the Doctor, who continued to work on the pancakes with Jack's help. Soon Ianto entered with a large pot of coffee and placed it on the counter where mugs were set up. Gwen and Rhys stumbled in the galley moments later just in time for breakfast. Everyone chowed down on the banana pancakes, alternating in between sips of coffee. Conversations were relatively quiet, the meal going without much talk at all until Ianto spoke up.

"I've checked for any signs of the 456 or of the children," the Welsh man said.

"Anything?" Jack asked.

"Nothing. Empty skies and normal children."

"Could be settled for the moment, but they're coming," the Doctor said, picking around the remainder of his pancakes. "They're coming today, not knowing the exact time but we need to be ready."

"Right, where do we start?"

"Probably good to run a check on Clement McDonald," Gwen suggested. "See if there's any change with him."

"Good idea," Rose said. "If he's connected to these children then we have to keep a close eye on him."

"What are these things?" Rhys asked. "These…123 or wherever they're called."

"456," Jack corrected.

"The only way for me to know what we're up against is if we have someone on the inside give us the information," the Doctor said. "Someone willing to get some leads to what the paranoid government is looking to kill its protectors to keep them from speaking. Maybe like a recording of some kind."

"Like Alistair?" Rose asked.

"Hopefully. By the time he gets here though," he muttered. "It would have been much easier if I had asked him for the coordinates. Better yet, trace the call to his exact location." He smacked his forehead. "Bollocks!"

"Calm down, love," she said, rubbing his arm. "He'll be here, he promised. He can't stay away from this life, you know he comes back at the drop of a hat."

"We need to get inside Whitehall," Gwen said. "We've still got the PA from Frobisher's office. If we can't get the Brigadier yet then we've still got Lois. Maybe with some convincing she could help us by going undercover."

"How exactly?" the Doctor asked. "She'd need a standard recording system, one highly inconspicuous."

"All covered." Gwen stood from her seat and motioned for everyone to follow her. They exited the TARDIS and stood in the lounge area of the Hub while she opened a drawer by the computer station, pulling out a small white case. "Eye-5 software. These aren't just contact lenses—these are Torchwood contact lenses."

The Doctor took the case and examined them. "Eye-5 software?"

"The software is hooked into our network," Ianto explained. "The lenses may look and function like normal contacts but they could transmit information wirelessly back to a computer network and record whatever the wearer is seeing."

"Sounds handy," Rose commented. "They can be used for a lot of things."

"You have no idea," Jack said with a sly smile, earning himself an eye roll from the Doctor.

"What about audio?" he asked. "Having a good vision of what we're dealing with is covered but hearing would be better to have as well."

"They may not be able to transmit sound but there's a lip-reading software to go along with it," Ianto replied.

"It works at its best when the person is facing the camera directly for better sound," Jack added. "We've used it with Martha once. There's a slight delay on our end but it does work."

"Blimey, it's all _Men in Black_ ," Donna remarked.

The Doctor pursed his lips and nodded. "That's settled. Alistair may be arriving in London shortly, and knowing UNIT the way I do, that lot is already running around the office. He could move around and come upon anything important behind the closets so to speak. But until he arrives, which is incredibly late and more than twelve hours like he estimated, I think it's best that you pay Lois Habiba another visit, Gwen."

"We can run a check on Clement McDonald in the meantime and see if there's been any changes with him," Ianto put in.

"Got it," the Welsh woman nodded. "It's early. She might not be at work yet to answer the phone."

"Oh, that's not a problem," the Doctor said, waving a hand. "She'll be easy to track down. By chance you could bump into her before she swipes in."

"How?"

His smile was smug. "Well, Gwen Cooper, I happen to be an expert in many a things."

In a flash the Doctor darted back inside the TARDIS faster than Rose could finish her eye roll. The others stood in the doorway of the ship and watched as he moved around the console in a blur of blue, fiddling with random controls. He took out his stethoscope and pressed the diaphragm against the time rotor and then to the monitor. He proceeded by typing quickly on the keyboard, which was followed by a ding.

"There we go!" he exclaimed. "Found her!"

Ianto blinked. "How'd you manage that? We don't even have her personal number to trace her location."

"Thing is, Ianto Jones, I'm an expert with phones," the Doctor said with a smile, placing a hand on the time rotor. "And the Old Girl is always helpful, bless Her."

"You just followed her wavelength from the call last night?" Jack asked.

"Yep! Default number in the system connected to the office that doesn't label her own, but maintaining certain numbers from a data base is a speciality."

"You hacked into the computer and found her personal number?" Rose asked.

"Is that even legal?" Donna said incredulously.

He looked taken aback. "What? It's not hacking! Well, I guess it could be considered hacking to you, but I like to call it…" He closed an eye. "Pragmatic researching."

"Nice one, Sherlock."

"Lois has risked her job for us once though," Gwen said. "She might be hesitant to do it for us again."

"Then she'll need some more convincing," Rose said as she turned the monitor around for Gwen to peek at the number.

Using the TARDIS phone the Welsh woman punched in the number while Rose activated the speaker through the TARDIS filters for everyone to hear. The line clicked.

 ** _"Hello?"_** Lois answered.

"Hello Lois," Gwen said.

Lois sounded like she gasped quietly, her voice hushed and harsh. **_"How did you get this number? This is a personal number!"_**

"I know someone who's good with phones."

 _ **"Oh, my God—"**_

"Don't hang up! Don't hang up, please!"

 ** _"I've already helped you once,"_ ** Lois said. _ **"I've told you everything I know. If anybody finds out what I'm doing…it's treason. It's literally treason. Offenses like this can be tried without a jury. They could do anything to me."**_

Gwen sighed. "I know," she said sympathetically. "Please, we need just five minutes with you, that's all. Just five minutes."

 ** _"This is—"_**

"We know, this is dangerous for you. We're all in danger, but we need you right now. The government is trying to wipe us out and we need someone we can trust, someone who understands what we do and how we can help. Please, Lois, we need to meet up. Just five minutes, that's all I want."

There was a tense pause. **_"I'll be at that chippy,"_ ** the PA finally responded.

"Thank you so much, we owe you big time," Gwen said before hanging up.

"Inside agent," Rhys commented. "Nice."

"We better hurry up. Ianto, it's all programmed into the laptop, right?"

"All set," he said.

"Good."

Gwen ran out and snatched the laptop while Rose followed her and picked up the white case containing the contacts from the desk, but was stopped when the Doctor gently grabbed her arm.

"Wait, where're you going?" he asked.

Rose looked at him as if he dribbled on his shirt. "Going with Gwen," she said slowly, confused. "Lois met both of us at the chippy yesterday and if she's second-guessing about helping us I can convince her more."

"You don't have to go, love, Gwen can handle this herself."

"Well, I'm going with her, Doctor. 'S not like we'll be too long."

"No, but I mean…" He licked his lips and lowered his voice. "You're pregnant."

Rose arched a brow. "Yeah, and?" she drawled.

He snorted. "'And?' Rose, you're going outside where the government could have spies lingering about. I won't let you endanger yourself without me there by your side, not with you in your condition."

"Oh, really?" she challenged, tugging her arm away to cross them over her chest. "News flash, Doctor, I ain't _crippled_ and I'm not sickly. Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I can't help myself while I go outside."

"I wasn't saying that—"

"What is it, then?" she cut in. "I already told you that I'm fine. You don't see Rhys making a fit about Gwen."

"That's got nothing to do with it," the Doctor responded, a bit too tersely. "We're not talking about them, we're talking about _you._ You're carrying a cross-species child, Rose— _our_ child. And right now we're in the middle of a battle between some race and a paranoid government out to execute—"

"Don't you dare," she warned, poking a finger hard on his chest. "I made it clear to you last night that I'm _not_ just gonna stand off to the side and watch just because I'm _pregnant._ And you're _definitely_ not gonna try to lock me up in the TARDIS just 'cause you're worried about me."

"Rose—"

"No, I don't wanna hear it. I'm going and that's that. Just stay here and try to call Alistair or track something. I'm fine."

The Doctor opened his mouth to protest further but he made and irritated noise and ran a hand through his hair, his lips pressed together to reveal his dimples. Rose stared hard at him. He finally nodded, avoiding eye contact. She turned on her heel and caught up with Gwen at the main entrance.

Rose couldn't believe that the Doctor would think in such a way but then again it wasn't too much of a surprise. But she wasn't feeble just because she was carrying their child, and she sure as hell wasn't just going to stand around like an idiot rather than do something to give them a lead in this 456 issue. She could hold herself up just fine. A nervous expecting father was one thing but the Doctor took it to another level. If this was a sliver of what to expect in the coming year she was certain she would smack the sense into him the entire time.

Gwen's car was parked about a foot away from the Hub's entrance and the ladies wasted no time in jumping in and heading off to the chippy where Lois was located. Neither of them spoke a word, the silence somewhat comfortable. Rose sat with her arms crossed over her chest and her attention directed out the window.

Gwen debated whether or not she should talk to the blonde about what she and her husband just spat, but she was unsure of where to start. In a way she understood where both of them were coming from and saw both of their sides as being right. Well, maybe not fully. She herself had a row with her own better half the night before.

Rhys had been upset with her not only because he was the last person to know about the baby—especially since Jack was one of the first to find out—but also because of her life at Torchwood. Once she brought him back to a room to rest his excitement about their future child was more than noticeable, probably more than her own she had to admit, but the thought of her running around fighting aliens, even more so now with the government on their tails and looking to execute them all, really struck him for the amount of danger she was putting them in. He expounded the reasons for him to stay with her through this situation to make sure they weren't harmed.

That wasn't what was bothering her though. She had just met the Doctor and Rose and their fellow companion the day before and she already felt an immediate sense of trust for them. Working with them for only one day was highly energetic, especially with the nearly unstoppable gob that the alien had every time he talked. No, the whole safety issue wasn't annoying her at the moment. Sure, they weren't roaming around freely with your any worries. The government could have other spies running around ready to attempt another attack, all eyes were on them. The main thing that was concerning her was this child and if she should even have it.

So many things were happening at once and it was becoming a whirlwind, but the sooner they solve this 456 deal the better and they could all resume their lives with some big decisions to make.

"Men, huh?" Gwen started. "Always the difficult ones."

"Mine is more than just 'difficult'," Rose snorted. "He's got the thickest head than any other person."

"Then maybe him and mine can have a little contest to see who's worst. It's a tight call."

The blonde shook her head. "Dunno about that. At least yours doesn't think you're useless and can't do anything."

"Oh, c'mon, he doesn't think that."

Rose pressed her lips together. "I know he doesn't."

Gwen studied her briefly before returning her eyes to the road in front of them. "He's just shocked about it," she said gently. "If my Rhys is still surprised by our news then your Doctor is still trying to process it all."

"I know that already. 'M still trying to wrap my head around this myself. It's just…none of this was planned."

"Well, I'm with you there with mine."

"Not only that, but this wasn't even meant to happen."

Gwen frowned. "Irregularities?"

Rose nodded. "In a way. Thing is I'm mostly human, more advanced than an average one and can sustain things others can't. Because my system changed it allowed me to be able to handle them and even live as long as the Doctor. But that still meant that we couldn't have certain things…a baby being one of them."

"Oh, I see."

"There's never been a human/Time Lord before because they were unable to conceive."

Gwen looked back over at the blonde who was chewing on her thumbnail. "So this is a miracle baby."

"That's what I said," Rose replied softly. "He knows it as well. Only…" she sighed. "The Doctor's the kind of man who feels like he doesn't deserve anything amazing that the universe gives him. Even me. He always has this notion that once something good comes into his life something bad will follow."

"Pretty pessimistic," Gwen remarked. "Judging by the looks of you two I don't see anything bad happening between ya. I know we just met yesterday, but I can't ever see anything tearing you apart."

A small smile appeared on the blonde's face. "One time…something did. Something terrible."

"Oh…I'm so sorry, I didn't…"

"No no, it's fine," Rose said quickly. "It doesn't matter now. We came back to each other after…being separated for a long time and recovered. But it's part of what I'm telling you about him. It took him a couple years to finally confess his love for me because he feared what would happen to me if we be closer than just friends. To this day he doesn't regret ever meeting me or loving me or marrying me by the way of his people. He made a promise and swore on it that he would love me 'til the end of time itself." She paused for a brief second. "Now we're having a baby and I can see he's afraid. Not of parenthood 'cause he was once a father on his home planet long before he met me." She smiled a bit again, her eyes drawn to the silver bracelet dangling from her wrist. "I know he's happy deep down. Behind all the fears of what this could mean for the future I can see his joy. It's just…"

"He's afraid you'll lose it," Gwen finished softly.

Rose nodded slowly, inhaling a deep breath. "He lost his family so long ago. They're all gone. He said that the part of being a father had died with them but I know it's still in there. I even seen it come out a little last month. I _know_ he would make a wonderful dad, he's just…always afraid."

It was understandable. Having a child was a big responsibility. Gwen had explained that to Rhys last night. He clearly wanted to keep it but given the life that she had it would be tough trying to raise a child in such an environment. It didn't change his mind though, he made it clear that he would stick by her side at all times but she didn't know if she truly wanted it or not. The shock alone was still hitting her hard, but nowhere near as much as the Doctor and Rose's. She remembered the looks on their faces last night, reflecting just how sudden that discovery was. Their situation was more delicate than her own and more impossible and complicated.

"We talked about this years ago," Rose spoke. "About the possibility of us starting a family one day. It was something I never saw myself having, even before I met the Doctor. He was more than enough for me to love and have in my life. But…I always wanted to be able to give him everything."

"Even this?"

The blonde nodded, her eyes falling on her stomach.

"I don't understand something though," Gwen spoke up. "Neither of you knew about it sooner. I mean, he was able to detect I was pregnant by his nose. He couldn't smell it on _you_?"

"I think it's 'cause I'm not an average human," Rose answered with a shrug. "'S probably delayed for me and could take a while for it to be noticeable to anyone. Though the symptoms were pretty obvious," she finished, mumbling.

Gwen offered the blonde a sympathetic look and reached over to pat her shoulder. "He just needs some time to think," she said gently. "He loves you, you know that. It's not hard to miss and I'm not just saying that. I just met you lot for the first time yesterday and I can already tell you've been together for a long time. He may be afraid at the moment but you said it yourself: you saw his joy. This is your child. You know that this won't come between you two, not with all that history you've got. He's been with you through a lot I'd take it, so he'll be there for this."

"I know he will. 'S just…his anxiety always pushes him a step back."

"He'll ease up, you just have to wait for him to," Gwen said softly.

Rose let out another sigh. "You really take after your relative Gwyneth," she said. "You're both kind."

"Try to be," Gwen replied with a smile and a shrug. "We're both expecting at the same time, so we gotta give advice to each other, eh?"

Rose chuckled. "You won't have to wait as long as me though."

"How come?"

"I may be a week further along than you but this isn't a normal pregnancy. From what the Doctor believes he says that the experience would take at least twelve months."

Gwen's eyes widened. "You _serious_? A whole bleedin' _year_?"

"That's what he guessed."

"Oh, my God. I have a feeling you'd last longer through that than mine."

They both laughed as they continued down the roads.

* * *

 **Oh, Doctor.**


	50. Candor and Collateral Damage

**A/N: One talk down, another to go.** **As per usual, many thanks to you awesome viewers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 48: Candor and Collateral Damage**_

The Doctor remained in his spot for a moment and scrubbed a hand down his face, letting out a deep sigh. He hadn't meant to sound so curt in telling his wife to be careful while she went outside, but her safety was always his number one concern, and now that she was carrying their child it increased twice as much. He didn't want to make her believe that she was useless just because she was pregnant. Never did he ever think she would be useless, not his wife. He turned around to see the rest of the group standing in the lounge area, staring at him.

"There's no sense in arguing with the wives, mate," Rhys said. "They always win in the end."

The Doctor inhaled a shaky breath and before anyone could say another word to him the Old Girl's phone began to ring. He moved past them and entered the ship, moving around the console to pick up the phone. "Alistair?" he asked. "Is that you?"

 _ **"Speaking,"**_ the Brigadier spoke through from the other end. _**"Have you managed to identify the planet of origin of the 456, Doctor?"**_

"Not yet. Narrowing it down from several thousand possible species to a little less than several thousand is not a simple matter, but I'm working on it."

 _ **"Has Captain Jack said anything about 1965?"**_

"He has." The Doctor looked at the man in question from the side of his eye for a moment. "It helped us a little but not enough to give us a lead. How much longer will you be? Are you closer to London?"

 _ **"Should be there in a few hours,"**_ Alistair replied. _**"An estimate of about two or three."**_

The Doctor rubbed his eyes. "Okay. Call me when you touch ground, Alistair."

 _ **"I received a message from one of the colonels of UNIT,"**_ the Brigadier informed. _ **"They're saying that John Frobisher, the Secretary of the Home Office, is planning to talk with the 456 once they arrive. He's been seen with one of the old members of the technology division of UNIT."**_

"Who is it?"

 _ **"Dekker."**_

"Doesn't sound familiar. Have I ever met him?"

 _ **"**_ _ **Chances are you only met him for a few seconds. You wouldn't remember him if you saw him in person. But he was also present for the first encounter back in 1965."**_

The Doctor inwardly growled. "Another one in on the paranoia. Brilliant."

 _ **"We'll have to be on the lookout for him. He's a weasel."**_

"I gathered. He's not the only one to keep a close eye on. Turns out this John Frobisher bloke is becoming more than just a secretary to the government. He set out an execution to take out Torchwood just to keep them from talking.

 _ **"My God,"**_ Alistair breathed out.

"Them and other officers involved in the 456 case," the Doctor ground out, his jaw set tight as he gripped onto the edge of the console. "Old friend, be careful when you land. You may be a part of UNIT and one of the most experienced in the field but you could still have a target on your back."

 _ **"Don't mind me, Doctor. I may be more expendable than you but this comes with the job."**_

The Doctor bowed his head and ran a hand through his hair. So many things happening all at once with everyone around him he had a feeling he'd have no more hair by the end of the night. "Just get here as soon as you can," he said. "Even if you have to come to Cardiff to stop at the Torchwood base to meet up, it doesn't matter. We've got a PA from the Home Office helping us out and getting us information from the inside."

 _ **"Are they trustworthy?"**_

"'Til now she's told us that there's something built in the Thames House, and it's gotta be for when the 456 finally arrive—" He looked at his non-existent watch. "—which could be at any given moment. We're trying to convince her to help us out a little more to get a lead in this."

 _ **"Sounds like a good plan,"**_ Alistair said. _ **"I must be going now but I'll be sure to phone you when I land. Good luck."**_

"Same to you."

The Doctor hung up and placed the phone back in its place. Originally he wanted to have the Brigadier come in to be his inside eyes, but now he could just be their back-up and lead them inside when they have enough information to bring the government down and confront this Frobisher and Dekker. What about the Prime Minister? He was the head official in charge, surely he could be the one who started all this paranoia. Corruption and abuse of power. Rassilon only knows what the officials are going to do once these 456 return. Negotiating was obviously one factor, but what other extremes did they have in mind? He rubbed his forehead, another headache beginning to split through him. So many things were piling up onto his plate and it was making him too jittery with his nerves.

He tried to tap into his wife's mind and was met with nothing but a brief two second report. Rose was mad at him. He expected that given the hard glares she had thrown his way. Being protective of her to make sure she was in no harm was always his number one concern, but with her being pregnant he was on an even higher alert. He would never want to have her locked away in the TARDIS for roughly eleven more months, that was too extreme and would make her seem like a prisoner of her own home. All he wanted was for her to be his side so he could know what's going on around them that wouldn't be harmful to either her or the baby.

"Everything okay?" Ianto asked.

Realizing that he still had an audience in the doorway of the TARDIS the Doctor turned around to face them. "Fine," he said quickly. "Alistair is running a bit late, but that's not a problem. He's still going to be a big help for us once he comes in. Just keep an eye out for any suspicious signs."

"I'll run a check on Clement McDonald and see if he's had any changes in the last fifteen hours."

"Good man. I'll stay here and do some more research. I've cut out a few more possible species, it wouldn't hurt to try process of elimination again."

The Welsh man nodded before exiting the TARDIS while the Doctor moved around the console to turn the monitor towards him and began typing on the keyboard. He barely finished the lengthy name he started before his vision blurred a bit then refocused. He noted how both Jack and Donna were staring at him. He let it slide for another moment but they remained in their spots.

"Do you two need something?" he asked irritably. "'Cause that's a bit distracting."

"We'd think it was best that we stay with you," Jack said, crossing his arms.

"I can handle this myself, really, it's no problem at all."

"We're not talking about the aliens," Donna replied, shutting the TARDIS doors.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. He wanted to ask the Old Girl if She knew anything about this but he had a feeling She would deny it.

"I've seen plenty of cases of 'overprotective dads,'" Donna continued, "but you're taking it to a whole new level, alien boy."

He should've known this was coming. He sighed through his nose. "I'm only concerned for her safety," he told them. "My wife's well-being is _always_ my number one priority."

"True, but to go to the extremes of wanting to keep her in the TARDIS instead of stepping a foot outside?" Jack said, arching an eyebrow.

"I never said anything about keeping her in the TARDIS!" he protested.

Donna scoffed. "You didn't have to, you made it clear that you didn't want her out of your sight. I mean, you two are always glued to each other, but God forbid you're not bumping shoulders for an hour or so."

"Listen, this doesn't concern either of you—"

"This is about you and Rose," Jack cut in firmly. "You both are my best friends, people I love dearly. To say this doesn't concern me is like saying I don't deserve to wear my coat. And I _do_."

"And I'm _living_ here," Donna put in with the same tone. "I've been with you two for however many months it's been since I ran into you again. We're both your friends so of course this bloody concerns us."

"I expect nothing less out of you, Doc, but something's bothering you. I know that look, I've seen it before. You better not be headed off in the negative direction with you and Rose and this baby."

"It's not that," the Doctor said thickly, his insides shaking a bit.

"Then what's the problem?" Donna asked, stepping up to the console. "Does this have to do with your family?"

The Doctor sighed and pushed himself upright, one of his hands buried in his deep trouser pocket, avoiding eye contact. He was being cornered in his own ship and, knowing his beloved ship, She wouldn't allow him to back away from this inevitable confrontation. There wouldn't be any sense in trying to argue any further or to just say that he was fine and dandy. His insides felt like he was thrown in an oversized blender, splashing all over the place.

On one hand he was exuberant with the news of his wife expecting a child, something he thought he could never give her notwithstanding their mutual agreements to not bring life into their chaotic world should the chance come to them which led right into the other hand where he was trepidatious, fearful for what this could mean for them in the future since their biologies were incompatible and this could become a potential danger not only to Rose but to the child as well. It was so conflicting he just wanted to rip his hair out.

So many thoughts were flying around his massive mind that he couldn't pick one out singlehandedly to start with. The uncomfortable atmosphere that his friends were giving him made him feel a little claustrophobic, but he knew they wouldn't leave him until he talked. Trying to catch his breath, he tried by declaring the one true statement that was nagging at him the most, the one carrying the most weight on his hearts.

"I don't want to lose it," he finally said, his voice quiet and his eyes still lowered to the console. "I…I would never want to feel the pain of losing another child. I just…I don't want to ever feel that kind of pain again."

Jack and Donna exchanged a look. The immortal man knew what the Time Lord was dealing with. They both have been around for a while and lived through centuries, stained with every mark of Time that had taken a toll on them. He understood what it was like to lose family, flesh and blood, just walking across the universe with the heavy burdens that were embedded on the soul, not seen from an outsider's eyes.

"You won't have to," Donna said gently. "You two are having a baby, this is your child."

"That's the point—it's _my_ child," the Doctor said thickly. "Something that's a part of me, something I never thought I would ever have again, something that I can love and care about." He paused, visibly swallowing hard. "Something that could be taken away from me."

"Don't say that. The universe gave you this child, something you said could never have—even though I already told you lot to never say never with that, and I was right, wasn't I? Told you so. Rose said she was four weeks along, yeah?"

"Right after Messaline," he replied with a nod. "That's when it happened."

"Even better!" Her voice softened. "Don't you see? This is your chance to have something again, just like you had with…Jenny."

He inhaled a sharp breath at the young girl's name, his hearts tightening.

"Who's Jenny?" Jack asked curiously.

"She was their daughter," Donna answered.

The immortal man's jaw dropped to the floor. "Wait, _what_?"

"She was a generated anomaly that was the combination of our DNA extracts and assembled into a progenation machine," the Doctor explained. "She came out fully grown, like a soldier. Set with the mindset and everything. But she had so much potential, and she realized there was always a choice when it came to saving lives. She was so much like Rose." His face became hard, the painful images of the young girl's fate flashing before his eyes. "And she was taken away from us. Her life ended just as sudden as when it began. That's the thing about my life—madness and death. They go together hand-in-hand like love and happiness, following me wherever I go to rip those I care about away from me."

"Not everyone," Jack said gently, coming around the console to stand beside him. "You've got Rose, and now you've got a Time baby on the way." A slow grin appeared on his face. "That's _incredible_ from where I stand, don't you think? A little mini-Doctor or Rose running around, that's a great picture in my books."

A warm awe-inspiring feeling spread inside of the Doctor at the sound of that. "Yeah," he breathed out, moving back to plop down on the jump seat. "It's… _amazing_."

Donna studied the Doctor, noting the distant look in his eyes. She may not have been his wife but she was his friend, and she's been travelling with the couple for a while now. She could read people easily even though the Time Lord was a little more difficult. He wasn't an open book to anyone save for Rose, but Donna can decipher when the ancient look crossed over the alien's face, looking back on everything he lost in the past. It was the same look he had after leaving Jenny behind on that planet. Just like then she saw the shadows under his eyes, except this time there was a glimmer of something else behind all of that.

She moved to stand next to him. "Remember what you told me after you lost Jenny?" she said gently. He kept his faraway gaze on the TARDIS doors, his hands clasped in his lap. "You said that you thought you didn't have anything to lose because you thought you lost that part of you when you lost your family. That you had no reason to care about that girl. But then Rose helped you see that she was a part of you—a part of _both_ of you. You never believed that you would have a child ever again, that you never had a chance. And you had Jenny. She was living proof that you wanted to be a father again."

"But…then I lost her," he mumbled, his voice strained. "No sooner after I acknowledged her and-and cared for her…she was ripped away from both of us out of malice. All because she was a part of me and Rose." A muscle worked in his jaw. "Especially _me_ ," he whispered, ducking his head. "I've lost my family before, lost everything that mattered to me. Then I met Rose and…for once the universe was kind enough to grant me an angel." Something flashed before his eyes, his tone pained. "For months I had lost her. I saw her _die_ right in _front_ of me. And it was the same way that Jenny had died, it was…" He sucked in a breath. "It was just too much to bear."

"But then Rose came back," Jack said softly, taking a seat beside the Doctor on the captain's chair, mirroring his posture. "You saved her. It may have been worse than hell itself with what you guys went through but you fought past those dark days. You recovered. It's only a nightmare now, one that doesn't exist anymore. Because you fixed everything, Doc. You did everything in your power and fought to get Rose back and you won. I know there's always losses…lots of personal ones." He paused. "I know what it's like to let go of those you care about, your own flesh and blood. To lose the people that you care about in more ways than one. Sometimes we can't control what Time does to us in those cases. You would know that better than me, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't cherish all the gifts that it gives you along the way."

The Doctor finally tore his eyes away from the TARDIS doors and turned to face the immortal man. "I _want_ to," he replied sincerely. "Rassilon, do I want to. It's just…I don't know what to fully expect with this pregnancy."

"Lots of men don't," Donna put in. "All the nappies and crying are just some of the smaller steps and the most common things to take away from it, but it's always more than that."

"No, Donna, it's got nothing to do with those," the Doctor said, shaking his head. "There's a reason _why_ this is impossible."

"Yes, I know. You said you and Rose were never meant to have children, even despite her alien changes."

"That's exactly the point. There's never _been_ a human/Time Lord pregnancy in existence. It's unheard of, not even recorded in ancient Gallifreyan texts." He snorted, full of mirth. "Not that mating with humans was even thought of since it was taboo. But means of reproduction were never meant to be this way, at least not out of love. Back home, relationships were arranged for political purposes based on DNA compatibilities to pass on the genetics for the future of Gallifrey. All Gallifreyans were sterile due to a curse casted upon the planet, leading every couple to resort to using the Looms. But natural birth, while uncommon as it was, still wasn't unheard of. Some couples were lucky enough to conceive but it was rare."

"What about you?" Jack asked.

"What _about_ me?"

"Were _you_ one of the lucky tots to be born naturally?"

A tiny smirk appeared on the Doctor's face. "I was."

Jack chuckled. "Should've known. You're one in a million, Doc. Going against all the odds even when you were a little Time Tot."

"But, unlike those types of natural births on Gallifrey, humans and Time Lords were never meant to conceive. Not because the relationships were looked at with disdain, but on account of the possibility being less than a one percent chance of even happening. Regular humans and advanced ones like Rose alike."

"But Rose is strong," Jack said. "I've known you two for a long time, saw all the best sides of you—which I could go into detail later about if you'd like or not," he added lightly, earning a pointed look from the Time Lord. "My point is there's nothing that woman can't handle. She stood up against Daleks and managed to make them cower in fear. She stood up against a…certain someone and showed no fear to him. Hell, she's dealt with two versions of _you_ with no problem at all. _That_ in itself shows strength."

Donna scoffed. "Worthy of a medal, wouldn't you say?"

The Doctor snorted.

"And what about your telepathic bond?" Jack continued. "You never thought that a human could withstand that, but Rose was your exception—the only one. Because she's strong, both in her mind and in her heart."

"I know she is," the Doctor replied. "She's _always_ strong."

"And how is _she_ dealing with this whole thing?" Donna asked. "She's perfectly fine, isn't she? Obviously she's still a bit shocked as much as you, or at least you're a bit more wired than she is, but regardless Rose doesn't seem afraid at all."

His voice was low. "Yeah. To this day I still don't know how she does it, being so strong the way she is. It's all natural for her. No matter what we've been through she's always been strong." He paused for a second. "Even more than me on some occasions."

"She wants this just as much as you do," the redhead said. "When I talked to her earlier I could see it in her eyes. Just like I can see it in yours."

"Of _course_ I want it," he said genuinely, his voice soft. "It's just…I don't know what to _expect_ with this. If there's possible risks that she could deal with through the process, I…would never want to put her in such a position if it could be life-threatening to both of them, especially with our lifestyle."

Both of their systems were intricate, and a part-Gallifreyan child's was more complex than both his and his wife's combined. Well, this child was the combination of both of them, so it was more of a challenge for the little one to adjust to. He recalled what Rose had told him last night, about how carrying a cross-species child shouldn't be too much to handle since she's managed to sustain a powerful telepathic bond. She was strong, he's stressed that time and time again, but this was something that has never existed before. It wasn't even on record in any of the ancient collection of books from Gallifrey. If that wasn't enough to prove the impossibility of the occurrence then he didn't know what was.

Then again…marital bonds between humans weren't on record either.

Jack slung an arm around the Doctor's shoulders. "This is a miracle baby that you and Rose created, Doc. Don't forget that and don't let that slip through your fingers. Don't let the fear of losing something or someone close to you keep you from enjoying every moment you've got with it. Rose has embraced this life with you from the moment she saw you when you had big ears and wore leather. Adding a baby to the mix wouldn't change anything too much. Yeah, life is mad, there's no denying that, but this came to both of you because it was meant to happen. You fought through tooth and nail to admit your feelings to Rose, all those fears of what it could mean for your futures. You can do the same for this child."

The Doctor briefly closed his eyes and let his friends' words sink in, feeling his hearts swelling up. Everything they were telling him was true, reflections of thoughts lingering in the back of his mind when the fears and the darkness pushed their way forward and overtake him. Only now he was beginning to feel it fade away the more he dwelled on the precious possibility laid out before him and his wife. The warmness spread through him, chasing away the cold chill that clung onto his bones. Rose understood the reasons why he was apprehensive about the whole dilemma, and he couldn't run away from the painful reminders of why he was fearful to begin with.

Just imagining the whole experience down the road with his now pregnant wife was something he never dreamt of happening in any of his lifetimes, especially given the fact that he and Rose would never be able to have a child. It was something he could finally give her if she were a hundred percent sure she wanted it. It was a small ray of light to enter his life, the product of both his and Rose's love. He found himself thinking about the very night when the possibility became reality, the endless bouts of passion buzzing through every pore of their bodies and into each other. He inwardly trembled at the memory, recalling the events that led to those throes. Those moments where the black cloud looming overhead unleashed another storm to rain upon them, the main reason why his apprehension was trying to out-balance every shroud of joy he had since the discovery.

The last time he and Rose were given the chance of parenthood when Jenny had come into their lives they were hesitant to accept her as their own. Well, _he_ was, rather. She had taken less time in acknowledging the young girl's existence and place of belonging than him. The moment he looked at that girl's face his hearts tore in two, every wound being ripped open. It hurt deeply, more when they were trying to be sealed up again at the palliating hands of his wife that took an incredible amount of healing from the salutary recollections. The internal struggle was like a battle of tug-o-war then as it was now, each side pulling at him, trying to bring him to the right end of his fraying rope—the regretful negative antipathetic feelings of having another being he would care deeply for and welcome in his open arms to fall away from his grasp and turn into dust just like every other person that had entered his life.

That happened to Jenny, another layer of agony piling on top of his teetering stack. But then there was the other side, the pleasurable end, the one he would revel in—the one filled with buoyancy and axiomatic love and devotion he would have once he cradled the precious life in his hands. He could be wallowing in the envisaged sorrows of the possible pain of losing another child knowing how the universe treated him time and time again, but he could feel his weight lifting more and more. It felt like a sense of recognition, similar to everything he had experienced prior to taking a massive step with Rose in the early days of their relationship. He once fought hard against every reason of why he could never become too close to her, going against everything he stood for and believed in. She was the only exception when it came to those rules of futility, and he let himself open up fully to grant her access to his hearts in a way no one else ever had that he kicked himself for not surrendering sooner.

When he was with Rose he was at the most peace and felt the most alive. It was more than he could ever want in his life, more than enough, and he thanked every god he never believed in for giving him the greatest gift. She had taught his hearts a feeling he had thought he lost so long ago—to love. A love worthy of every deity to etch into stone and weave through time and space, writing it across the stars forever, a sense of love without any fears. That was something he kept close to him and even swore on with his own blood to devote himself to his wife.

If given the choice of never meeting any of the brilliant people that came into his life so that he wouldn't have to deal with the pain of losing them he decided a long time ago that he wouldn't take that choice. Everyone he met had an impact on his life and made him who he was today, which was literal for Rose's case since his tenth self was created just for her and her alone. Just like his family back home. While he missed them dearly and suffered with the deep-rooted agony of their deaths on his head, they weren't really gone. They were in his memory all the time. And now he had an opportunity to start another family with his beloved wife, to give her something she never thought she wanted even if it may have been something she never wanted when she was younger.

His wife's words echoed in his ears, making him flutter inside.

 _I don't need to have children to be happy 'cause I've got you. You're more than enough for me and I love you. If I wasn't able to have children with you then I wouldn't want any regardless. But the universe gave us this child. We only had a slim chance and this could be the only opportunity we've got. I know this wasn't thought of or planned but we're having a baby against all the odds. We created this child out of love, Doctor. I wish I could give you everything from home, even this. We can have this together._

An unequivocal wave of emotion swept over him and tugged at his hearts. Though he was still feeling a bit nervous considering this had come to light only one night ago he let any and all doubts and fears back to their cages in the back of his mind where they belonged. The shock was still there, and it always would be. Whatever this meant for their future he wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world, neither of them would.

Opening his eyes the Doctor let out a deep breath, noting how both Donna and Jack were staring at him with warm grins on their faces. He raised his attention to the ceiling when the TARDIS hummed in his mind, making him chuckle through his nose.

"You two," he said. "You're brilliant."

"More compliments from you," Jack replied, still grinning. "I should make a chain."

The Doctor rolled his eyes before rising to his feet. "Right then. I reckon we get to work now. Mind if I check your databases for possible species to match the 456's descriptions?"

"All yours," Jack said. "But does it really matter? You've searched through your own and haven't come up with anything."

"Well, that may be true, but since I've missed their first landing on Earth it wouldn't hurt to see what other species you've got saved through your computer systems. Plus I can e transfer some information from the TARDIS banks into yours, you know, in case you lot ever come across a certain race and have no record of them and we aren't available to take your call."

"As long as you don't end up deleting anything then fine by me."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Should I be concerned if I stumble across anything…indecent?"

"There's no need to worry," Jack said, waving it off before grinning cheekily. "You may be good with hacking, but even _you_ wouldn't get into certain classified files."

He grimaced. "Had no intentions of drifting of into that territory."

Jack elbowed his side. "No need for you to in the first place since you're an expert in the field."

"Don't get me started with those two and their shagging," Donna groaned.

The Doctor looked between both of them, feeling his ears turn hot before he headed down the ramp. He came to a stop when Jack called for him.

"Is it okay if I make a quick call?"

"Don't see why not," he replied with a shrug. "The Old Girl has an untraceable wavelength. Who're you trying to contact?"

"Just wanna check in with the Home Office and see if I can get through to Frobisher. Maybe try to call his bluff for something."

"I don't know about that, Jack. Knowing how secure he and the rest of the government is with their paranoia I doubt he'd reveal anything just yet until we disclose them all for what they've been covering up."

"Still wouldn't hurt to see if Johnny boy leaks a little something though, right?"

"It could put a bigger target on all of us."

"I don't really see it getting any bigger than it already is, to be honest. They already know that Torchwood is involved in this case, even more if that spy squealed to them after we left the hospital. It'll only be two minutes, that's all. I swear."

Tapping his finger on the door frame, the Doctor thought about it for a moment. Blowing the government's cover would be good for them but actually blowing their whole operation was the better option. But since the TARDIS was built to have an untraceable phone wavelength to avoid being picked up by the government then there wouldn't be too much of a problem with it.

"Alright, fine," he finally said. "Just two minutes, Jack. We need to be prepared for when the 456 land, which could be any minute now."

Jack nodded and moved around the console to grab the phone. The Doctor exited the TARDIS and Donna followed, leaving the door open barely a crack. All of this talk of family and how important it was to savor every moment with them really got to him. He wanted to deck that alien for not getting it through to his head that that child was a gift to him and Rose and that he should cherish it. But Jack knew how the Time Lord felt. He felt it with his own family, his own children. It was the reason why Alice asked him to stay away from her and Steven—his life was dangerous. He would call her again but first he wanted to see what Frobisher was up to.

Luckily for Jack he had been able to hack into the Frobisher family's accounts with the Doctor's technology and nabbed the secretary's personal number. Even if there would be no name at the top he'd still have to pick it up. He let the other end ring, waiting for the man to answer. When the other man would accept the call Jack was smart to keep any mention of the Doctor a secret.

 _ **"Hello?"**_ Frobisher asked, sounding uncertain. _**"Whoever this is I'm a bit busy at the moment."**_

"Sure, as you would be," Jack said casually. "Trying to send out executions to me and my team must be tough work, eh, Johnny boy?"

There was a tense pause. _**"How did you get this number? This is a private number."**_

"Oh, I have my ways. One option I had was breaking into your house and nicking your wife's phone but I was too busy blowing your little spy's bullshit cover story. Shame too, 'cause had I seen your wife and kids I could've told them how their father tried to have me killed." He sucked in a breath. "Ooh, that wouldn't be good now, would it?"

 _ **"You called yesterday,"**_ Frobisher said. _ **"You know I'm a busy man."**_

"This is 1965," Jack said, cutting straight to the point. "All of this because of 1965."

 _ **"Yes."**_

"That's why you tried to have me killed, along with Andrew Staines and Ellen Hunt and Michael Sanders. All of us dead so no one could say anything."

 _ **"I had no choice,"**_ Frobisher admitted.

"We all have choices," Jack said. "Wanna hear what mine is? I could blow this thing sky-high. I could tell the world about what you've done. Unless you get me into Thames House, that is. I demand to talk to the 456 myself. The fact that they've come back proves that they can't be trusted. You need me. You need Torchwood."

 _ **"Captain, we have your daughter and grandson—Alice and Steven Carter—in our custody."**_

Jack's eyes widened and his entire body froze. "You _what_?" he ground out fiercely.

 _ **"We took them in last night and I promise that nothing will happen to them,"**_ Frosbisher assured him. _**"My absolute promise. So long as you agree to say nothing."**_

Say nothing? Yeah, him and his balls.

He almost couldn't breathe and wanted to reach through the phone to knock the man out. The only family he had left were being held prisoner all because they were connected to him. He began to pace around the console, his fist between his teeth as he bit down to restrain himself from screaming. He can only imagine how Alice is feeling right now. She's probably cursing him for everything—for being involved with an organization that is currently on Britain's Most Wanted. Steven was probably just curious, but still afraid. Jack tried to calm himself down as he spoke into the phone, his voice surprisingly level yet still holding a fierce tone to it.

"Release my family and we can work together," he gritted out.

 _ **"I'm afraid I can't do that,"**_ Frobisher told him. _**"They won't be harmed in any way, you have my word."**_

"I wish I could believe that."

 _ **"You can."**_

"Let them go!"

 _ **"I can't, I'm sorry."**_

Jack leaned against the back of the jump seat, his nails digging into the material. "Well, how about I pay a visit to your home right now and get your wife? And your children?"

 _ **"Except you won't,"**_ Frobisher replied, sounding a bit remorseful. _**"'Cause you're a better man than me. I'm sorry, Jack."**_

The secretary hung up and Jack somehow resisted the urge to rip the phone out of the console and toss it across the other side of the room. While he couldn't let out his frustration that way, he resorted to letting out a loud curse.

"Jack?" the Doctor called from outside before the door opened with him standing in the doorway with a frown. "What's wrong?"

"They took my daughter and my grandson," Jack told him.

"What? Who did?"

"Frobisher and his band of puppets. He took them hostage last night." He hurried out of the TARDIS and fetched his coat draped over one of the computer chairs, barely regarding Ianto's question.

"Jack, don't," the Welsh man said, grabbing onto his arm to stop him. "There's nothing we can do right now."

"They're my _family,_ Yan, we need to get them out."

"But you don't even know where they're being held hostage. You can't just go out without coming up with a plan."

Jack rolled his head back and made a frustrated noise.

"He's right," the Doctor put in. "It would be no use for you to storm out of here without a plan and get killed."

"I can't die, it wouldn't hurt me any," Jack retorted.

"You can't get into the Thames House just like that." The Doctor snapped his fingers. "It's not as simple as walking into the market."

"Sneaking into high security buildings is one of my specialties, Doc, I can handle this."

The Doctor shook his head before placing his hands on the immortal man's shoulders. "Listen to me, I know this is frustrating, believe me. I know what it's like to have those you love and care about being held hostage. It's never something _anyone_ should ever have to deal with, but right now we need to come up with a plan. Rose and Gwen are meeting up with Lois. If all goes well and they can convince her to be our eyes she can look for any information of where your daughter and grandson are being held captive so we can break them out. Once Alistair lands here he can aid us as well. We have to be patient, Jack, it's all we got right now."

Jack took a deep breath, calming himself down as best as he could. "They're the only family I've got left," he said quietly. "I can't afford to lose them."

An undertaking look crossed the Doctor's ancient eyes as he nodded tightly. "I promise we'll get them out safe and sound," he vowed. "No one around here is going to lose any family members or anyone else close to them. I promise."

If there was one thing Jack was always certain about it was his trust in the Doctor and Rose.


	51. X Marks the Spot

_**A/N: As per usual, many thanks and much love to each of you lovely viewers! You guys keep me sane through the madness.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 49: X Marks the Spot**_

Gwen pulled up at the chippy where Lois was waiting for them, appearing fidgety. Rose suddenly felt the Doctor coming to her mentally. She's been ignoring him ever since he turned into an overprotective husband and nervous expecting father and tried to keep her from leaving the Hub, but it felt urgent.

"What's the matter?" Gwen asked beside her.

"The Doctor's trying to tell me something," Rose replied. "It feels important."

The Welsh woman's brows raised. "You lot can actually tell if something's important or happy and all that?"

"'S…kinda like hunches you get, like vibes. You know when you walk by someone and you feel that feeling like whether or not the person seems creepy? It's like that only you feel the sensations multiplied by a hundred. Maybe even a thousand."

"Christ, you guys are on your own standalone level playing field," Gwen remarked.

Rose smiled. "Tell me about it." She turned around to face the windshield to avoid any odd looks from the other woman or pedestrians. _"What's wrong?"_ she thought to her husband. _"Does it have anything to do with the 456?"_

 _"Not…no, technically no,"_ the Doctor told her. _"But it does have to do with the government and this Frobisher bloke. More importantly, it has to do with Jack."_

 _"Why? What is it?"_

 _"He made a quick call to the secretary just to see if the man would spill anything worthwhile and relevant to the children's case, mainly to see his reaction about keeping everything hidden from the general public."_

 _"So what's the problem then? Jack made sure to make the call on the TARDIS phone, right? That way the government wouldn't be able to trace his location."_

 _"Oh, that's not the problem. He was aware of that and used the phone right away. Safety is always handy, you know. No, that wasn't the issue. As it turns out Jack has a daughter named Alice and a grandson named Steven."_

Her eyes widened _. "Really?"_

Truthfully that wasn't as surprising to her to find out about Jack. Being immortal she couldn't imagine him not having children at some point in his long lifetime, just like her own husband. Jack never mentioned them in their travelling days on the TARDIS, but then again he would end up stuck in certain eras in time without being able to use his space hopper so it could have happened some time after they left Satellite 5.

 _"Since last night they're both in the custody of John Frobisher,"_ the Doctor said.

 _"Oh, my God,"_ Rose inwardly gasped, chewing on her thumbnail.

"Everything okay?" Gwen asked from the side.

"Jack's daughter and grandson were taken hostage yesterday," she told the Welsh woman. "Frobisher was the one who made it happen."

"Since when the hell is he in control of doing these things? How's Jack?"

Rose shook her head. "Probably wants to barge right in the Home Office to ring the guy's neck. We can't even try to get them out or else something'll happen to them."

 _"Frobisher claimed that what he did was because he had no choice,"_ the Doctor cut in. _"Load of rubbish that sounds like. The government is so frantic that they're pulling all the strings on the puppets in the offices to do their dirty work in trying to eliminate every single person involved with the case. Rassilon forbid if they talk about the first encounter cover-up_."

Rose was disgusted. She wished she could say she didn't see that coming, but if the government was sending out executions to wipe out the organization that could help them, then collateral damage was their second option for stopping everyone from talking. Poor Jack. She can imagine how upset he was. _"I'm assuming you don't know where they're being held,"_ she told her husband.

 _"That's why I'm contacting you,"_ the Doctor said. _"Until Alistair arrives the only guaranteed ticket for us to know what's happening behind those walls is Miss Lois Habiba, but it can only work if you and Gwen convince her to help again."_

Rose peeked inside the chippy where the young PA was sitting. _"Yeah, she's looking pretty high-strung right now."_

 _"Just do what you do best, love—work your charm. If she looks around she might be able to find out where Jack's daughter and grandson are located so we can go pick them up. K_ _eep me posted when you leave. And…about earlier, Rose,"_ he added, sounding apologetic. _"I didn't mean—"_

 _"I know, Doctor,"_ she replied before he went on a rambling apology. _"Don't worry about it right now. I'm fine, no pain or anything, okay? It's fine."_

He sighed. _"Just be careful, Rose. I wouldn't put it past this government to get all of Scotland Yard brainwashed just to capture any member of Torchwood or anyone affiliated with them. I'll be damned if I let anyone die here today, even more if they lay a hand on you."_

 _"Relax, Doctor,"_ Rose said gently. _"We'll be back soon. Love you."_

 _"Love you too."_

Rose rubbed her forehead. It was only their second day of dealing with the 456 case and they already had more problems piling up around them. She turned to Gwen, who was waiting patiently throughout the mental conversation. "Lois has another task for us in finding out about Jack's family and where they were taken."

The Welsh woman nodded. "Then let's go." Gwen quickly reached for her own spares of the Torchwood contact lenses and put them on. "A test run should help ease her in."

"Good idea." Rose grabbed the laptop and tucked it away in her trans-dimensional jacket pocket before entering the chippy. They immediately got Lois' attention as she sat up straighter in her seat. She looked uneasy, but she had their trust as they had hers.

"I shouldn't be here," Lois said as they took their seats across from her. "I've already helped you lot once and that's got to be enough. Everything I've worked for to get this job could be taken away from me in court!"

"We know," Rose said, keeping her voice gentle. "We're so sorry to put you in this position, but you're all we've got."

"Torchwood is an organization meant to deal with aliens, just like the Doctor saves planets and civilizations! Don't you have any friends? You told me you had someone coming in to help you."

"He's on his way, but we don't know how much longer we'll have to wait. That's why we need you now."

Lois shook her head, still looking uncertain. Gwen leaned forward. "This isn't just about the aliens," the Welsh woman told her. "On top of that we're also dealing with a government trying to keep every piece of information about the first encounter with them hidden from the public."

"One of them being your boss, John Frobisher," Rose added. "You know how he tried to have Captain Jack Harkness killed, right?" The woman nodded. "Now he's got Jack's family being held hostage."

Lois' eyes widened as she stared at them. "What? That…you can't be serious."

Rose's voice was sad as she nodded. "It's the truth. His daughter Alice and his grandson Steven—both of them are in custody."

"Can't you do anything about it?" Lois asked. "I mean, if you found out that they're being held somewhere you must know where they're at."

"Except that we don't," Gwen replied. "Even if we knew the exact location at the moment we couldn't try to do anything about it ourselves because they could be killed."

"Oh, my God. Why…why would they even _do_ something like that?"

"Because they think that what they're doing is the right thing," Rose answered. "They're willing to let two innocent lives who are connected to Jack die just to avoid being taken under. All just to keep people from _talking_. They can't be trusted for that very reason and that's why we need your help, Lois. You're the only one who understands how wrong their ideas are."

The PA looked between them, hesitating. "What should I do?"

"We need all the information we can get from inside," Gwen said. "Not only where Alice and Steven are being held, but what's inside the Thames House. You said that they were building something there. We need to know what."

"That's the most secure building in the whole country," Lois said incredulously. "I can't smuggle you in!"

"You don't have to," Gwen told her, then turned to Rose. "Rose, do you have the laptop?"

"Yeah, one second." Rose reached onto her jacket and pulled out the laptop, setting it down on the table.

"What the…?" Lois gaped. "How'd that fit in there?"

"Bigger-on-the-inside pockets," she replied with a smile.

Lois turned to Gwen, almost expecting her to give an explanation. She waved it off. "Don't bother asking. There's a way for us to see what goes on with your help, but in order for that to happen you'll need these."

She pulled out the white plastic container and placed it on the side. Lois frowned. "Contact lenses?"

"Not just any contact lenses," Rose told her as she opened the laptop lid to reveal just what the contacts did.

"But…where's that coming from?" Lois asked, studying the screen. "That's not a webcam."

"Torchwood contact lenses," Gwen told her. "They're connected to the computer's software. When you wear these they'll transmit a picture so we can see what's going on. And more than that, we've got lip-reading software where you just look at someone when they're speaking, and it'll translate it ans we'll be able to hear it."

"You want me to spy on my own country," Lois concluded.

Rose reached over and gently held the woman's wrist. "We have to do all we can to stop them from making the biggest mistakes they can possibly make," she said softly. "God only knows what's going to happen once the aliens land, but it's gonna be chaotic. Thousands of lives are on the line, Lois. The whole world, even. It's what has to be done." The PA studied her, gathering her words. That was the main fact to stress.

"We can also send messages to you," Gwen put in. "That way we can communicate with each other. You would be able to see what we type in your eyes when you wear them. Not so large where it would obscure your vision, but kind of like a message written in front of you on a desk." She removed her lenses. "If you wear these then we can find out what's going on."

"Then we would be able to help," Rose added, shutting the laptop lid and surreptitiously tucking it away in her pocket.

Lois appeared to be fully convinced to go along with the plan, but then she shook her head. "What if they…I don't know, scan for bugs or something?"

"Yeah, they will," Gwen told her. "But they won't register. We promise."

"I can't, though. Getting you information's one thing, but that's putting me right on the front line."

"We know, and we're really sorry about this," Rose told her.

"It's all that we've got," Gwen added. "You're the only friend we've got left. At least until our other ally comes in. We need you to do this for us, Lois, please."

"Even if I get into Thames House, I can't get on to Floor Thirteen," the woman demurred. "That's where they're building this thing, but Frobisher only takes Miss Spears with him. I'm just the office girl!"

"Well, I was just a shopgirl once myself," Rose said. "I never thought I'd amount to anything with my life but you know what? You're never just an 'office girl' just like wasn't just a 'shopgirl'. Every person is capable of doing the impossible, of doing great things. Some of them use their brilliance for the wrong reasons, just look at the government right now. Their egos are doing all the thinking for them and for everyone else around them. But not you. You believe what you want, and you can see through their smoke and mirrors to see how wrong they are. You can help us put an end to it, Lois. You can make this right."

For a moment it looked like Lois was going to say something along the lines of agreement but her agitation got the nest of her once again. "I can't do this, I'm sorry," she said as she stood. "I've got to go."

"Just take these with you," Gwen urged as she pressed the white case in the other woman's hand.

"I can't."

"Please, Lois. Just take them and think about what we said."

Lois frowned, looking a bit grim before she pocketed the case and ran out of the chippy.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The Doctor continued searching through the TARDIS data banks while Jack and Donna occupied the monitors in the computer station, all intent on using more process of elimination on the possible species. Ianto continued to scan the hospital and police records to see if there had been any changes with Clem McDonald. The Doctor believed that the link between him and the aliens could be a bit damaged since the man never seemed to age much mentally, but it was strong enough for him to detect their whereabouts. Maybe they could pay the man another visit to see if he would be able to tell when the 456 were actually coming. Or maybe he could sit through a calm stroll through his mind to see what it was that they were actually dealing with.

 _"It's done,"_ Rose reported to him through their bond. _"We gave her the contacts, now it's all up to her."_

 _"How was she?"_ he asked.

 _"Still a bit scared. God only knows what her next move is."_

The Doctor rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. _"Well, she wouldn't have taken it upon herself to agree to another meeting if she didn't trust us, nor would she take the contacts with her."_

 _"I know. But at least we've got Alistair as our back-up."_

 _"You can always count on the Brigadier. Speaking of which, I haven't heard him call to say he arrived just yet, but he should be close. Standard fly time from Guyana to Britain would take about twelve hours, and he's nearing the end of his flight._ _If I could pinpoint what these 456 were and what they looked like then we'd have a better lead."_ He shook his head. _"Just come on back. There isn't much we can do."_

"Whoa," Ianto exclaimed from the side, gaining everyone's attention. "Can't go wrong with face recognition software."

"What'd you find?" Jack asked as they all gathered around the Welsh man's station.

"Scan searches all over the UK," Ianto replied, motioning at the screen. A picture of Clem McDonald popped up with progress bars on the side and some database records from police reports. "I've checked the security cameras from the mental institution where Clement McDonald was staying and it appeared that he had never returned."

"He must have ran away," Donna said. "When we visited him he was all jittery and twitched a lot. He was so afraid, like a little kid."

"He didn't go far, though. Two hours ago in London he was arrested for theft and minor affray, of all things. He didn't give his name but this is him."

The Doctor rubbed his chin in thought. "Can't have that," he muttered. "He's one of the few witnesses to experience has these 456 were capable of. Not to mention he's connected to them by a psychic receptor of some sort."

"In English, spaceman," Donna said with an eye roll.

"If I could just examine his mind containing the telepathic link to the species and access any memories then I would be able to have a better idea of the 456's origins," he explained.

"New mission for Rose and Gwen then?" Jack asked.

The Doctor straightened up and buried his hands in his pockets. Verily he wasn't too keen on having his wife walking around too much outside, and it wasn't because she was pregnant, but he'd feel much more content having her by his side where he could guarantee her safety. But he remained calm. He wasn't going to let his anxiety kick in again. She was fine.

"Should I give Gwen a call?" Ianto asked.

"No need," the Doctor told him, tapping a finger to his temple. "I can contact Rose from here."

"Oh, right. Telepathic bonds?"

"Yep."

"Very handy."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "You really did your research, haven't you?"

Ianto shrugged. "I'm always curious."

The Doctor chuckled before turning around to pace while he checked back with his wife. _"Rose?"_

 _"We're on our way, Doctor,"_ she replied. _"Won't be too long, calm down."_

 _"No no, it's not that. Well, I shouldn't say it that way, your safety is always a top priority on my list. I'm afraid you and Gwen have got another mission. Clement was arrested hours ago in Camden."_

 _"What?"_

 _"He must have escaped from the mental institution. He was taken in on charges of theft and minor affray. We need to break him out and bring him here for safety. I reckon that if and when the 456 arrive they could possibly be out to snatch him up due to their remaining connection. I can examine him to see if I can access any memories to get a good idea of what we're dealing with."_

Rose hummed. _"Good plan. The poor man still acts like a child and is constantly afraid. That link is probably damaged."_

 _"Could be. But we can use it to our advantage and see if we can help him out while also helping us._ _I can come over and pick you up."_

 _"Doctor, it's fine. 'S not that far away."_

 _"Well, yeah, but_ —"

 _"I'll be fine. It's okay, really._ _Bit of a con wouldn't hurt. It's a good thing you finally came to your senses to give me a psychic paper of my own."_

He smirked. _"Well, you were very persuasive."_ He could imagine her tongue-touched grin. _"Just be careful. See you soon."_

 _"'Kay."_

Nodding to himself, he turned back to the group. "Right, then. The ladies are on their way to pick up Clement McDonald and, when all works out, later it'll be Alice and Steven Carter."

"Wish we can break them out now," Jack muttered, shaking his head.

The Doctor walked over and placed a hand on the other man's shoulder. "We'll get them out, Jack. It takes time. Just keep an eye out for more suspicious activity, anything with the children or the skies, anything of that nature." He whirled around to enter the TARDIS only to pop his head out after his companion called for him.

"What are you gonna do?" Donna asked. "You're not seriously gonna keep attempting that process of elimination are you? We only end up stuck."

"No, I'll leave that alone. Once Rose and Gwen break Clem out and bring him here the image should be clear, or at least I hope it is, for me to know the species' planet of origin and any records relevant to their designation. I'll monitor the area for any worldwide activity on a more massive scale. Like sweeping across for a criminal. Which, judging by what the Brigadier described, is exactly what we're dealing with. First I'll be in the medbay, just shout if anything comes up."

The redhead snorted. "Taking care of the morning sickness, spacedad?" she teased.

The Doctor rolled his eyes before popping back into the TARDIS. He didn't feel the need to dignify that with a response. Even if it was the truth.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Lois sat at her desk and typed onto her keyboard, distrait since she had nothing to place into the computer. She saw Mrs. Bridget Spears by her own station sifting through some folders in a neat fashion. After overhearing the brief conversation that Mr. Frobisher was having in his office phone she managed to pick up on some handy information in regards to Jack Harkness' daughter and grandson. It sounded like some military base that they were being held. Hacking into the files she managed to match the name of the base along with the location, accessing the plots of what they would do with them.

How can a government become so radical and extreme to kidnap innocent lives just to keep others from talking?

More than once she hesitated before moving the attached files onto her flash drive, trying to actually think about what she was doing and why she was even participating in all of this. She thought about everything that the women—that Gwen and Rose—had told her back at the chippy. Everything that the government has been doing seemed so corrupt like a movie's plot, almost unreal. But the evidence was written as clear as day on the screens, so she believed. Then actually hearing her own boss talking about it added onto the conspiracies. All they cared about was maintaining their optimal idea of the status quo rather than the citizens' safety. How could people go along with that?

Her job was a good one, much like her life—simple and easy. It was only her second day and she was on shaky ground, helping out the fugitives that they were trying to wipe out. But they were the ones who could help. That was the main thing that didn't make sense to her. Attempting murder on the one organization who were on their side and wanted to help? It was wrong. And she had been secretly meeting with a woman affiliated with the Doctor, yet another individual who could be a major help around here.

She could lose her job in an instant and put on a prison sentence for treason, if lucky enough. All of her hard work to actually get this position could come crashing down. But she thought back to what the women told her at the chippy, how her choices to gather as much information as possible and be their inside eyes could not only be a risk for her career but also save thousands of lives, something the workers around her didn't seem to worry about. It was a fair duty, so she would take that risk.

Mr. Frobisher came out of his office with an unreadable expression on his face. Lois kept her eyes on her screen but she remained observant as he moved over to Ms. Spears' desk. "Nothing from Jodrell Bank, but we might as well get ready," he told her. "Get everything you need, Bridget. We'll transfer over to Thames House."

The woman nodded tightly and began to stuff her folders into a case while he went back into his office. Lois felt her hands tremble. She needed to find her way into the most secure building in London and this was it. Somehow, through her nervousness, she managed to keep her voice steady as she spoke.

"What d'you want me to do?" she asked.

"Exactly what you're doing now," Ms. Spears told her, briefly looking up from her work. "Just answer the phones."

Lois slowly rose to her feet and approached her. "Well…I could come with you to Thames House. I could help."

"I don't think so."

She bit her lip, trying to think of a good enough cover. "The thing is…Mr. Frobisher asked me to come."

Ms. Spears stared at her. "When was that?"

"He said he wanted me," Lois replied casually. "At his side."

"What for?" the older woman said, her voice dripping with condescension. "Why on Earth would he need _you_?"

"It was a… _private_ conversation."

Ms. Spears' face fell, looking dejected. The folder in her hand was then slapped down hard into her case. Mr. Frobisher exited his office once again and walked past them. Mrs. Spears shut her case and held it beneath her arm and followed him, but came to a stop after a few steps and turned around. "You're not the first, you know," she hissed. "Don't go thinking you're the _first_."

"Then I can come?" Lois asked.

The older woman sucked her teeth in annoyance. "Apparently so."

Lois nodded tightly and gathered her own items, maintaining her composure. Phase one complete.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

With the use of Rose's trusty psychic paper and Gwen's credentials as a former policewoman, the ladies were successful in releasing Clem from his cell. He recognized them no sooner after they found them and appeared to feel much safer than he did when he was brought in, but he continued to inhale the air around him as they led him outside to the car.

Rose inwardly shivered when the man inhaled deeply again from beside her. "You okay?" she asked him. "'M still not freaking you out with my mostly human scent, am I?"

"Of course not," Clem answered, studying her. "It's just…I can't believe I've finally met nice people. It's so rare."

"Well, it's a good thing you're among some friendly faces," Gwen said with a smile.

"Where are we going?" he asked. "Are we going to your houses for some tea and biscuits?"

"Something like that," Rose said, looping her arm through one of his as they walked. Clem suddenly stopped dead in his tracks with a distant look in his eyes. "Clem? You alright?"

Gwen waved a hand in front of his face, but he was still frozen, eyes directed to the sky. "What is it? What's over there?"

No answer. "It must be the aliens," Rose said. If it was happening to the man then the kids were doing the same. Looking around the area was useless since there weren't any outside. _"Doctor, it's happening again,"_ she alerted mentally. _"Clem just stopped."_

 _"What's he doing?"_ he asked quickly. _"What's he saying?"_

 _"Nothing. He's just standing here and staring at nothing."_

 _"Then the children are stopped too. Keep an eye on him."_

Suddenly Clem began to slowly raise his arm to the sky, pointing. Rose and Gwen followed its direction with frowns. "Something in the sky?"

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

"Doctor!" Donna called out. "The children are doing it again!"

Bolting out of the TARDIS, the Doctor hurried over to the computer station. So far Rose only told him that Clem was standing still and not speaking a word, but maybe the children would talk before him. Or at the same time, he didn't know. What're they doing?" he asked. "Are they saying anything yet?"

"Nothing," Ianto reported. "But they're all just pointing up at the sky. All the children in America are pointing east and all the children in Europe are pointing west."

The Doctor thought for a moment then it had clicked. "It's England," he breathed out. "They're all pointing at England, probably London. We need a better look!"

He dashed back into the TARDIS and ran around the console, pressing buttons and bringing the monitor up with a live screenshot of London. The others gathered around him to get a good view of what was happening outside. A low roaring sound came through the speakers as the thick white clouds swirled before splitting, a massive hole manifesting. A column of fire slowly descended from the sky and punched through the opening, its target being a building in the center of the city.

"It's the Thames House," the Doctor said, running a hand through his hair. "It has to be."

"Lois said that there was something being built there," Donna remarked.

"'Build it and they will come,'" he murmured, staring hard at the screen as the fire shrunk down and went out completely, the clouds in the sky still arranged in a hole.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Rose and Gwen tried to keep their balance steady when the ground shook. The roaring died down, but then a pillar of fire descended from the sky. They couldn't make out where it rested from where they stood, but they already knew where it landed—the Thames House. Soon the fire died down and the Earth remained quiet and still.

"We are here," Clem said cryptically before dropping his arm and his eyes from the heavens, returning back to normal.

"Clem?" Gwen asked. "You okay?"

"It's them," he responded, visibly trembling with fear. "They're back!"

"Come with us," Rose said, lightly tugging his arm to get him to move. "You still have a connection to them and we need to have a look at it."

They hurried into Gwen's car and drove off back to Cardiff. Right now their focus was solely on figuring out why the who 456 really are and chose to come back after all this time. To do so they needed to have a close look at the link between them and Clem.

 _"We're back,"_ Rose thought to the Doctor.

 _"How is he?"_ he replied. _"Any changes?"_

 _"No, back to normal for now. But he's still a bit jittery and won't stop sniffing the air, like he's expecting to be taken to the 456."_

 _"Can't have that. The link must be so damaged that it's literally taken over his mind and haunted him for all these years."_

 _"I've got an idea, why don't you make some tea for our guest. Should help him calm down. Maybe give him some biscuits, too."_

 _"I like the way you think, Rose Tyler. Already on it. And what about you? Still okay?"_

 _"Fine. You don't have to check on me every second, Doctor, I'm okay."_

 _"I know, I know, I'm just…oh, you know. I'll see you when you get back."_

Once they pulled up at the Hub they escorted Clem out of the back and led him towards the entrance. "This is your home?" he asked, looking confused.

"No, just a secondary one I guess," Gwen answered.

"A tourist shop?"

"Oh, it's more than that," Rose told him as they walked through the main desk and through the large doors, entering the Hub.

No one was around. She knew that her husband was inside the TARDIS getting some tea but she surmised the rest of the gang remained in the console room checking on the area after the pillar of light shone down from the skies. Clem's eyes widened in awe as he took in the size of the room, his back, taking it all in.

"Nice house," he murmured. His eyes stopped when he noticed the TARDIS parked by the lounge chair in the computer station. He pointed at it. "Why's there a blue police box? Is it for decoration?"

Rose chuckled. "No, that's _my_ home."

He frowned. "But it's a phone box. And it's small."

"It's a lot bigger on the inside. And it's not just a phone box, it's a spaceship."

"Spaceship?" Clem repeated shakily, his eyes now wide with fear. "No! Don't make me go!" He cried before twitching. "I don't want to!" He whirled around and made an attempt to run away but the women seized him by the arms. "Don't put me on that ship! Don't let it take me away!"

"It's not going to take you away," Gwen told him gently. "You don't have to go inside if you don't want to, it's fine."

"They tried to take me away on a ship once," he whimpered, sniffing again and trembling.

Rose rubbed the man's arm soothingly. "Well, that's a good ship," she said softly. "That's the TARDIS, that's where I'm from. Can you hear Her? That humming in your ears?" Clem gulped before steadying his panting to regular breaths as he stayed quiet for a moment. He hesitantly nodded. "She sounds good, doesn't She?" He nodded again. "We're all the good guys here. You trust us, right?"

"You're all the nice people. Not…not like the ones back then, you're rare."

Rose smiled. "Come on, let's get you seated over here."

They walked him over towards the couch and lowered him down. His form was still trembling but luckily not as much as when they first picked him up. The TARDIS door creaked open and Rhys stepped out with a tray of tea and biscuits.

"Thought I heard you ladies coming back," he said, setting the tray down on the small table beside the couch.

"This is your husband," Clem said to Gwen.

"Yes, he's my beloved," she answered with a smile.

"I can smell him on you."

"What?" Rhys asked, looking baffled.

Gwen stood from the couch and gave him a kiss. "I'll tell you more about it later."

Clem twitched again, looking over his shoulder. "They'll come for me," he said. "I know they'll come for me, they'll come right in and grab me."

"We won't let them do anything to you," Rose told him. "You can't smell them here, Clem. Are they close by? Are they in this room?"

The man sat up straighter as he took a deep breath, inhaling loudly. He paused. "No."

"You're gonna be okay," she assured. "The Doctor's gonna help you." Clem nodded and took a sip from his cup of tea then chewed on a biscuit.

No sooner after his name was mentioned the Doctor popped his head out of the TARDIS. "Ah, Clement McDonald, I presume," he proclaimed, exiting the ship to stand beside Rose, his hands in his trouser pockets. "Good to meet you, I'm the Doctor."

The man breathed in deeply. "You're her husband," he said, nodding towards Rose.

"Yes, I am," the Doctor said with a smile.

"You're an alien."

"I am. Is that alright?"

Clem nodded. "You smell…right. Not like those other aliens."

"Should hope so," the Doctor said, still smiling. "Don't reckon my wife would be too happy if I were to become like them. Forever bonded together with a ruthless, swindling species, can you imagine that?"

"No," the man said after a moment.

"Neither can I." The Doctor slowly walked towards Clem and knelt on the ground in front of him on the couch. If this man was the equivalent to a young boy even in his older age then he would need to be more heedful with his mind, not that he was ever rough. He kept his voice soft as he spoke. "You were there when the aliens first came to Earth. You saw them?"

"Yes," Clem replied. "I never saw their faces, only a bright light. It took all my friends away."

"Except you."

"I ran away. I didn't know what else to do," he added shamefully.

The corner of the Doctor's mouth twitched upwards. "I do it everyday. Both me and my wife, running and running. There's no shame in that. Keeps me on me toes."

Clem smiled a little before letting it fall as he trembled. "They never stop. I've been smelling them for years. They're back and they're going to come and find me and take me away."

"We promise we won't let them take you, Clem," the Doctor assured. "But there's still a connection between you and the aliens, something that altered your senses. I need to examine it as well as take a look at your memory of that night."

"How can you do that?" Clem asked, confused.

"If I put my fingers here—" the Doctor tapped a finger to his temple. "—I can enter your mind with ease and have a look."

The man looked both wondrous and bewildered. "Is it-is it…safe?" he asked, twitching in his spot.

"One hundred percent," the Doctor told him gently. "You have total control of what you want me to see. I won't look at anything that you don't want me to. All you would have to do is imagine a door and keep it shut, I won't go through. Just let me in to see that memory of that night, Clem, that's all I want you to do. Is that alright?"

Clem looked to the side where Rose was standing, and she gave him a nod and smile of encouragement. After another momen,t Clem set his mug of tea down on the small table by the couch, taking a deep breath as he steadied himself. He nodded and the Doctor moved closer to place his fingers on Clem's temples, both of their eyes slipping shut as he slid inside.

"That's it," the Doctor said softly. "Just let me in, Clem. Show me what happened that night."

* * *

 **Shout out to _myrtlebob_ who sent me a link to a short fan video from youtube about Ten talking about being a father before, which is totally relevant to some elements in this story. It was a _beautifully_ edited video, kudos to the creator! Type in YouTube and then the link below if you wanna check it out.**

 **/J-ogmXbKCbk**


	52. In Plain Sight

**A/N:** **As always, much love and many thanks to each and every one of you lovely viewers! You're all shining stars ;D**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 50: In Plain Sight**_

Upon entering the man's mind the Doctor was met with static, the resemblance of walking through a broken television. Clem relaxed more, letting out a deep breath as he trekked further inside the man's mind. It was no wonder the poor man still acted like a child, his wavelength was so twisted up in knots that it would be nearly impossible to unravel. These 456 clearly had advanced experiences in the telepathic field and hypnosis, but they never counted on him to take a look for himself to see their handiwork. If they even _had_ hands, so to speak.

A door opened slowly, revealing an open field during nightfall. It was in the middle of nowhere with a gravel path and a large bus parked. The Doctor watched as Captain Jack appeared, ignoring the bitter taste in his mouth when he saw what the immortal man was appointed to do. The last boy was young Clem without the doubts of whether or not he was compos mentis. Jack had led the small group of children down the road just as a bright light shone further down the trail. The Doctor couldn't make out a solid figure behind it. The children began to walk towards the light except for Clem, who hesitated. Jack had been urging the young boy to move forward so he wouldn't be left behind. A tightening feeling in his gut arose, but then he recalled Jack's side of the story and relaxed.

Clem inwardly shivered at the memory, but the Doctor sent his reassurance that this was only like a dream, just a small safe stroll through his mind. A guttural bellow echoed in his ears once the children disappeared, causing Clem tremble again while his younger self ran away into the darkness of the fields, away from the light. Backing out of the memory, the Doctor continued down the central core to the man's brain, searching for the link. He found it. It was underdeveloped and latent, something Clem couldn't tap into. The pulse was there, the link not wide open. He could try to probe it, but it would be too overwhelming for Clem.

With determination he carefully studied the link, gently so not to make the man uncomfortable or afraid that something was happening to him to lose his trust in them. Focussing on a latent mental link was challenging since it wasn't fully developed, but there was a sliver that was sticking out the most, something that could've labeled the aliens' designation. Tapping the link, the Doctor was met with another roar, a sound with a distinct tone that radiated a certain frequency that made its race nearly detectable. Clem gasped out loud just as the Doctor pulled himself away, dropping his hands from the man's temples and opening his eyes.

"How…" Clem began, shaking a little.

"Doctor?" Rose asked, placing a hand on the back of the Doctor's head. "You okay?"

"I saw it," he said, blinking a few times. "The connection they placed in his mind—it's dormant."

"Meaning?" Rhys asked.

"Because the species is alien and telepathic in origin and Clem is human, the connection between them is underdeveloped, even more with his mind stuck in an adolescent state the won't age any further. That lot latched onto him like a leech. It's actually surprising that he's been able to keep it for this long, not like he could do anything with it."

"More powerful than our bond?" Rose wondered.

The Doctor tilted his head as he stood to his feet. "Well, different species, different wavelengths. Each with their own unique abilities and strength. But this one is used differently than ours, Rose, on more extreme levels than ours—it's hypnotic, whispering in one's mind as an influence on the carrier. It's like a two-way street but since Clem is only a low-level telepath like your typical human he can't use the control to his advantage and send anything back to the 456."

"They're using him for something, then. Him and all of the kids around the world, but why?" His face was set hard as he curled his lip up. "Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked, placing a hand on his bicep. "Was it the 456?"

"Oh, yes," he muttered. "Slightly, that is, only by sound but I think can use more process of elimination to know them."

"Who are they?" Gwen asked.

Before the Doctor could answer he was interrupted by Clem sniffing loudly, his eyes wide with horror. "He's coming back," he said, the words repeating in a fearful mantra. "Oh, God, he's coming to take me away."

"Relax, Clem," Gwen told him. "Nobody's coming to take you away, you're safe."

"No, no, I can smell him coming!"

The TARDIS door creaked open and Jack popped his head out. "Doctor, the lenses are online! Lois is back on our side!"

Clem let out a shriek and fell off of the couch, his body trembling. "It's him!" he cried. "It's the man that took me and my friends towards the light!"

"Clement McDonald," Jack said, his voice hollow yet laced with remorse. "It was easier back then when you didn't need to know names."

"You haven't changed," the man said in shock. "You're the same. All those years, how can he be the same?"

"It's what he does," Rose told him, carefully approaching the man as he cowered. "Just calm down—"

"You're working for them!" Clem yelled. "All of you, you tricked me! You're working with the man from every nightmare I've ever had!"

"I'm so sorry," Jack said as he exited the TARDIS. "Truly, very sorry for what I did. I—"

"Don't!" the Doctor hollered when he noticed Clem reaching over to swiftly snatch Gwen's gun from her belt.

The Welsh woman immediately grabbed his arm to prevent him from making a shot. The Doctor strode forward and wrapped an arm around Rose's waist and pulled her back with him until he was placed in front of her as her protective shield. Rassilon smite him if his wife and their unborn child be faced down with a barrel of a gun. He heard his wife in his mind saying she was fine and for him to calm down, but when it came to the safety of his better half and their miracle child beginning to grow, he would throw himself in the middle of the gunfire without taking a breath.

"Stay away!" Clem cried as Gwen took the gun. "You're all involved with them aliens!"

Ianto and Donna came rushing out of the TARDIS. "Whoa!" the former exclaimed.

"We're trying to help," Gwen told him, handing over her gun to Rhys, who held it loosely. "Jack's the good guy, we promise. That was a long time ago when you met him, he's changed. We're here to fight the aliens, not ally ourselves with them."

"Clem," Jack said thickly, his eyes distant as he walked up slowly to the man, almost as if he were an animal cowering in the corner. "I'm really sorry. I had no idea, and frankly…I didn't want to know the repercussions of what I had done. If I had another choice to make I would've done it, but I couldn't. I'm sorry."

Clem continued to whimper as he turned around and clung into onto Gwen. "Let me handle this," she told the others. "We'll be fine out here while you check out what Lois is doing."

The Doctor nodded tightly, dropping his defensive stance. Rose reached down and clasped her hand in his, squeezing it gently. He shut his eyes and let out a deep breath as she sent him mental waves of comfort. Leading her towards the TARDIS he let go of her hand to let her enter along with the others, but she turned back to walk over to Clem, putting a gentle hand on his arm.

"We promise you're safe here," she said softly. "You said it yourself that we're the nicest people you've ever met. Your senses weren't lying to you, Clem. We're on your side and we're gonna beat the bad guys." He nodded slowly and she offered him a small smile. "If you need anything just send in Gwen or Rhys, 'kay?"

"Okay," Clem whispered, still clinging onto Gwen.

Rose turned back to go inside the TARDIS while the Doctor returned his attention to Jack. "I think it'd be best if you stayed inside with us," he told the captain quietly. "The man's been through a lot, he needs to relax."

Jack nodded. "I didn't mean to burst out like that—"

"It wasn't your fault," the Doctor said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon."

The men went inside the TARDIS and shut the door behind them as they circled the console to where the others were. Donna and Ianto stood on the side while Rose sat on the jump seat. The Doctor chose to stand at the keyboard and Jack by one of the coral struts.

"You've patched the Eye-5 software into the monitor, right?" Ianto asked. "It can begin recording everything?"

"Just one press of this button here," the Doctor said, indicating a blue button on the panel. "It immediately roots itself into the Torchwood data base to be put on file there. We'll need as many tapings as possible."

"Did you add in a third chord to patch it through to Alistair?" Rose asked.

He nodded, a smirk on his face. "Already have it running. Reckon the Brigadier wouldn't appreciate being left out of the exploitation."

Looking at the screen, they noticed Lois was standing in some kind of restroom at one of the sinks and mirrors. The Doctor stood to type, but Rose pushed herself up to take control. He turned to her with a frown and she shrugged. "She knows me," she replied. "Think it would be better if I talked to her through this."

"No argument there," the Doctor said, adjusting his posture to lean on the edge of the console. Rose quickly typed in 'thanks' in the message box and sent it to Lois.

 _ **"Oh, God, that's different,"**_ the computer said as Lois' lips moved, her eyes looking into the mirror. _ **"Who is that?"**_

'Rose.'

Lois nodded and picked up her messenger bag. _**"Right then, good luck to all of you."**_

'And you.' Just for the hell of it Rose then added a smiley face.

 _"Really, Rose?"_ the Doctor snorted in her mind.

 _"Really, Doctor,"_ she replied, swatting his arm.

"Up and running," Ianto said. "Looks good, huh?"

"Very nice," Donna said. "Kinda like we're living vicariously through her."

"Could use those lenses for lots of purposes, I'm glad we had extra pairs after the others were taken," Jack said.

"Stolen?" the Doctor asked.

Jack hesitated. "Just…borrowed."

The Time Lord rolled his eyes while Rose inwardly giggled. _"Bet we'd find some nice uses with those, too,"_ she thought to him. He gently nudged her shoulder, winking.

They watched as Lois followed a man and a woman into a lift. "That's him," Ianto said, pointing to the screen. "That's John Frobisher."

"Looks cheery," Donna said sarcastically.

Rose pulled a face. This was the man responsible for trying to execute Jack as well as all of Torchwood, the man who sent people to take Jack's daughter and grandson hostage just to keep him from getting involved. "Bloody bastard," she muttered.

"And the woman?" the Doctor asked.

"Bridget Spears," Jack supplied. "Another PA in the Home Office. She and Frobisher have worked together for about twenty years."

"Then she was fully aware about the orders to wipe out Torchwood and kidnap Alice and Steven as much as Lois."

"Only she's just as corrupt as the whole lot of them," Rose added. "Good thing we got the better PA."

Lois joined Frobisher and Spears in the lift, standing in the back to observe. She must have still been trying was to get used to the contact lenses but she was managing very well. This was to save thousands of lives, possibly more, and to help them out. It was risky for her but she was good-willed. She studied the others carefully, noting the tension was quite palpable.

 _ **"I suppose it's an honor,"**_ Frobisher finally said, breaking the silence. _ **"Given this position."**_

 _ **"Then again,"**_ Spears said. _ **"The Prime Minister has guaranteed that, diplomatically, he can't enter floor thriteen. So whatever happens in there, whatever goes wrong…"**_ she turned to him. _**"History will say that it wasn't his fault."**_

 _ **"D'you mean he's using me?"**_ Frobisher asked, frowning.

Ms. Spears lightly shrugged as she turned her head back to face the elevator doors. _ **"You don't get to be Prime Minister by accident."**_

The Doctor narrowed his eyes and rubbed his cheek. Being a secretary didn't guarantee the high level of authority they carried with them, but the Prime Minister on the other hand did.

 _"You thinking what I'm thinking?"_ Rose thought to him.

 _"That Frobisher could just be the pawn in this futile game of power? Yes."_

The lift came to a stop and the trio exited and moved down the corridor. A man in a trench coat was waiting for them around one of the corners and took the lead. The Doctor recalled what Alistair had told him earlier in regards to the old member of the technology division of UNIT by the name of Dekker. The name still didn't ring any bells.

"Jack, quick question," he said out loud. "Are you familiar with a Mr. Dekker of any kind?"

"Andrew Dekker?" the immortal man asked.

"Depends, was he the same Dekker that was there the last time the 456 landed on Earth?"

"Yeah, that guy's him. He was a technician. Bit of an annoying one, I have to admit. Talk about technobabbling, Doc, I think he beats you all filled up on hypervodka."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Anyway, the reason I ask is because Alistair informed me about another member of UNIT seeing this Dekker bloke speaking with Frobisher. I was curious to know which of these men were him."

"He was a technician in UNIT and you never met him?" Rose asked.

"Must have been a temporary fill-in by the time I came along," he replied. "Alistair said that I wouldn't know who he was since I probably never met him, and if I ever did it was briefly. But I don't recognize his face or his name."

Dekker, along with the group of officers with black gear and guns who tagged along, led Frobisher, Spears, and Lois to a set of double doors. They stepped inside a large room with various equipment and tables set up. But the main item that stood out the most was the massive glass case set up in the center with separate black panels locked tight on the surface and a mysterious blue and white-hued gas swirling inside.

"What the hell is that?" Donna asked.

"It's a tank," Rose said. "It's what they were building for them."

"Can't see anything from this angle," the Doctor said, peering at the screen. Though the clouds were thick in the box he could make out a faint blurry figure in the background. "There's definitely something hiding behind that smoke, we need to get closer."

Staff members, along with Frobisher and Spears, set themselves up at the main desk opposite of the tank. Lois took a seat by the back of the room, making the view a bit harder to see. She took out a notepad and kept it in her lap, but she needed a better seat. Rose typed 'find a closer seat'. Reluctantly the young woman made an attempt to get up, but stopped when Frobisher moved forward to take a position in the middle of the room before the tank, a paper in his hands.

"Formal address, probably," Jack said, crossing his arms.

"Can't make it out," Ianto said. Frobisher lowered his head and appeared to be reading but because of the spot where Lois remained in they were unable to hear anything with the lip-syncing software. "He's got his back to us, we need his mouth."

Nodding, Rose went was right on it and urged Lois to move closer. A few seconds later the young woman stood from her seat and furtively moved around the back of the room. "That's it," Rose murmured. "You got this, Lois."

 _ **"And according to the rules of protocol, as established…"**_ came Frobisher's voice once he was in profile and within earshot of the software.

"Alright, now we're in order," the Doctor remarked, shifting a bit closer to the monitor.

Rose tugged on his sleeve to back him up a little. "You stand any closer you'll melt into the screen."

"Just trying to listen and have a good look at the tank."

"Yeah, but you'll lose your eyesight in the meantime."

"My eyesight's perfectly fine," he sniffed.

She snorted. "Then you'll need to get some actual glasses that aren't just to make you look clever and dashing but for actually seeing."

He hummed before reaching into his jacket to retrieve his specs, slipping them on before gently nudging her shoulder.

 _ **"I must ask you to state whether these greetings are accepted,"**_ Frobisher continued. _ **"Do you understand me?"**_ He paused. _**"I repeat, according to the rules of protocol, as established by the United Nations in the directives of—"**_ His sentence was abruptly cut short, causing everyone's brows to crease in confusion. _ **"Then I thank you on behalf of the United Kingdom,"**_ Frobisher said after.

"What, did it speak?" Donna asked.

"Didn't hear anything," Ianto reported. "It doesn't have a visible mouth."

"Bollocks," the Doctor muttered.

'Can't hear the alien', Rose typed into the message box.

 _ **"The Russian Federation,"**_ Frobisher was saying. _ **"The Commonwealth of Australia, the Citizens and territories of Canada and Japan and the Hellenic Republic, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq…"**_

He continued mentioning the various countries involved but then the view shifted downward onto Lois' lap where the notepad was. She began to draw strange symbols and lines.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack asked.

"It's shorthand," both Donna and Ianto said in unison, exchanging amused looks.

"I can read it," the redhead said.

"So can I," the Welsh man replied.

"Brilliant," the Doctor said with raised brows. "What's it telling us?"

"It says 'yes'," Donna told them.

Frobisher stopped talking when an odd green liquid splattered against the glass case's walls, causing people to flinch. What looked like an oversized arm or tail with sharpened edges began to slam the surface a number of times. "Doctor, what's that?" Rose asked. "Can you make it out?"

"I've narrowed it down to one specific species, but I'm unsure if I'm right or not," he replied, shaking his head.

 _ **"Are you alright?"**_ Frobisher asked. _ **"I'm sorry, but I can't help being concerned. Is there a problem?"**_ The aliens didn't seem to answer. _**"Do you want me to continue?"**_

"Yes," Ianto said.

 _ **"Right, then. In the spirit of co-operation we have a formal request to make."**_ The Secretary turned his paper over. _ **"We ask you not to use our children for communication. In case certain parties or territories might consider that a violation. Is that acceptable?"**_

The answer didn't come right away. "Yes," Donna said.

 _ **"Thank you,"**_ the monitor echoed. _ **"And, as a gift, and as welcome to this world, we've prepared a document summarizing our culture and history. This document can be made available to you immediately, though its format remains undetermined. Said format remains of your choosing, though this does not constitute a request for information on, or transfer of, specific 456 technology."**_

While Frobisher was saying all of that a man stood from one of the tables and moved over to pass a piece a paper to him. He read the note but looked hesitant for a moment before turning back to the tank.

 _ **"I have been given a request for specific information. It has been asked—why the 456 chose Great Britain as its chosen point of embarkation."**_

Silence stretched in the TARDIS until Lois wrote the alien's answer. "We came here," Ianto finally said. "You have no significance, you are middle men."

"They were here before," Jack ground out. "It's lying."

"It's all proving everything we've already known," the Doctor said. "The reason why the office tried to have Torchwood and anyone involved in the first encounter dead—it's Frobisher. He convinced them to be on the government's side to cover up everything that happened back then and prevent those who did know from talking."

"Hold on, it's saying something else," Donna spoke up, moving closer to read the screen. "It says, 'we have a request.'"

 _ **"By all means,"**_ Frobisher replied.

"We want a gift."

 _ **"Of course. But…what nature of gift—"**_

"A gift."

Frobisher looked a little uncomfortable. _ **"Gladly. But what d'you want?"**_

"We want…your children," Donna read, her eyes wide. "We will take your children."

Liquid began to splatter on the glass again followed by multiple limbs pounding against the glass. Jack ducked his head and placed a hand on his forehead. The Doctor tensed up, staring hard at the screen. Rose didn't have to tap into his mind to feel the waves emanating from him. Back on the monitor they saw Frobisher glancing over to the people behind him, looking confused.

 _ **"I-I'm sorry,"**_ he said. _**"I think that there might be a problem with the translation. By children, you mean…?"**_

"Your descendants," Ianto read, taking over for Donna since she became speechless. "The offspring of the human race."

 _ **"How many?"**_

"We want ten percent of the children of this world."

"Oh, my God," Rose gasped quietly, putting a hand over her mouth.

"Shit," Ianto breathed out.

Donna looked ill and turned away from the monitor while Jack remained standing in his position with his eyes closed and his head lowered. The Doctor was still, his breathing ragged. Rose looked up to see that recognizable darkened mask looming over his face, the ancient glare in his eyes, his jaw set tight. This time she was able to feel the waves of anger rolling off of him, the fire churning inside of him that almost made it look as if smoke was trickling out of his ears. She knew his mind was rattling with a plan despite his frozen state. His brain was always working non-stop.

She placed a gentle hand on his forearm and he exhaled a deep breath, bordering the sound of a growl. Without saying anything in the thick silence in the room the Doctor slowly straightened up, his eyes never leaving monitor. He began to pace around the console with his hands running through his hair. He then proceeded by heading into the corridors, disappearing into the bowels of the TARDIS. Rose didn't bother following him or sending him a mental note of where he was off to. He was furious, he was icy, he was restless. He needed some breathing room to think of what their next move in this would be.

"I think…" Rose spoke up shakily. "We all need a breather."

"Agreed," Jack ground out thickly.

"I'll make some coffee," Ianto offered. "Everyone's taking a short break, anyway, so…" He gestured at the screen, noting how Frobisher and other staff members slipped out of the room and entered a hallway for a brief intermission. "Uh, should I make a cup for the Doctor? Or is he busy?"

"He needs some space to think," Rose replied. "He'll come back out." She bit her lip. "But I wouldn't be surprised if you had a mug leftover."

The Welsh man nodded as they each walked down the ramp and exited the TARDIS. They found Gwen and Rhys sitting by the computer station with the same shocked expressions while Clem was curled up on the couch sobbing. Rose and Donna on each side of him to calm him down while Ianto made the coffee. There would be plenty of helpings today. The day was going to be a long one, and it was still the morning.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The Torchwood Hub was still relatively silent after what had to have been twenty minutes since the brief intermission. The group hung around the computer station with mugs of coffee in their hands, anxiously waiting for Frobisher and the rest of the staff to return. Clem had calmed down for the most part, staying in his spot on the couch with Donna and Rhys sitting beside him. Gwen, Ianto, and Jack stood at the monitors while Rose leaned against the TARDIS, her eyes slipping shut.

She felt another short tremor throughout her body and placed her free hand on her abdomen. She wished that she were able to sense the little one's link, but the Doctor said that its brain was still too underdeveloped to be felt fully. She was relieved to see him more loosened up since learning about their life-changing news, but she knew they needed another talk about what their future would be like travelling with a baby on the way. Rose sent the Doctor a mental note asking what he was doing. He responded by simply telling her he was working on something in the console room, which was partially a lie since she peeked inside and didn't see him anywhere in the console room, but then again he never stayed still when the world was in danger.

There was a bell sounding back in the Hub, getting everyone's attention. "Someone else coming over?" Rhys asked.

Rose's brows raised. "It could be Alistair," she said.

Ianto hurried to the computer with the security camera showing the front entrance of the base, noting an easily recognizes elderly gentleman in a commanding uniform standing by the doors. "We have a visitor," he reported. "It's the Brigadier."

"Can't keep him waiting," Jack said. "Let him in."

 _"Doctor,"_ Rose thought to her husband. _"Alistair's here."_

 _"Oh, good!"_ he exclaimed. _"I won't be a moment."_

The main door opened up as the Brigadier entered the Hub, his commanding hat tucked under his arm. Ianto was the first one to introduce himself, followed by Gwen, Rhys, and Donna. Jack stepped forward and saluted the man. "Brigadier, nice to meet you again, sir."

"And you, Mr. Harkness," Alistair said, returning the gesture. "It's been a while, but I've done my research on you and your Torchwood organization for years. Very good work, son. You and your crew have done many good things since the old policy created by Queen Victoria was modified to less extreme terms."

"Doing our best."

"And, Dame Tyler," the Brigadier said with a small smile, turning towards Rose. "Always a pleasure to see you."

"Same with you," she said genuinely, giving the man a hug that surprised him for a moment until she pulled back. "We've been expecting you."

"I apologize for the delayed flight. Had I known you and the Doctor were involved in the case I would have left Guyana sooner than I did. Although, something this massive of an epidemic, I should have known better that your husband would put himself in the middle."

"Yeah, we were summoned here for extra help. But having you around makes things more even, Alistair." She turned around when she heard a whimpering sound. Clem was still sitting on the couch, cowering like a cornered animal. "Clem?"

"Army man," he breathed out. "Is-is he—"

"He's not taking you away," she told him softly, walking over to place a hand on his arm comfortingly. "He's on our side, he's one of the good guys. He wants to stop the bad guys as much as we do."

"You must be Clement McDonald," the Brigadier said, slowly approaching the man. "I must tell you with a heavy heart that I am deeply sorry for what has happened to you since your first meeting with the aliens. It was a mission I strongly opposed, but the government did not listen to the opinions and morals of the men like myself. We meant nothing to them and were witnesses to the event. I can speak for those involved, as well as Captain Jack, who I know is also regretful for what happened that night, when we give you our sincere apologies."

Clem shook as he took a deep breath. "You…you're telling the truth," he whispered. "You're nice."

"Of course he's nice," Rose said with a reassuring smile. "We work with those kind of people all the time—the good guys. Could you see all of us allying with the bad ones?" He shook his head. "Neither can I."

"He still scares me." The man pointed a trembling finger at Jack.

"Jack won't do anything to you, Clem," Rose said. "He's a different man now, he would never do anything to scare you or harm you."

"Sir," Ianto spoke up. "I think I know the answer to this already, but have you heard or seen any of the footage from the Thames? With the bargaining?"

"I have," Alistair said grimly. "I received the file twice, one from the Doctor but without the responses from the 456 and another from the UNIT squad. They're even worse than when they first arrived in 1965. This is a nightmare, yet I expect nothing less from those cold, racketeering swindlers."

"Have you heard any word about what UNIT is doing in all this?" Jack asked.

"There's squads of officers gathered inside the war room watching the negotiation on live feeds, far as I know. Not just officers from our faction in London, but members from America, Portugal, and every other nation. This is a worldwide issue, everyone is a part of it."

"Thank you for coming," Gwen said.

Alistair bowed slightly. "No need to thank me just yet, Mrs. Cooper. The Doctor and I have some work to do together. Where's he gone?"

"Probably taking his pills," Donna remarked. "He was looking pretty pale, not just because of what we heard those aliens say they wanted."

The older man frowned. "I've known that man for decades and never have I seen him ill. At least by viral infections or standard sicknesses."

"What about morning sickness?"

His expression only deepened. "What?"

Rose licked her lips and folded her hands together. "We learned some news last night," she said. Taking a deep breath she straightened up and gave a tiny smile. "Me and the Doctor are expecting a baby."

The Brigadier's brows rose slowly in shock. "Is that so?" She nodded. "How…interesting. My God, never did I see the day where that man would ever settle down and start a family again." He smiled and took her hand, patting his opposite on top. "Congratulations, Rose. I wish you both well."

"Ta. It's…it's still sudden, especially 'cause we were never meant to have one."

"I'm a believer in miracles, though, Miss Tyler. And I think it's safe to say that you and your husband have one beginning. I know you'll keep him in check throughout the experience."

She giggled at that. Between the both of them she imagined that the Doctor would display the most signs of being nervous and jittery. Hell, he was already showing that and it's only been about twelve hours since they found out. Given some more time he would ease up, though. She knew he would.

"Brigadier!" the Doctor proclaimed as he flew out of the TARDIS, his hair as wild as his eyes. "You've finally landed."

"I must say, Doctor, you make vacationing rather impossible," Alistair said as he extended his hand.

"In all the years I've known you, Alistair, when have you ever taken a holiday?" the Doctor asked as he shook his hand. "Far as I'm concerned you've never been away for more than a day."

"That's true. But with the way the world is and how mad it gets with these bloody alien invasions one can never stay away."

"Even if the wives make an attempt at stopping you." The Doctor threw a wink at Rose, and she rolled her eyes.

The Brigadier smiled a little. "Ours know better than that. They've somehow put up with us for all these years it's almost a second nature for them. And I must extend some more felicitations for your latest achievement."

The Doctor's brows creased, his lips moving with no words coming out before realization dawned on him and Rose arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh! Right, of course! Well, it's still shocking, this discovery. Something…unheard of. Unimaginable, really."

"It's true, isn't it?"

"No denying it."

"Just when I thought I would expect everything out of you after all these years, but you're still a man with many surprises. As much as I would love to hear about whatever other surprises you have to reveal to me since the last time we met, shall we swap notes on everything we know about the 456 so far?"

Each taking turns in speaking the group recapped everything with the newer bits of information had from the pillar of fire landing on the Thames House, and things that's he's seen for himself via the recordings that they've kept from Lois going inside with the Torchwood contact lenses. The Doctor also went on about what he found out from examining Clem's mind and the latent psychic link connecting him to the aliens, and how he has a slight guess about what the aliens' true designation truly is but he is not entirely sure and would need to have a better look to see the creature.

Alistair rubbed his chin in thought. "Lord only knows what the Prime Minister has up his sleeve in all this. If Frobisher is being used as a puppet to negotiate with the 456 then the conspiracy theory can only get worse from this point on."

"They can't be trusted no matter what they claim," Jack put in.

"I'll be damned if we don't stop them from taking thousands of innocent children. Bad enough eleven of them had to be taken away back then, no more are being taken today."

"But why kids?" Donna asked. "What's so important about the kids that they want?"

"Imagination?" the Doctor mused. "Although I wouldn't think that whatever species these aliens are they would need any type of imagination for their colonies. No…it's more than that."

"They're coming back," Rose said, tapping his arm. Turning around everyone watched one of the computer screens and saw the staff entering the room with the tank again.

"Back in session," the Doctor said, bringing his glasses back out. "You came at the right time, Alistair."

"Still recording, Doctor?" Alistair asked as the Time Lord dashed back inside the TARDIS with Rose right behind them.

"Never stopped," he replied as he leaned against the console, his face hard. "We're getting every second of this."

Jack and Ianto followed while Donna chose to stay outside with Gwen, Rhys, and Clem to be their shorthand translator. Circling the console the Doctor increased the volume on the monitor, the sounds coming through the TARDIS speakers. Office personnel and officials filed into the room, casting nervous glances at the 456's tank. Frobisher, Spears, and Lois took the lead while the head Secretary stepped forward to address the aliens again. The man looked stiff, possibly furious with what the aliens requested as well.

 _ **"Hello again,"**_ he said to the tank. _ **"Before we consider your request I've been asked for a point of clarification. Before we even discuss your…request, we need to know exactly what it is you intend to do with the children."**_

Lois began to write the symbols on her pad again. "Somebody is watching," Ianto read. "Some remnant."

The strange green liquid splattered against the glass again, causing some members of the staff to back away. "Remnant," Rose repeated. "Does it mean Clem?"

"Could be," the Doctor replied, holding his chin. "The link between them is still there, it could sense it."

 _ **"The Prime Minister—the leader of this country, of the United Kingdom—is watching through this camera here."**_ Frobisher pointed at the cameraman on the side. _**"And he needs to know what would happen to our children if we were to hand them over to you."**_

"It is off the record," Ianto said.

Frobisher looked a bit shocked, but approached the tank. _**"Yes."**_

Ianto's brows rose. "Come in."

 _ **"In there?"**_

"Come in with the camera."

Everyone in the TARDIS watched in silence as the cameraman came back into the room wearing a red rubber jumpsuit and helmet, the camera on his shoulder as he made his way into the tank. Once he was out of view Lois shifted in her seat to give them a clear view on the television screens lining the side.

"Good girl," Rose murmured.

Nothing was visible through the thick blue fog swirling in the tank, but as the man tentatively walked further inside the shadows began to manifest and come into view. Numerous oversized limbs that appeared to either claws or tails slowly swayed in the atmosphere dripping with thick green snot-like liquid, the same that splattered the glass surface. Three thicker and wider shapes began to show, looking to be the heads.

 _"Have you seen this before, Doctor?"_ Rose whispered in his mind.

 _"It looks more…devolved,"_ he replied, narrowing his eyes.

"Wait, something's hiding behind the smoke," Ianto said when the cameraman ventured further.

Another smaller shape began to show through the fog, one closer to the ground and white. Then it became clearer and caused everyone to be sick in horror. It was a child—one of the original victims from the 1965 encounter. It was unclear what gender it was as it was bald with pale, grimy skin, staring off blindly with distant widened eyes. Half of the child's face was hooked up to a gas mask or ventilator of some kind, meshing in with its flesh completely.

"It's a child," Alistair said softly, his voice strained.

"Oh, my God," Rose muttered. She felt sick in her stomach, her muscles twisting and lurching. She placed her hand over her mouth again, trying to fight the nauseated feeling washing over her.

"He's still just a child," Jack said thickly, turning away from the screen. "He hasn't aged." Ianto sniffled and the Brigadier shut his eyes, saying a small prayer under his breath.

The Doctor was silent, his face etched in stone with fury. His lip curled up in pure disgust. His eyes moved over the pale child's sickening figure. It may have looked alive, but it was too far gone. It was a shell of a human being, a husk. He followed the tube connected to the ventilator, unable to see its point of ending but he knew where it stopped. The aliens were hooked onto it. His guesses were right.

"'S sick," Rose whimpered behind her hand. "Just so… _sick_."

He tore his eyes away from the screen to glance down at his wife, seeing her eyes welling up with tears. He soothingly traced his fingers over her back then at the base of her neck while sending her calming mental waves. His insides became stone the longer he stated at the helpless child in the tank but then the image began to blur, looking as if they were underwater. Lois was crying too.

"We're gonna fix this, yeah?" Rose asked shakily.

The Doctor looked back over at her and nodded. "'Course we will."

 _ **"Get him out of there!"**_ Frobisher's voice echoed. Lois blinked away her tears to make the image clear again. They watched as the man rushed over to stand before the tank again while staff members hurried inside to get the cameraman out safely. _**"This is unacceptable."**_

Lois began to write again, her hands trembling slightly. "We do not harm the children," Ianto read, his voice choking. "They feel no pain. They live long beyond their years."

" _Living_?" Rose snapped incredulously. "That's not _living_! It's…it's…I don't even know what it is, it's horrible!"

"It's _wrong_ ," the Doctor supplied darkly.

"We have answered your question," Ianto continued. "You have one day to select and deliver the ten percent."

 _ **"And if we refuse?"**_ Frobisher asked.

There was a pregnant pause until Lois began to draw up the symbols again on the pad. Ianto wiped away tears before he read the response. "Then we will wipe out your entire species. The human race will fall."


	53. Thames House of Cards

**A/N: Well the Blizzard of '16 has landed.** **MOFFAT IS LEAVING! DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD! Hopefully Chibnall fixes the disaster left behind from that cancer that ruined the show I grew to love. I have some hope.**

 **Since the show never went in depth to what the 456 really were, I dug into the TARDIS archives and found a decent match.** **As per usual, much love and many thanks to every one of you lovely viewers! ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 51: Thames House of Cards**_

Silence hung over the TARDIS again. As if trying to stop the aliens from taking ten percent of the world's children wasn't their mission, now they threatened the entire human race if their bargain wasn't met. It made the Doctor's insides boil, his fists balling up on the edge of the console. The officials were all in on this. They actually believed that keeping all of this off the record was a good idea, becoming so gullible to fall under the creature's hypnosis and try to become their allies. He couldn't believe that humans, as brilliant as they could be, could also be this idiotic.

"But we still don't know what they do with them," Jack spoke up. "What does it want them for?"

"Stimulants," the Doctor ground out.

Everyone stared at him, confused. "What d'you mean, Doctor?" Rose asked.

His answer came out rapidly, his hands making gestures while he spoke. "Oh, the children, now it all makes sense. Growing bodies, humans are like giant pressure cooker, and these children were all pre-pubescent in 1965. Specific age ratio, and why? It's the stage where every chemical and hormone inside their bodies thrive and _expand_ —estrogen and testosterone and every gland producing glycoprotein polypeptide hormones coinciding with precocious pubescence. An amalgamation of emotions and chemicals, a cocktail to stimulate the systems!"

"So what you're saying is that the children are like…drugs?" Alistair surmised.

"Essentially, yes. When I examined the latent psychic link in Clem's mind, I went as deep as I could to find its point of origin, to find a reverberation from the opposite end. Had Clem been a telepath he would have been able to contact them and identify the designation. Actually, no. To him it would only be a monster with no distinct label of rank or title or name."

"And you _saw_ them through the link," Jack said.

The Doctor shook his head. "Didn't see; I _heard_ them. Like when you're inside of a deep cave and make a sound and it echoes. That's all it was, just an echo of its identity."

"Then what is it?" Rose asked.

A muscle worked in his jaw, his face hardening. "Macra."

An inquisitive look crossed over the Brigadier's face, his hand resting on his chin. "That name…it sounds familiar. I believe I've seen some files on that species in the UNIT databases. If I recall, you mentioned something about them when you had a bowl cut and checkered trousers."

"Nice spark of memory, old friend," the Doctor said. "These are Macra. Well, Macra in origin. Descendants, rather."

"Oh, no," Jack murmured.

"What are Macra?" Ianto asked.

"Macra are a part of ancient race, known as 'the scourge of the M87 galaxy'." The Doctor turned to Rose. "Think of the year five billion."

His wife gasped. "New Earth," she breathed out.

He nodded with a look of distaste. "A crustacean plague to most cultures and for appropriate reason. Their home planet was colonized by humans in the far future, but the Macra took control and hypnotized every single human by turning them into slaves, mining poisonous gases as their food in order to survive. There's various races in the Macran Empire, each with their own distinctive appearances and traits, but there's only two specific main types that can either evolve or devolve. The ones here are different than most I've seen."

"I'm almost afraid to ask about the others when compared to _these_ ones," Ianto said quietly.

"Well, there's the sapient species," the Doctor continued. "The type that was only slightly larger than humans with claws and multiple legs and with the standard brand of hypnosis that they would use to brainwash others telepathically or with insidious uses of propaganda." He paused, his lip curling up. "And then there's the species that devolved into hungry non-sentient beasts—predators feeding off the chemicals of humans, gases, and bodies in general."

"Makes sense," Rose put in. "It had three heads and looked like a deformed lobster."

"Thing is they're a hell of a long way away from home. To actually be able to travel to Earth after following a radio frequency over forty years ago seems off. They aren't the brightest of species, and interstellar travel for them won't be discovered for another eight hundred and fifty years. Moving throughout their star systems is one thing, but to actually make it across to _this_ side is too far for their technology to manage." He raised his head, the tip of his tongue pressed against his top row of teeth. "Unless…"

"Tech boost?" Jack wondered.

"Seems like it," the Doctor mused.

Rose snapped her fingers. "What about that pillar of fire when they arrived? You said that could have been a teleport."

"Of course! A bigger scale! 1965, eleven children—no problem. Not a large amount to take away to be able to fit on a ship or form of vehicle transport. But ten percent of the human population? That would take an outrageous amount of power to transmit into a teleport if they tried to take them all away. The only way for them to even get away with that is by having access to a level two hundred subspace transmat!"

"Care to explain what a subspace transmat is, Doctor?" the Brigadier asked.

"It's a form of interstellar travel, sir," Jack answered before the Time Lord could, looking worried. "Like regular space travel, but able to work faster than a ship or standard teleport."

"Communications via subspace can make contact with people and civilizations light-years away," the Doctor added, a serious look still etched across his face. "Putatively it would take hours or weeks in order for the frequencies to connect and reach others, but this was enhanced. Signals were being sent out from galaxies away—billions of years away—and made contact in 1965 and now, all with little degradation and without any interference to throw it off."

"It was all planned," Alistair said fiercely. "Ever since the first encounter they were always meant to come back."

"Oh, God," Jack breathed out, his hands resting on the back of his neck, eyes wide, face full of regret. "The signs were there all along."

"You said it would take a lot of energy to make that work, yeah?" Rose said. "And if they didn't have any access to advanced technology, then they got it from Earth."

"Dekker," the Brigadier ground out. "I wouldn't put it past him that he was the one responsible for tracking them down. He's one of the few people that witnessed the first landing."

"A shady technician," the Doctor drew out. "I'd like to meet this man."

"That's just…" Rose spoke, shaking her head. "I don't even know what to call it. He's helping them try to take away children!"

"We won't let them," he said firmly. "No more children are being taken away just so these parasites could get another hit."

"What do we do?" Ianto asked. "The staff are going to hold a conference and discuss what their next move is."

"Then we'll wait until they gather all of Scotland Yard and listen in to what their 'ideas' are. Lois has gone this far for us and hasn't failed us yet. She'll let us in. And then…Rassilon only knows what happens next."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Alice Carter was sitting on her small cot in the cell both she and Steven shared since last night. She knew that, ever since the aliens were hypnotizing every child and her father calling her not long after the first report, she would end up getting involved somehow. This was what she didn't want to deal with anymore. It was particularly the reason why she asked her father to keep his distance from her and her son—danger came step-to-step with his life. Knowing how people could easily come and go from living to dying, she made a promise to shield Steven from it, even if the lifestyle seemed amazing to him.

He was a young boy, his imagination always thrived. Of course he would be interested in finding alien lifeforms, but she couldn't risk his life. He wasn't like his grandfather—immortal with the ability to never die. Steven was still sound asleep with his head on the pillow and his legs curled up to his chest. The officers had barged in late last night to apprehend them and there was nowhere for them to run. They didn't give much of an explanation, but it wasn't hard to piece together. She leaned over to slowly stroke his hair, gently so not to wake him up. God only knew how much longer they would have to remain in their cell.

The outside door leading to the hallway opened. Alice stopped stroking Steven's hair and peeked through their cell door to see the female officer that had taken them in hours ago walking towards their cell. She was of average height, all donned in black at garb with a vest and gun strapped to her hip. Alice thought she heard the other officers call her Johnson. The woman approached the door, the same tired and serious expression on her face befitting for an authoritative figure.

"Before you have any thoughts, we're not releasing you," she said. "Only checking in to see how you two are doing."

Alice slowly stood from the bed and walked over towards the door, keeping her voice low so her son can remain asleep. "I can only assume you're holding us here as insurance against my father," she said.

"That's our business not to get into."

"Let me warn you. If you've angered him, God help you."

Johnson snorted in derision. "This from the woman who spent her life running away from him?"

"And why d'you think I did that?" Alice retorted. "A man who can't die has got nothing to fear. So you watch it, and you keep watching. You don't know what he's capable of doing when those he cares about are taken away from him."

Johnson arched an eyebrow before turning on her heel and heading out of the hall. Alice watched her leave and sighed. It was a lie, what she said. Everyone, no matter how brave and strong they were, had fears. And Jack Harkness had some of his own. If it weren't the end of the world because of some alien invasion then it was related to those close to him. He would bring death in his wake, whether it be those innocent lives that died because of him or for him, the end result wouldn't be a pretty one for these officers and their bosses.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Ianto stood by the computer station, watching one of the screens showing a vacant hallway. Everyone exited the TARDIS about an hour ago—save for the Doctor who remained in the ship to work on something, whether or not it had to do with the Macra or with his wife and their child. Joining the rest of the group, the Brigadier explained what the Doctor had told them about the possible intentions of what the Macra want with the children. The others were horrified by the explanations as well and, if Ianto was completely and wholeheartedly honest, it made him feel sick in the stomach again.

Poor innocent children had been used as a life support system for an alien race. He's dealt with some mad and disgusting things over the years with these bloody aliens, but this was the latest to churn inside of him. While they awaited for the gathering of the staff members, Ianto prepared some coffee and handed it out. Everyone already had a helping to the hot beverage, but given the thick tension some more would work wonders. Rose was leaning against the blue box, staring into her mug in thought. Probably mentally conversing with her husband, he surmised. Gwen, Rhys, and Donna sat on the couch with Clem, who was still blenching in the corner with his usual twitches while the Brigadier stood by the computer station.

Jack had his back to everyone while he leaned against the desk, looking pensive. There was more though. Ianto knew that man well enough and has seen him in his silent states of brooding. A man who has been around for centuries had tons of baggage to carry. It still bothered him how the man he loved with all of his heart rarely opened up to him about anything personal. Granted, he could have been thinking about things that were too painful to even discuss or that he was afraid to mention knowing how terrible the actions may have been, but Ianto wished the immortal man would open up to him more.

Last night Jack told him that his Lazarus effect was permanent and could never be fixed, judging by what the Doctor said and what Rose did to him. He always gave a lot of thought to how Jack even acquired the ability, but he never imagined the answer he received. Although, from what he read on the blonde woman's profile in the UNIT database, he wasn't surprised. If Jack was going to live forever Ianto wanted every moment to count and not be wasted between them. He had one life, and he wanted to spend it with his lover.

"This must have been eating away at you," Ianto murmured as he walked up to Jack.

He was staring ahead, a bitter look on his face. "I've done my penance for what I did that day," he said quietly. "And I never stopped. Every night after was my punishment and then some. Sometimes…not enough."

"I could've helped. You could've told me about this sooner."

"No, you couldn't. There was nothing you could've done."

"That's not true—"

"Tell me, Ianto," Jack said sadly, finally turning around to face him. "What should have I done back then?"

"Stood up to them," Ianto replied. He opened his mouth to say more, but shut it the more he held the man's ancient gaze. "I've only just scraped the surface, haven't I?"

Jack pushed himself away from the desk with his arms crossed over his chest, his voice firm. "I've lived a long time—as long as the Doctor, probably even longer. I've done a lot of things, lots of them being things I'm not proud of. Things I wish I could take back but can't. I live on with every regret I've got." He paused for a second before staying silent altogether.

"How can I know about any of that?" Ianto asked. "You never tell me anything, Jack. You know everything about me. You know about my sister, my father, Lisa, my niece and nephew. I didn't even know you had a daughter and a grandson!"

"Well, you do now, what more do you want?"

"Just talk to me. It's like I don't even know who you are."

Jack dropped his arms and gestured at himself. "This is who I am, Yan."

Ianto shook his head. "No, it's not. There's so much more to you that you won't let anyone else know. Even…me."

"I'm gonna go find the Doctor," Jack announced, moving away from the other man. "I won't be long."

Ianto rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You're doing it again."

Jack whirled around indignantly. "I need to find him so I can help him with whatever his plan is to stop those bastards from taking the children. Is that okay?"

Before he could slip away into the TARDIS, the Brigadier put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself for that day, son. You were following orders, as was I. There was nothing we could've done. I know saying no seemed like the thing to do, but we had no choice. It wasn't your fault. We didn't know what we were dealing with. We've all done penance for that day, but what happened then can't be changed. But with the Doctor on our side, we'll make sure we don't have a repeat of that night."

Jack let out a deep breath, remaining there for a moment. He briefly glanced over at Ianto before turning away and shutting the TARDIS door behind him. Ianto walked forward in an attempt to follow him, but stopped himself. There was nothing else to say. Rose, who had been leaning against the side of the blue box pushed herself off and placed a hand on Ianto's arm.

"Leave him be," she said softly.

"I've known him for years," he said quietly. "We've been close. Just…not as close as I thought. I don't even know who he really is. Everything about him is just…he's so enigmatic and amazing, and I love him. I tell him everything and I barely know him, even after all this time."

The blonde nodded as she comfortingly rubbed his arm. "I know how that feels, mate. I was like you once in the early days of when I first met the Doctor. He just pulled me in with that charm of his and that was how it all started. Over time I found out so many things about him that I never knew of. It took me years until he told me about his family among other personal things. Even now I know there's still some things I probably don't know about even though we're married and bonded."

"Really? I never would have guessed that."

"It's not always easy when the person you love is larger than life and the universe itself. They carry so much weight on their shoulders from the all of the yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows that they would rather brood about them themselves instead of talking about them."

Ianto shook his head. "How do you it? How do you get them to open up?"

"You wait," Rose answered. "Wait for them and be patient. Jack has been around a long time just like the Doctor, and they're both good for keeping things from people because they're afraid to let people in and see the things they regret the most, things they wish they could forget, things they beat themselves up for on occasion, things that could make people be ashamed of them. It can be hard for them, but you just have to be there for them. Listen to them, understand them. Push them into opening up a little more, that helps. Being around for so many centuries means they've got the thickest walls to keep people out, but with some persistence you'll be let inside. Make them feel comfortable. Make them grow. Because they're worth it. "

Ianto considered her words and let out a deep breath. She was right. Jack would always be worth it. He smiled a little. "You'd make an excellent counsellor with your advice."

Rose chuckled. "Just trying my best coming from experience." She patted his arm. "I promise Jack is going to come around to you. Just give him some time."

Ianto nodded before a beeping sound came from the computer. Everyone turned around to see the screen flickering again, the image showing a different room altogether. "COBRA," he said.

"COBRA?" Rose asked with a frown.

"Cabinet Office Briefing, Room A," he clarified. "Gold Command meeting's about to start!"

"Everyone gather!" Rose called out to the others on the couch while she tugged Ianto's arm as they dashed into the TARDIS with Alistair.

Jack was standing by the console with his arms crossed. "Let's see what brilliant strategy they're coming up with," he remarked.

The Doctor was nowhere in sight. Rose sent him a mental alert and he was in the room ten seconds later, his hair looking like a wild bush from running his hands through it rigorously. They all lingered near the monitor in their original positions, watching as Lois looked around the room to show them every member sitting at the large table. One man sat at the far end in a different chair, more posh and official looking.

"That's the Prime Minister," Ianto informed them. "Brian Green."

"So this is the one giving all the orders," the Doctor sneered. "Wonder what the Queen would say if she found out Downing Street is corrupted by political egotists."

"Looking back at all the trouble that came out of Downing Street she shouldn't be too surprised," Rose muttered.

 _ **"Ladies and gentlemen,"**_ Green began. _**"It's been decided that we're going to make the 456 an offer. A realistic number, something we can manage, and then we see what happens.**_

 _ **"You mean we're going to haggle?"**_ a woman snapped indignantly. _**"What about the military option?"**_

 _ **"There's nothing to take action against,"**_ a man chimed in. _**"Evidently, the 456 must have some sort of base of operations in orbit, but our satellites are showing nothing. Whatever's up there is beyond or technology."**_

"Is that the subspace transmat they're talking about?" Rose asked quietly.

"Most likely," the Doctor said, his chin propped in his hand. "I managed to run a full scan from the TARDIS' range and picked up a blip of a signal. Nothing too strong, like they added a few filters on the frequencies to avoid being picked up, but the Old Girl has the most advanced technology and was able to pick it up. Nothing in the twenty-first century could find the wavelengths and match Her, no matter how experienced this Dekker may be."

 _ **"There's a target sat in Thames House,"**_ the woman said.

 _ **"Taking that out would be a declaration of war,"**_ the man replied.

 _ **"A war we can't win,"**_ another man remarked.

 _ **"And that's exactly why I've invited John to address Gold Command,"**_ Green spoke up. _ **"In terms of managing the figures, what could we offer and get away with?"**_

Jack closed his eyes and ducked his head down, looking guilty.

 _ **"This won't just be Britain, will it?"**_ the woman asked.

 _ **"The idea is that every country makes a camoflaugible contribution,"**_ Green said.

Frobisher, who was sitting beside Lois, leaned over to speak to Spears. _**"Can you pass me the FAS file, please?"**_ The PA complied as she reached into her case and pulled out a manila folder and passed it over to him.

"FAS," Jack drew out. "Failed Asylum Seekers."

Rose shook her head. "They're actually _doing_ this," she breathed out, her eyes wide. "They're really thinking about handing the kids over."

"The orphans in '65 becoming asylum seekers today," Ianto commented with thick sarcasm in his next words. "Some progress that is."

The Doctor let out a disgusted growl.

 _ **"No one would miss them,"**_ a man said. There was a brief pause as the Prime Minister and the woman exchanged looks. _**"We need more. Can you bump the numbers up to sixty?"**_

 _ **"I-I think so,"**_ Frobisher said hesitantly, shifting uncomfortably. _**"We can have them in from Oakenton first thing tomorrow."**_

Green nodded. _**"Thank you, John. Now go back to Thames House and consult with the 456. Make them an offer of sixty units. No more than that."**_

Rose let out a humorless laugh. "Units? They're humans! They're _children_ for God's sake!"

The Doctor placed his hand over hers while sending soothing waves through their bond. She was a bit surprised that he was remaining calm but knowing him as well as she did, he was anything but that right now. The Oncoming Storm was still brewing inside of him. Once it came out at full force, everyone would have to part the seas and get out of his way.

"Another intermission," Alistair noted as Frobisher left the room by himself. "I can get us a UNIT car here as soon as possible to drive us up there right _now_."

"Not yet," the Doctor said, his teeth clenched as he spoke. "As much as I want to show up and have a word with the whole bloody cabinet, we have to wait to see what the Macra respond with."

"Then what?" Ianto asked.

He took a deep breath and straightened up. "I talk to them myself. I give them a chance to leave without any trouble, to leave in peace. If they refuse…then the skies open up," he added thickly. The TARDIS fell into silence. Taking another break, the others remained in the console room. The Doctor turned his attention to his wife and placed a hand on her arm, his tone soft and replacing the seriousness from his previous statement. "How're you feeling?"

"The same," Rose answered.

"Still feel anything? Like…any of those short tremors again?"

"Here and there, not too many."

"Good. Ehm, would it be okay if I were run a few quick scans while we wait? Just to have another look at how your insides are handling this and…well, if there's any changes?"

Rose nodded in agreement before he led her down the corridor to the medbay. The trip wasn't long since the TARDIS placed it closer for them. Sitting on the bed, she watched him move around the room, this time not as fast as he did last night. The atmosphere was comfortably quiet, a little better now that the shock had, for the most part, eased up some. It still seemed unreal, but more comprehensible than it had been when they first found out.

The Doctor seemed more relaxed. Maybe not fully with the Macra, but in regards to their unborn child. She could easily sense his enervation from the night before. Just because his sleep cycle could be pushed back didn't need he wasn't exhausted after spending countless hours sifting through alien files and her scan results. He kept it to himself and tried to hide it, much like his anxiety from trying to grasp onto the reality still. However, unlike last night, he didn't give off any blank expressions, which was an improvement.

"All good, yeah?" she finally asked when he appeared to be finished.

"Fine," he replied, releasing a deep breath. "No signs of any harm again, for both of you."

"Figured that since I feel fine."

"I know, Rose, I just…I just want to keep a close eye on both of you. With a pregnancy this…well, impossible, I need to monitor everything and keep it all on record for further references." He paused for a second. "About…about earlier—"

"Doctor, don't," Rose cut in, shaking her head.

"No no, I need to say this again," he replied gently. "I never meant to give off the impression that I wanted to lock you up in the TARDIS just because you're carrying our child. And I certainly wasn't implying that you were invalid. I just…" He sighed. "I just want you to be safe and careful, especially with everything were dealing with now with these Macran descendants. The last thing I'd want is for you to…" He cleared his throat and looked away.

Rose slid off of the medical bed and walked around the desk where he stood, placing a hand on his back to rub the tension in his muscles. He relaxed. "We'll manage," she said softly. "Like I told you last night, we'll be okay. Just take this one step at a time, yeah?"

The Doctor licked his lips before nodding. "Yeah," he whispered.

She knew this was going to become a frequent occurrence with them now—him running every single test known to man to make sure that both she and the baby were healthy and okay. She really didn't mind it. How else would a nervous expecting father act?

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Donna was standing by the computer station while Clem remained on the couch and Gwen and Rhys sat at the monitors. She felt ill. She couldn't believe that the government were considering on giving these aliens children. _Children._ Surely they all had their own at home. They'd actually send them to their deaths? It was terrible. She took another sip from her mug of coffee.

"Blimey, this is the best coffee I've ever had," she remarked.

"A specialty of Yan's," Gwen said.

"Aye," Rhys agreed. "No one brews better or even comes close. No offense, love."

"None taken."

"Shame he's already attached to Jack 'cause I'd've tried to pick him up," Donna joked.

The Welsh couple laughed. The small moment of light conversation ended abruptly when Clem began to speak up. "Three, two, five, zero, zero, zero."

"Clem?" Donna asked, walking over to the man. "Are you okay?"

"Three, two, five, zero, zero, zero."

"What're those?" Rhys asked. "Coordinates? Grid reference, maybe?"

The man continued repeating the same numbers in a mantra, his eyes far gone and distant. Donna ran for the TARDIS and thrust the door open. "Something's happening to Clem! Get the Doctor!"

"TARDIS should take care of that," Jack said hurriedly as he, Ianto, and the Brigadier dashed out.

"What are those numbers?" Alistair asked.

"We don't know," Gwen said. "He just started sayin' them over and over again."

Ianto ran over to the computers and pulled up the live news feeds around the globe. The Doctor and Rose flew out of the TARDIS in a flash. "American children are saying 'two, three, four, zero, zero, zero,'" the Welsh man reported, overlapping with Clem's numbers.

"C'mon, Clem, snap out of it," Donna said as she held the man by the arms. She led him away from the station, his motions zombie-like and his eyes still distant.

"Every country is saying a different number," the Brigadier said.

The Doctor was mouthing the numbers to himself. "Two hundred and thirty-four thousand, three hundred and twenty-five thousand—every country is saying their amount of the ten percent based on their location."

"They didn't take the deal," Rose said quietly. The Doctor buried a hand in his hair before grounding out a curse in his native tongue.

 _ **"It's confirmed,"**_ one of the members of Gold Command said on the screen, getting their attention. _**"Every country is saying a different number, which in each case amounts to ten percent of the children—er, units."**_

 _ **"I think it's fair to say that our final offer has just been rejected,"**_ Green said. All of the bureaucrats exchanged looks, some nodding tightly.

 _ **"It's worth considering, sir,"**_ the man added. _ **"By 2050 the world's population will be nine billion—two-and-a-half billion rise. The UK will go from sixty-six million to seventy-one—"**_

 _ **"Rick, what are you suggesting?"**_ Green cut in. "That a cull of ten percent would do us good?"

The man—Rick—shook his head. _**"I was saying that…if we need to spin this to the public, and God knows at the moment that spin is all we can do, then in an age when we're terrified by the planet's dwindling resources, a reduction in the population could possibly, if presented in the right way, be seen as…good, sir."**_

"They can't be serious!" Rose cried. "In no way is this the right thing to do!"

 _ **"With regrets, ladies and gentlemen,"**_ Green spoke. _**"I have to tell you that we're now facing the worst-case scenario. And right now we don't have time for a discussion on ethics, I'm afraid hand-wringing will have to wait. All we can do at the moment is address a number of vital and practical questions. Namely, how do we select the ten percent? And, how could we sell it to the voters? John?"**_

He turned to Frobisher as the man entered the room, but his voice was indistinguishable. "Goddammit," Jack muttered. "He's away from the camera."

"Wait, Lois is writing," Ianto said, narrowing his eyes at the screen's symbols. "The selection's not down to me."

 _ **"Nevertheless,"**_ Green said. _ **"Practical solutions, please."**_

"Once the selection has been made, then my department can arrange to bus all the children to the rendezvous points together, school by school. My staff are compiling various school databases. You just need to decide what criteria you'd use for selection, which is out of my hands, sir."

Green rested his hands over his mouth, contemplating before moving his eyes around the silent table. _**"Anyone?"**_ No one spoke. _ **"Might I remind you that the clock is ticking?"**_

 _ **"It would have to be random,"**_ a man said.

 _ **"Nobody would believe it was random,"**_ the woman countered. _**"Not when they're waiting at school gates for empty buses to return."**_

 _ **"Well if the system we use is demonstrably fair and reasonably random, at least we can defend ourselves."**_

 _ **"You're willing to risk your kids to make it look fair?"**_ she said incredulously.

 _ **"Then how else can we choose?"**_ he shot back.

 _ **"We could do it alphabetically,"**_ Rick suggested.

 _ **"Oh, yes, thanks for that, Mr. Yates!"**_ the woman snapped.

Rick appeared flustered. _ **"No, I didn't mean…I've got no kids, I wasn't trying—"**_

 _ **"No kids, no consequences,"**_ the woman cut in. She turned to the other man. _**"And yours are already grown!"**_

 _ **"Let's keep this civil, Denise,"**_ Green told her.

Denise snorted indignantly. _ **"Oh, yes, civil! Discussing the loss of millions of innocent children and be civilized about it!"**_

 _ **"If you wouldn't mind, yes,"**_ Green said sharply.

"Some house of cards this is," Donna commented from the side.

 _ **"Could we limit it to one loss per family?"**_ the first man asked. _**"Second born children?"**_

 _ **"That would take more time and organization; things we don't have,"**_ Green said.

Silence fell over the table until Denise spoke. _ **"Look, I'm going to say what everyone else is thinking. If this lottery takes place, my kids aren't in it."**_

 _ **"I'm sure the families of Gold Command will be exempted anyway,"**_ Green said. _**"This is hard enough already."**_

 _ **"We could have a show of hands,"**_ the first man said. _**" I**_ _**hate to be crass, but under these circumstances…"**_

 _ **"Then who votes?"**_ Denise asked. _**"Those with kids or those with no interest to declare?"**_

 _ **"No one,"**_ Green replied. _ **"It's down to me to make an executive decision. Whatever happens, the children and grandchildren of everyone around this table will be exempt."**_ Frobisher closed his eyes in relief.

"Oh, sure, make sure all of your own children are safe but forget about everyone else's around the country and the world," Rose said bitterly.

 _ **"What about nieces and nephews?"**_ Denise asked.

 _ **"Don't push your luck,"**_ Green said firmly.

The woman gave him a disbelieving look. _ **"You seriously expect me to look my brother in the eye and tell him to just sacrifice his children over to aliens from outer space and what, give him a condolence card?"**_

 _ **"That's the responsibility of government, Denise."**_

 _ **"No, the first responsibility is to protect the best interests of this country, right? Then let's say it. In a national emergency a country must plan for the future and discriminate between those who are vital to continued stability and those who are not. And now that we've established that our kids are exempt, the whole principle of random selection is dead in the water anyway…"**_

The group in the Hub listened in disgust and horror as they watched the building blocks to the government fall apart, overlapping each other with furious remarks and debates over what their strategy would be. Denise took over to address her plan with the children criteria. She brought up the schools where every child attended, but not leaning towards the ones that focussed on students looking to become staff of the workforce such as medical personnel or factory workers. In her own words, she believed that the aliens should be given the children from 'failing' schools—ones filled with pupils that were less able and less socially useful, ones destined to spend a lifetime on benefits, occupying places on the dole queue and the prisons.

Rose balled her fists up in anger at what the woman was implying. She believed that those children were underachieving, worthless, people who wouldn't make striving contributions to society in general because of their lower intelligence. These pompous, small-minded, egotistical excuses of politicians looked down on those lives with such disdain, labelling them as meaningless and without purpose. She never saw people in that filtered lens. Every life was important and precious and fragile, to live on with their usual domestic lives, not to be stamped on the forehead with words of degradation because they don't meet the authority's level of high regards.

 _ **"Anyone want to speak against that?"**_ Green asked. None of the bureaucrats made eye contact with the Prime Minister. Frobisher appeared disgusted by the plan, as he and everyone should, but nobody uttered a rebuttal. Nothing.

"Someone say something," Rose whispered.

Everyone may have looked uncomfortable but no one objected. _**"There we have it,"**_ Green said. _ **"We have the criteria and selected the ten percent."**_

"God, help us," Alistair said quietly, his face hard.

"We've got enough evidence recorded here to destroy every person in that room," Gwen said.

"And we can use it to force our way into Thames House, finally get face-to-face with this thing," Ianto said. "Then release your family." Jack inhaled deeply, his his head bowed.

"Humans," the Doctor ground out through clenched teeth, his frustration rolling off of him in waves. "You are one of the most _amazing_ race of beings in the universe, have done so many brilliant things over the course of your history…and some of the most revolting and _terrible_."

Rose rubbed his back. "What's the plan, Doctor?" she asked softly.

"Like I said earlier, I still have to give them a chance to leave without any more trouble. We need to disclose the cabinet with everything we've recorded and keep them from making any more negotiations. So far they've only made things worse, but we need to come up with something clever and good as a plan of action to stop the Macra from absconding any more children."

"They've committed nothing short of treachery and perfidy," the Brigadier said. "That in itself makes treason the main alternative and not to be seen as unjust. I've got a few calls to make. I can send some more UNIT cars to bring John Frobisher, Andrew Dekker, and all of the cohorts into custody."

"Not Dekker," the Doctor interjected. "Not right away. I'd like a word with him. He's responsible for building the tank and you said I might've met him for only a second long ago, I'd like to catch up."

"Quite. Anyway, the others could be taken in easily. The Prime Minister would be more of a challenge."

The Doctor guffawed. "Oh, don't you worry, I can bring down his entire government within seconds by uttering a few words. But first I've got to make a call to someone who should know about this right away."

"Who's that?" Rhys asked.

He didn't respond as he barged into the TARDIS and shut the doors. The Brigadier asked to use the phone in Jack's office before slipping away to make his calls. He was telling soldiers to be ready to arrest Frobisher and asked for a company taxi to park in the Bay and take them to London. Rose mentally asked her husband who he was calling in the TARDIS, but all he told her was that he would let her know later if his phase worked.

Ten minutes later the Doctor emerged from the ship, appearing a bit smug. "It's done," he said. "Brian Green will be apprehended in about an hour or so. Well, the amount of time is unknown, really, but his time in office is limited from this point on."

"Who'd you phone?" Donna asked.

"Oh, just another old friend of mine. Where's Alistair?"

"Private Jenkins is on his way to pick us up," Alistair reported as he exited the conference room. "Luckily he was already about a half an hour away from the area monitoring other bases so the wait won't be long."

"What about Frobisher?" Jack asked. "What's his deal?"

"He will picked up soon. I informed the squads to locate that weasel Dekker and keep him from running away by the time we arrive. I also told the officers about your daughter and grandson being held hostage and reminded them to make Frobisher tell them where they're being held."

"What if he's lying? He's unwilling to co-operate with us at this point, he won't just spill it out."

"He's cornered," Rose said. "And even if he'd lie to us, Lois could let us know."

Alistair nodded. "Reliable as that woman is, I also told Colonel Oduya to send a few officers to John Frobisher's house to take in his family as well."

The Doctor didn't look pleased by that. "Alistair."

"Doctor, you know how I am," the Brigadier said, holding his hand out. "They won't be harmed or locked up in a cell with him or one at all. They'll just wait in the lobby area until further notice, nothing traumatizing or forceful. Just bringing them in for safety. Because if these aliens aren't meeting their standards and start getting nuclear, Lord only knows how that man will act knowing he was a part of it. We'll keep them all under our watchful eye."

The Doctor rubbed his chin for a moment. "Okay, that's not so bad. Just don't have any of them carry guns around the family. Bad enough they're involved in all this madness."

"Already taken care of."

"Right then, time to lay out our plan." He clapped his hands together. "Shall we gather in the conference room?"


	54. Disclosure

**A/N: As always, much love and many thanks to each and every one of you guys!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 52: Disclosure**_

Jack stood by the projection screen while the Doctor began to outline his plan. He mentioned the Macran wavelengths and how they weren't as traceable as a phone's, which would become a major part. He went on about how they required three different copies from inside the Thames—one from the Hub, one from the TARDIS, and one connected into Alistair's UNIT databases. Time and location were the two main keys, he constantly stressed that. Without any order the plan would unravel before them and make things more difficult than they already were.

"Now then," he continued as he paced, his attention to Ianto. "Once they trace the call you'll have to be in a different environment, one more open. Even though your current base here is pretty secure and preventable to any invasions—well, 'cept for myself if you could consider it an 'invasion' of some sorts—you'll need to carry out your copy and make sure they know that there's others lingering around in case they had thoughts about destroying your bit. Once they come to find you, make sure they take you to the base where Alice and Steven Carter are being held. That way, at that point, we can be able to pick you and Jack's family up."

"That could work," Ianto said with a nod.

"By yourself?" Donna asked incredulously. "Don't you need some company?"

"I don't mind, really."

"I can go with you if you want, partners in crime."

Ianto chuckled. "Sure, you can tag along."

"Uh, Donna," the Doctor interjected.

"C'mon, alien boy, we're all in this together. It's teamwork. Don't make me change my mind and come along with you."

He sighed. "Fine. Gwen, Rhys, you both stay here with Clem and keep an eye on him. Keep talking to Lois if you can, make sure she gets in position and does what we want her to do before the officials pick them up."

"What if I can't get Lois to agree to this?" Gwen asked.

"She hasn't let us down yet," Jack said confidently.

"And Rose," the Doctor said, holding her gaze levelly. "You'll keep an eye on everything going on in the TARDIS. I'm not condemning you inside of it," he said quickly when she opened her mouth and glared at him. "We'll need someone to control the phones and let Ianto and Donna know what's going on so that the number won't be traced."

Rose crossed her arms. "And what are you doing then? You'll be going by yourself in the Thames?"

"No, Jack and Alistair will come with me as we deal with the Macra," he said. "We'll head over and keep the entire building under lockdown since hell is about to break loose. The main targets being Frobisher and Green should already be out of there by the time we show up. As for Dekker, I've got some words for him. Everything should happen in its correct time, so everyone keep close eyes on your watches. What time is it now?"

"5:38pm," Alistair supplied, glancing at his watch.

"Alright. Everyone knows what to do? Let's get a move on, then." He exited the room first and turned to his old friend. "Cab's almost here, yes?"

"Should be here any moment," Alistair said. "I'll make a quick call."

The Doctor nodded, watching as everyone got themselves ready. In the corner of his eye he saw Rose still standing with her arms crossed, leaning against the TARDIS. He studied her, noting how hard she was staring him down. Rubbing his eyes, he walked over to her. "Rose—"

"You promised," she said firmly. "You swore that you weren't going to keep me locked up in the TARDIS—"

"And I live by that statement," he stressed, placing his hands on her shoulders, locking eyes with her. "I told you that I never intended that thought for you. But Rose, listen to me, you're an important piece in all of this. When have you ever not been, eh? No one else knows how to operate the TARDIS, and I need you to handle the Old Girl and monitor everything while I'm gone."

She bit her lip. "You're gonna give them a chance."

"I have to."

"What if they won't take it?"

"Hopefully it won't have to come to that. I know you want to come, but I need you here. You'll be safer here and pick us up and drop us off to where Alice and Steven are being held. That way we can shoot right over."

Rose took a deep breath, her form shaking a bit. He assumed she was cold again as expected. "Doctor, you said they're descendants of Macra, right?"

He frowned. "Yes. Why?"

"You said that they hypnotized humans to mine poisonous gases for food in the future." His eyes narrowed, trying to understand where she was going with this. "You'll be in the same room as them. What if…what if you get poisoned again?"

No wonder why she was trembling. She was afraid. The Doctor closed his eyes for a moment. "Rose, it'll be fine," he said softly.

"You said you were going to warn me if you were gonna head off somewhere that had deadly poison or radiation."

"It's _okay_ , Rose. I'll be fine. If they were to release any of that poison it wouldn't affect me; it was made by humans, so it's only toxic to _humans._ That's why Jack and I will be the ones to speak with it. He can survive anything. I can't risk Alistair coming inside the room with us so I'll have him evacuate the building in case." His hands raised up to cup her face, his voice lowering and his eyes softening. "And that's why I can't risk _you_ , Rose. You and…the baby." He inhaled a shaky breath, his thumb brushing over her cheekbone. "If any poison enters my system, I won't let any of it slip through to you if it proves to be harmful. Just stay here where it's safe. I'll let you know when you can come and pick us up, just follow the wavelength through our bond. Do that for me, Rose, please."

Rose shut her eyes and rubbed her forehead. He knew that she would want nothing more than to join him, but he needed her to pick him and Jack up after they dealt with the aliens. He never left her aside in any of his plans. She would always play an important role in all of them, and her safety was always his number one priority. And now with the fragile life beginning to grow within her, he wouldn't want any harm coming to either of them.

She finally nodded and he pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Thank you," he whispered.

"I'll go check the console's monitor and make sure it's still recording," Rose said, gesturing at the TARDIS.

"Okay." Dropping his hands from his wife's face the Doctor watched as she slipped into their ship. He turned around and saw Gwen coming back up the stairs to sit by one of the computers, appearing in a daze with her lip between her teeth. "You alright?" he asked gently.

"Sure," Gwen replied.

"I know this is hard, Gwen. It's risky, but it's to save lives. The _universe._ If you'd rather stay in a different place, you can. The TARDIS has shields and can protect you. Should anything happen, Rose can relocate."

"No, it's not that," the Welsh woman said, shaking her head. "This isn't the first time we've dealt with the end of the world. Comes with the job description."

The Doctor tilted his head. "Can't argue with that. Then what's the matter?"

"Just…something I've been thinking about."

"And what's that?"

Gwen didn't answer right away, looking pensive. She sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"There's always been one thing I meant to ask Jack back in the old days," she began. "I wanted to know about you and who you were. Both you and your wife—the Doctor and Rose Tyler. He hardly mentioned you two, but when he did…he had such respect and faith. You could tell he trusted both of you completely, and still does. The dynamic duo, he would say sometimes. You're the Doctor—the man who appears out of nowhere and saves the world and stops all the danger. Except there's times where you never showed up. All of those times in history when there was no sign of you. I always wanted to know why that was." She paused. "I know why. By everything's that's been happening in these last two days, and by what you even said earlier…sometimes you must look at this planet and turn away in shame."

The Doctor inhaled a deep breath, his eyes moving up to the high ceiling of the Hub. He wasn't expecting such a response from the Welsh woman.

"It's nothing like that, Gwen," he said softly as he pulled one of the empty chairs out and plopped down in it. His elbows rested on his knees, his fingers threaded together and his eyes still fixed above. "I've done some bad things over the years, too. It's not like I'm clean and have no blood on my hands. I've seen things that make every terrible act on this planet pale in comparison with all the wars and bloodshed. I've done things that could make this planet turn its back on _me._ Thing is…there's been times where I was more than disappointed with this planet. Even more instances that made me wish I hadn't stepped foot on this tiny planet long ago with the damned wars and disgusting acts humanity takes part in and creates with their egotism."

He paused and lowered his eyes down to his linked hands, lingering on his left wrist where his marital bracelet was, the corner of his mouth twitching upward and insides warming up.

"But then I look around and see someone or something that catches my attention, that reminds me that humans are amazing beings with brilliant minds. For all of the frustration and horror and every disappointing event that ever occurred in your history, I'm always coming to a stop and reminded that, with all of the terrible things that have ever happened by cruel people…there's an even greater amount of beautiful, smart, compassionate, all around _amazing_ people who inspire so many, who let their curious minds learn and teach others, who aren't the selfish, megalomaniac type." His eyes raised to look at Gwen, who was watching him in awe. "And that's _incredible_."

"Cab's here," Alistair announced, coming back into the computer station.

The Doctor slapped his knees and sucked in a breath. "Brilliant." He stood to his feet. "Shouldn't be that much darker by the time we get there."

"We've got the flags out to avoid any traffic. Best estimate arrival time should be no more than half an hour."

"Everyone ready?" Jack asked, throwing on his army coat.

"Set," Ianto reported. "Take care of that coat, will you?"

The immortal man grinned before giving the Welsh man a quick kiss. "But you always love sprucing it up."

"Then don't lose it."

The Doctor rolled his eyes at their exchanges before walking over to the TARDIS. Rose came right out before he could grab the handle and stood in the doorway, handing him his coat. "Thanks, love," he said as he put it on.

"Be careful," she told him.

"I will." He pressed an open palm to her cheek and brought her down for a kiss. It wasn't enough for her as she slid her arms around his neck and coaxed his lips open, something he couldn't resist as he deepened the kiss.

"Doctor," Alistair spoke up from behind. "I hate to break up your moment, but we have to leave now."

Breaking the kiss with a low groan he forced himself away from his wife, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone while she tried to catch her breath. "I'll see you later," he told her.

"Not if I see you first," Rose replied, pressing another quick peck to his lips before he stepped away and joined Jack and the Brigadier.

"Right then," he proclaimed, his attention going around the room at every member of the group. "Good luck, all of you. Allons-y."

He and his two friends left the Hub and made their way for the cab, carefully checking the area in case of any snipers. Jack made a comment about how concupiscent the Doctor was with Rose, even more now that she was pregnant with raging hormones. He chose not to respond to that and inwardly blushed by the time they walked along the Plas where the black taxi was parked.

"Evening, sirs," the young man said in the driver's seat.

"Ross Jenkins!" the Doctor exclaimed as they slid inside the car, him seated in the middle. "Good to see you again, lad."

"And you, Doctor."

"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack introduced with his usual charm.

"Stop it now," the Doctor warned.

The captain rolled his eyes. "Sitting next to you for a half hour should be fun."

"Keep those hands to yourself."

"Hey, we're both taken. What do you take me for?"

"Someone with no self control."

"Oh, what have I gotten myself into," Alistair muttered.

"Sir Alistair," Ross said to the Brigadier. "My superior informed me that there's a squad of men in position at John Frobisher's house."

"Tell them to proceed," the Brigadier said. "Nothing forceful, remind them. They're not to be harmed or feel threatened."

"Yes, sir. And what of the section inside the Thames, the ones with Colonel Oduya? Should I let them proceed with the apprehending?"

"Not yet. We must wait for the signal and then go along as planned."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Lois stood by one of the sinks in the ladies' washroom to take a quick breather before she went back inside the boardroom with Gold Command, some of the most powerful people in the United Kingdom's government, including the Prime Minister. Just looking at what she had been doing was enough to make anyone's nerves tremble. She was committing treason, committing career suicide. One too many times she fought the urge to run away from the world she found herself being pushed into. But running away from the issues weren't going to solve anything.

Looking at how dark the world was behind the sparkling doors she knew there never was an end to the tyranny. When she signed up for this job she never expected she would become an inside person and a double agent. But she was doing it to save people's lives. She had to keep reminding herself, but then she thought about the horrifying sight inside of that tank—that helpless child hooked up to those aliens. Its empty eyes and poor physique, its life literally being sucked out.

She blinked away tears, knowing that the group of people she had been helping were on the other end of the lenses. That was going to become the unpleasant fate for every other innocent child—three hundred and twenty-five thousand of them who did nothing wrong except being born in a cruel world with selfish power-hungry authorities with no regard of human lives and only reputations. It was sick.

A message began to scrawl across her eyesight, one from Gwen and Rose, it said. 'We can stop this, but we need your help,' it read.

Lois took a deep breath, her hands shaking as she picked up her bag, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn't back out of this. Too much was on the line. She was about to go to the boardroom and tell all the officials that she had been working behind their backs and helping an organization of people labeled as enemies on the execution list and an extraordinary man that has saved this planet countless times in the past. She nodded tightly and made her way out of the bathroom, ready to help save the world.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Rose exited the TARDIS and joined Gwen and Rhys at the computer station. Clem sat up on the couch, now fully awake. He appeared normal for the time being, which was a good sign. She stood behind them and watched the screens as Lois moved through the corridors of the building.

"Things are looking up," Rhys said. "When is she supposed to bring them all to the ground?"

"We have to wait," Gwen answered. "Everyone's in their places and there's specific times for each moment to happen. One mishap and it all turns to shit."

"They're in for the surprises, though," Rose remarked. "'Cause right after she lets them in on everything, the cavalry is gonna bust in and take them away."

"Good thing that husband of yours shakes hands with the law enforcement," the Welsh man said with a chuckle. "But who was that other person he called for the Prime Minister?"

She shrugged. "He wouldn't tell me. He just said he'd let me know when it was done."

"Must be someone really important," Gwen said, turning back to the computer screen. "Lois is headed to the boardroom. We should let her know that the men are on their way." She typed a message in the chat box. 'The Doctor and Jack are on their way to the building,' she typed.

 _"_ _'_ _Clem is awake and calm, and Lois just went inside the boardroom,_ _"_ Rose told the Doctor mentally.

 _"Brilliant,"_ he ground out. _"That should give us about…less than fifteen minutes until the officers take them away to the UNIT base. Make sure she exploits them before they arrive. Otherwise they won't know we're coming to deal with it and try to interfere."_

 _"They ain't trying. I gotta go tune in and see her work her action."_

 _"Keep me updated once the signal is made. I'll be seeing you soon."_

A half smile formed on Rose's face. _"You better be. Love you."_

 _"Always,"_ he said with sincerity, his smile able to be heard in his soft tone.

Turning her attention to the computer screen she, along with the others, watched as the bureaucrats circled the table, most of them still looking uncomfortable.

 ** _"We need a cover story to explain why the operation is happening and to encourage participation,"_** Frobisher said. _**"So the suggestion is we announce the children will be given some sort of inoculation—a jab to stop them speaking in unison. We stress that there's no immediate danger, that everyone will be seen in due course. Then when it goes wrong and the children disappear, we blame the aliens. Claiming innocence, we face the music."**_

 _ **"We say the 456 double-crossed us?"** _ one of the men asked.

 _ **"Fine by me,"** _ Rick commented. **_"It's the aliens' fault, and that's where the blame should lie, not with us."_**

 ** _"We play the part of naïve dupes rather than willing accomplices,"_** Frobisher added.

"Sure, just try to wash all that blood off your hands," Rose muttered bitterly.

 _ **"We're not willing,"**_ Green spoke up. **_"No one in this room is a willing accomplice. Thank you, gentlemen. Comments?"_**

He looked around the table, expecting anyone to begin opposing. No one did, including Lois. Gwen typed a quick message to the PA, reminding her that the Doctor and Jack were almost in position and that she needed to disclose everything they knew. The young woman briefly glanced to the side, letting them see that she was slowly beginning to raise her hand, timidly. "That's it," Gwen urged. Lois kept her eyes trained forward, but the politicians ignored her.

 ** _"This is going to take a hell of a lot of organization,"_ ** Rick mentioned. _**"We're going to have to tell the police to stand down and put the army in their place. We barely have time to talk, we need to get this thing moving. We're running out of options."**_

Green looked like he was ready to leave and still unaware that the young PA was raising her hand like she were invisible in that room. "No, no, no," Rose said, moving closer to the screen. "Don't make them leave, Lois, c'mon."

 ** _"Shall we reconvene at eighteen hundred?"_ ** Green asked.

 ** _"Excuse me?"_** Lois finally asked, drawing attention to herself for the first time. ** _"I have something to say."_**

 ** _"Lois, stop it,"_** Ms. Spears hissed beside her. Frobisher leaned over with a frown while the Prime Minister regarded her with a patronizing grin.

 ** _"Really?"_** Green replied dismissively _ **. "Well, it's nice that you want to make a contribution, Ms.…what was your name?"**_

 _ **"Lois, sir,"** _ the PA answered levelly. **_"Lois Habiba."_** She stood to her feet in a manner to make a stand against the pompous bastards.

 ** _"Well, thank you for your hard work, Lois,"_** the Prime Minister said in the same condescending tone that made Rose want to smack the man's smugness off his face through the screen. ** _"It's much appreciated but this really isn't the best time."_**

 ** _"I'm sorry, sir. I know I'm only supposed to be here to take notes, but I am still a voter."_**

 ** _"Listen, love, this isn't a referendum,"_ ** Rick told her with the same voice of superiority.

Ms. Spears stood from her seat, looking deeply displeased with Lois' display of what she would consider to be impropriety. **_"Lois, could I have a word outside?"_** she asked calmly, a sharpened edge to her tone.

 ** _"No, it needs saying,"_** Lois said, her confidence shining bright.

"Good girl," Gwen murmured.

Frobisher leaned over again. **_"Seriously, Lois, not now."_**

 _ **"I'm not just speaking on my own behalf."**_

 _ **"Oh, just what we need—a revolutionary,"**_ Rick sighed, exasperated.

 ** _"If you like, sir, that's what I am,"_** Lois challenged, turning to the man.

 ** _"Oh yeah?"_** the man derided. **_"You and whose army exactly?"_**

 ** _"Torchwood,"_** she replied. _ **"And the Doctor."**_

"Yes!" Rose exclaimed.

"Good girl!" Gwen cheered.

Silence fell over the boardroom. Frobisher appeared to be afraid for a few moments while the Prime Minister's eyes widened and he visibly gulped. **_"What?"_** he finally responded.

 ** _"Captain Jack Harkness and the Doctor have been recording all these meetings,"_** Lois continued, _ **"and everything that's been said around this table, every single word spoken by every single one of you will be made public, unless you do exactly what Torchwood and the Doctor say."**_

"That's it!" Rose said. "The signal!" She ran into the TARDIS and made her way to the console's phone and dialed Donna's number while at the same time mentally alerting her husband. _"She's done it, she told them."_

 _"Fantastic,"_ the Doctor drew out, his voice nearly sounding Northern.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Donna and Ianto wandered around the area until they came across a 'hideout'. It was an empty warehouse that had some good facilities and technology. The Welsh man was carrying the laptop with the lid shut until he and the redhead made themselves comfortable and slipped inside of a computer room. The redhead's phone began to ring and she hurriedly picked it up.

"Rose?" she said.

 ** _"Tell Ianto the signal was made,"_** the blonde told her. _ **"It's time to make the call."**_

"Right." They both hung up at the same time. Donna leaned back in her chair and nodded at Ianto. "Go 'head. Let's get some company around here."

He took out his phone and dialed the only number on his mind. It was risky but he knew that the officers who would trace the line would only be interested in him than the other person on the other end.

 ** _"Hello?"_** Rhiannon answered. She was up to her neck with children, he knew. But they were all in good hands.

"It's me," Ianto replied, sounding firm.

 ** _"Oh, I thought you couldn't call here. Is it all over?"_**

He shut his eyes. "It's only just beginning." He heard his sister's husband Johnny say something in the background but he ignored him and kept going. "Earlier today there was a column of fire over London, did you see it on the telly?"

 ** _"No, I was watching the other side,"_ ** she said sarcastically. ** _"Of course I did, you dumbo. What's happening? The kids said 'we are coming', and then, 'we are here'. Who's they? Who is it?"_**

"Just stop a minute and listen," Ianto told her, his authoritative Torchwood-voice making its first appearance. "They're from another planet. They want children, that's why they're here. It's the children. They want millions of them from all over the world."

 ** _"Why?"_**

Ianto took a deep breath. "Something terrible. But for the next few days, don't let anyone take David or Mica away from you. Whatever reason they give you, don't do it. Keep them with you. This also goes for you people listening in on the wire. Forget the Official Secrets Act. If you've got children or grandchildren you need to hear this, and you need to tell every parent you know." He paused. By now the officers already had his location on their trackers and were on their way. "Look, I've got to go. Don't let the kids out of your sight. I love you and them. I'm even warming to Johnny a bit."

 ** _"We love you too."_**

Then the line went dead and their connection was lost. Ianto pocketed his phone and took a seat beside Donna, both casually watching the proceedings with the politicians on the laptop. Their schedule was coming together perfectly when, only a moment later, a band of special ops officers burst into the building with guns trained on the two of them. They barely acknowledged the group and kept focussing on the laptop screen on the desk rather than the swarm around them. Finally, Donna turned to look at the head woman in gear, her expression cool.

"'Bout time you got here," she said. "We've been expecting you lot."

"On the floor!" the woman ordered. "Face down, hands on your head!" Donna and Ianto didn't budge. She narrowed her eyes at Donna. "Who the bloody hell are you?"

"She's with us," Ianto answered.

"Where's Harkness and Cooper?"

"Ways away from here. But tracking them down would be nearly impossible."

"'Nearly?'" Donna echoed. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. I'd say more along the lines of _really_ impossible."

"And now that you're here, you can take us to Alice and Steven Carter."

"You'll be in the very next cell," the woman snapped. "On second thought, maybe I'll just have you shot while resisting arrest."

"Bad idea," Donna snorted.

"Why?"

She nodded down at the laptop. "Look at what we've been recording."

Turning the laptop around for the group to see it showed the Prime Minister looking on along with the other politicians. The woman began to lower her gun with shock and disbelief before she listened in to what was being said in the boardroom.

 ** _"You're bluffing,"_** Green was saying. **_"How do you expect me to believe that nonsense?"_**

 ** _"I'm not kidding around, sir,"_** Lois said firmly. ** _"At this moment the Doctor and Captain Jack Harkness are in the MI5 building. So you're all going to stand aside and let them do their jobs as they deal with the 456 immediately. And…I think that's it."_**

The woman had no response. Donna spoke. "What she's telling them is that Gwen's husband has got all the recordings of that lot in there secretly agreeing to sacrifice millions of children to those aliens."

"Both him and the laptop are in a secret location," Ianto added. "He's ready to press 'send' at any given moment and tell the whole world about their little project. Unless you do what we say." He pulled out a chair next to him. "Take a seat. You'll learn something about the people you've been working for."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The boardroom had become a madhouse, buzzing with people debating and arguing while Lois stood back and watched the chaos unfold. She was feeling proud of herself that she had finally exposed them for all the revolting things they've been keeping from the public. At this point she was the least bit concerned about what would become of her or her career after this in its only worst case scenario. She was helping the rightful people, and had every right to feel better about herself. The Prime Minister had remained silent, watching all members of Gold Command.

"You're an accomplice," Rick ground out to her. "All this time! Working with _terrorists,_ trying to overthrow us in exploitation!"

"Who said that they're even terrorists—this Doctor and this Harkness," a man snapped. "It could all be an extreme act in an attempt to help us out."

The other man snorted in derision. " _Help_? In case you haven't realized, Mr. Barnes, Captain Jack Harkness and the entire Torchwood organization are fugitives to the law and renegades to society. For God's sake, they sent in a liability to record our private conversations and are trying to destroy everything the Prime Minister has built!"

"Surely you should know the definition of a terrorist who uses intimidation in the pursuit of political aims and takes actions against said establishments," Denise said.

"Far as from what we've known in the last two days, the only terrorists we've been dealing with are the ones in the Thames House," the man snapped. "They're the ones backing us against the wall with guns aimed directly at us, so to speak."

Denise stood to her feet, her hands flat on the table. "And how do you know for sure that _those_ men won't do the same? Who's to say that they won't hold us hostage along with the 456? We're far beyond our control now because the lot of us have dug ourselves too deep a hole and outsiders are ready to bury us!"

"Sit down, Denise," Green finally spoke up. "All of you, now." Everyone silenced and sat back in their seats, waiting for the man to continue. Lois did the same, ignoring the looks that Ms. Spears was giving her. "Now then. In such circumstances I would recommend trying to invoke damage assessment—"

"Bit too late for that!" Denise cut in.

"Denise, mind your opinions for the moment," the Prime Minister chastised. "Torchwood was more than enough of an issue to tackle, but now they've brought in this 'Doctor', who must be a threat to us as much as them." He turned to Frobisher. "John, you're the main government contact with Torchwood. Do you know anything about this man?"

Frobisher flustered, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Ah, well, I haven't seen him in person before but there are many stories about him, sir." He opened his briefcase and shuffled some papers, pulling out a manila folder. "The original Torchwood Institute was formed in 1879 by Queen Victoria to defend Great Britain from any alien threats. The Doctor was there in the beginning and was labeled as an alien of eternal interest from then on."

"He's a menace then!" Rick proclaimed. "A terrorist!"

"I assure you the Doctor is _not_ a terrorist, Mr. Yates," Frobisher said. "And he is not a menace, not on this planet as the records show. I must admit that he can be dangerous—"

"Then we shouldn't negotiate with him!" Denise cried. "If he's a potential threat as much as the other aliens—"

"One more outburst from you, Denise, and you'll be relieved of your duties," Green cut in sharply. The woman shut her mouth and sat back in her seat. The Prime Minister nodded and turned back to Frobisher, gesturing at him. "Continue, John."

"Yes, sir." He opened his folder and browsing through some paperwork. "As I was saying, the Doctor can be a dangerous man, but not to humans. To other species, he leaves storms in his wake, those with harsh intentions, such as the beings like the 456. Her Majesty Queen Victoria even put on record that the Doctor was the one responsible for her safety and escape from a creature in a royal castle. For his actions, both he and Rose Tyler—a fellow companion of the Doctor—were knighted before being banished from the land."

"What about other affiliations?" Green asked.

"He has spent several years as an employed scientific advisor to the Unified Intelligence Taskforce throughout the 1970s. While he is still on record as an affiliated ally he is not an active member to this day, but, on occasion, he is called in for additional help with certain matters given his extraordinary experience in the field."

"On the inactive list and still gets involved," one man remarked. "UNIT never used to allow things like that in the past."

"When it comes to the Doctor, he's an exception," Frobisher said. "His more recent involvement with UNIT was back in the spring of this year and helped them take care of the invasion of the Sontarans and the poisonings of ATMOS."

"How can we be sure he won't turn nuclear?"

Frobisher inhaled a deep breath. "Taking everything in his records into account, he is not someone to be flippant with."

"Who is this Rose Rolled you mentioned?" Green asked.

"Dame Rose Tyler has been a companion of the Doctor's for quite some time now. There have been sightings of the two of them together back in the 1800s in Cardiff, all of the witnesses reporting that the two of them were indeed 'quite fond of each other'. In one report from 1969 she and a man called 'the Doctor' were seen in London over the course of a month while trying to solve a case with an alien species. And, in a more recent report from UNIT, Rose Tyler spent eighteen months incarcerated by her captor Harold Saxon." People around the table quietly gasped. Frobisher cleared his throat. "This all, of course, would lead to the man's downfall. She sustained injuries and contusions in her time, but was rescued once the Doctor was able to take care of the situation and phoned UNIT to pick her up once he found her temporary undisclosed location."

"This woman must be special to him," Rick remarked.

He nodded. "All of the evidence supports that greatly. I mean this in every sense possible that the Doctor should not be trifiled with."

Green sat with a pensive look on his face, his hands still folded together. "This Doctor…" he finally said. "You said that he has many stories, yes?"

Frobisher nodded. "Centuries worth, sir."

"And he's had some disagreements with the government before."

"Uh, yes, he has."

Green shook his head. "I wouldn't turn a blind eye away from the idea that that man was responsible for the downfall of Harriet Jones."

"Sir, Harriet Jones resigned from her duties due to her mental health," one man said. "How could someone be responsible for that other than herself?"

"Conspirators."

Frobisher frowned. "Prime Minister, sir, if I may—"

"John, I thank you for releasing this information to me. Because I see now what we're dealing with. And you, Miss Habiba," Green turned to Lois. "Being an accomplice—a _traitor_ to your _own country_ —I have every right in my power to sentence you for _life._ "

Lois took a deep breath, her composure still intact. "I did what I could to save thousands of lives," she told him firmly. "And these people can help the situation before he gets more put of hand than it already is."

"We need to acknowledge them as people handling this case," one man said. "These aliens have us held at gunpoint, metaphorically speaking, and this Doctor is an expert with these, along with Torchwood. If this is our one chance at being able to stop these creatures I think it would be best if we co-operated with them and do as they say."

Green arched an eyebrow. "And what would happen if we refused their help?"

"Then everything gets made _public,_ Brian!" Rick replied fiercely. "Think about your reputation here! All of us! There has to be another way."

"I won't let everything I've created be tarnished. No man can assume such power without earning it like I have."

It was then the double doors leading to the boardroom were kicked open, making everyone in the room jump. A queue of UNIT officers piled into the room. Lois was confused. She never heard anything about additional personnel entering the building.

"What the hell is this?" Green snapped. "This is a private session for Gold Command! Who gave you the permission to barge in here?"

"The Brigadier," Colonel Oduya answered as he stepped through the surrounding wall of officers, his hands behind his back in an authoritative manner. "As I'm sure you're aware of, Prime Minister, Sir Alistair has been a longtime ally of the Doctor's for decades and is currently on his way into the building as well. You plan on going against the one organization and the one man who could end this battle in the right direction."

" _Right_ direction?" the Prime Minister parroted.

"They're the experts with the higher power. Let them handle it. Until then, you will be coming with us."

"Ex _cuse_ me?!"

"By order of the Queen, Brian Green, you will be taken into custody under the unjust act of treason."

" _Me_?" Green flustered angrily. "Lois Habiba is the one who committed treason and betrayed her country, not me!"

"That is true," Oduya concurred. "But her duties were to let the Doctor and Torchwood know everything that was going on in this room since you decided to keep everything from the general public."

"You can't do this to me! I'm the _Prime Minister_!"

"From what the Doctor and the Queen believe, not for long. Take him away."

Lois' eyes widened when two officers moved to put handcuffs on Green and took him out of the room. She knew the Doctor was a person with high authority, but she never knew he could be responsible for making the Prime Minister resign.

"John Frobisher," Oduya went on. "Lois Habiba, come with me."

Frobisher gaped. "Augustus—"

"Your family were taken to the UNIT base not too long ago."

He gasped. "What?"

"They are safe in our hands. Because with everything you've done so far with negotiating with the 456, protocols had to be made to ensure you and your family have protection. Once the 456 are dealt with, the Doctor will like to see both of you and have some words to say. Please, both of you come with us. And everyone else in this room will stay put until further notice."

"What for?" Denise asked indignantly.

"Orders from the Doctor. No one is to leave this room and are to keep their eyes on the tv sets."

"We're his _prisoners_!"

"Far from it, ma'am. The Doctor isn't the enemy."

Lois exchanged a look with her boss, who looked very remorseful as he stepped forward to be taken away. Lois followed on trembling legs. Colonel Oduya pulled her aside to speak to her quietly.

"You did what you had to, Miss Habiba. Now the Doctor will be able to take over from here."

"Children would be taken away if I didn't," she told him.

"Not now. The real experts are coming in, and the situation will be handled properly. Come."

She was escorted out of the room with the swarm of UNIT officials, feeling confident in herself. It was almost over.

* * *

 **Response to _newboy_ : Good eyes, dude ;) Thing is when they bonded she _did_ see everything but over nine hundred plus years of events entering another mind doesn't guarantee you'd remember _every_ thing. But yeah, Davros is one of them. Good questions. 1). I haven't given too much thought about the Daleks yet, but it's a good thought. And they'll be some changes happening during that. 2). He might, but by that time he'll be so fierce and his mind is gonna be racing so fast with what'll happen around him. We'll see. Thanks again ;D**


	55. Cornered

**A/N: Been out of commission for the last four days, mind my anxiety.** **As always, much love and many thanks to you awesome viewers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 53: Cornered**_

Donna and Ianto had to admit—at least the redhead did—that this part of the plan was a bit annoying, but it was important that they be in this location. Their cell where the lead officer woman—Johnson—told the other lackies where to drop them off was in their sights. Ianto came to a stop when he noticed the two other occupants in the cell. Jack's daughter and grandson in the living flesh. He stared in awe. Alice had a strong resemblance to her father, it was chilling. Even little Steven, who looked no more than twelve, had a small glimpse of Jack in him. Jack never spoke of his family or his personal life, but Ianto knew that he had loved these two dearly.

"Move it!" the officer behind them ordered, shoving them inside the cell.

"Oi!" Donna yelled. "Easy with the hands, Snake Eyes!"

The officer locked the cell door once they made it inside before leaving to stand outside the second layered entrance. The cell wasn't too large and space was limited, but at least there was a bench on the other side across from the small cot where Alice and Steven sat. Donna took a seat first followed by Ianto. He was still staring at them, which he knew was a bit rude on his part since he wasn't even uttering two words to them, but he couldn't help it.

"Hello," Donna said gently. "So, I know you probably weren't expecting company in here, but I'm Donna, and this is Ianto. You're Alice and Steven Carter, yes?"

"You must be Torchwood," Alice surmised. "No one else would come into this cell unless they were police officers in this place."

"I'm not," Donna clarified. "But Ianto is. He works with your—"

"Jack," Ianto cut in after clearing his throat. Little Steven had no idea that Jack was actually his _grandfather_ instead of his uncle, so he needed to make sure to keep that information secured. "I do, I work for Jack. Donna here is helping us out. He called in some good friends of his—the Doctor and Rose."

"So that's what he meant when he said he called in some extra hands," Alice said. "He needed others to come in to help him with those aliens and the kids."

"We need all the help we can get, Alice. And we're very close to ending all of this, trust us. We're going to get both of you out of here as soon as possible."

The woman snorted with incredulity. "Nice plan. How are you going to do that? You're both locked up in here and there's guards out there holding guns. No one else even knows where we're at."

"Not yet," Donna said with a small smile. "The Doctor is a smart man. Okay, he's an idiot most of the time, but he's brilliant. Both him and Rose. And they're going to come here and pick us up along with Jack. They're coming for you, we promise."

Alice sighed. "I'm almost afraid to ask about your plan since it involves him in it. Something dangerous I'd imagine."

Ianto shrugged. "Not…necessarily. Right now Jack and the Doctor are about to speak to the aliens that have been possessing the children. Once they're done they're going to speak to Frobisher."

"What for?"

"He was the man being used as a puppet by the Prime Minister," Donna explained. "But the Doctor has a lot of reliable friends in UNIT who should've taken him away by now. They'll pay him a quick visit and let him tell them where you're being held prisoner that way they can come right over and get us all out."

"Are you sure that would work?" Alice asked. "There's no way the guards would just let them pass through."

Ianto grinned. "They're very good with doors and sneaking in."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Ross pulled the cab over on the sidewalk by the Thames House and the Doctor and Jack barely wasted any time until they barreled out of the vehicle while it was still moving. The former went to the driver's side window and ducked his head in. "Thanks for the ride, Ross. When next we meet I'll put in a good word about your driving skills."

"What about you, Doctor?" the young man asked. "Won't you need a lift when you're done?"

"Sorry, me boy, but my wife is handling that. Don't wanna keep her waiting until then. She comes at the right times."

Ross smiled and nodded. "Give Miss Tyler my best."

The Doctor clapped a hand on his shoulder with a small smirk before hurrying up the steps. Rose had sent him a mental note telling him that the extra squads of UNIT officials came in and took the Prime Minister away. He was disappointed in the man. He was offering him a chance to do the right thing and work together since they both have the same intentions with the Macra. While the government's plans were more radical and less thought of and downright disgusting, he still believed they should have taken their chances and allowed him to work with them.

Choosing egos over rational thought. That was very political.

She also informed him that Frobisher and Lois were taken back to the UNIT base for protection, which was relieving to him. That young woman sacrificed a lot to help them out in a situation where all she could have done was ignore their presence and move on with her life. She was brave and he admired that. As for the Home Office Secretary, he had some words to exchange with him. He was still responsible for being a part of the conspiracy even though it was the Prime Minister who used him as a pawn. Queen Lizzie would be very busy over the next couple days after leading about everything her government was hiding from even herself.

Telephones were ringing off the hook in every room they walked past with authorized personnel trying their hardest to give any explanations. What was with this country and their paranoid governments? He'd think they would have learned from their past mistakes, but evidently it was one domino after another until the entire system fell. He wanted to barge into the boardroom where the remaining members of Gold Command were and give them all a good piece of his mind, but they weren't worth it right now. He would let them watch the television sets to see how to handle the situation.

"The whole building is secure," Alistair said. "Gone on lockdown."

"This species is heartless and cares little for human life as it is and would take all of them out to get what they want and prove their points," the Doctor ground out.

Jack snorted in derision. "Sounds like the government itself. Must be why they got along all these years."

The halls around the corners and secondary routes were cluttered messes with piles of construction items littering the ground, from metal beams to thick sheets of glass. One of the rooms appeared to be a laboratory filled with tubes and canisters of various chemicals, causing the Doctor to skid to a stop. In the far back of the room was a man in a white lab coat and a set of hearing equipment by his ear as he stood in front of a large bleeping screen and a surveillance video of the room containing the glass case with the Macra.

"That's him," Jack spoke up quietly. "Dekker."

"Then I should introduce myself," the Doctor said as he strode into the room with the others on either side of him.

Andrew Dekker turned around as they approached and removed his headset. "Alistair?" he said in disbelief. "And…Harkness?" He chuckled. "Haven't seen you in decades. Still look the same from how I remember."

"I moisturize every day," Jack replied. "Since we're all catching up, I'd like you to meet a good friend of ours." He nodded at the Time Lord. "Andrew Dekker, I believe you've met the Doctor before."

Dekker frowned. "A doctor? What kind of doctor? What's your field?"

"Everything," the Doctor answered. "I'm the Doctor, the Time Lord who's been affiliated with UNIT since the early 1970s."

"Late 1960s is more like it," the Brigadier muttered.

He waved his hand dismissively. "To-may-to, to-mah-to."

The technician blinked. "Doctor?" he said, surprised. " _The_ Doctor? But…how? You look…"

"He changes his faces every once in a while," Alistair said impatiently.

"Try not to make a habit out of it," the Doctor put in. "But, more to the _really_ important facts here, you were there when the 456 first landed on Earth, correct?"

"Y-yes, I was," Dekker replied shakily. "Alistair and Jack can vouch for me on that."

"And you aided them by supplying the equipment and technology so advanced needed for a subspace transmat?"

The man twitched. "None of my superiors believed I wasn't good enough or skilled enough to get it done."

Jack smiled ruefully. "Oh, ho, look who's trying to score brownie points. How could you get away with that? Torchwood has technology way beyond your standards."

"Please, I hacked into the software system and stole some of the technology, you twit," Dekker snarked. "How else could I require it? It wasn't like I could ask you properly."

"That's enough out of you, Dekker," Alistair snapped. "As far as scientific visionaries, you're barely scraping the bottom of the barrel."

"I beg your pardon, sir?"

"Any blighter could slide right in for the job you took over for all these years. Frankly, all you've achieved is a resignation notice on your desk first thing tomorrow morning for stealing valuable and beneficial private technology for your own needs."

Dekker shook his head, mouth open ready to give an answer, but the Doctor cut him off with a raised hand and a challenging look.

"Thing is, Mr. Dekker," he said in a low serious voice. "You've been caught in the middle of a battle between a selfless species and a group of authoritative figures in the cabinet who have conspired against your Queen, have kept vital information of your history secret for over four decades with the first encounter, and to make matters even worse have planned to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of children who will be used as a source of drugs for stimulants, not to your knowledge."

"Drugs?" the man asked. "You mean it wanted all those children…for a hit?"

"Chemicals in a young growing human's body, stimulating enhancements to Macran descendants."

Dekker frowned. "Macran? That's what they are?"

The Doctor nodded slightly. "In origin. They're descendants from the Macra, a more devolved generation of the race. More specifically from the predator breed known for using humans as slaves just to keep them alive. And if we don't stop them right now then more innocent lives will become empty husks with every juice sucked out of them." The hardness in his voice made the man shift uncomfortably. At this point he didn't care. "You were the architect that built the tank containing them, correct?" he continued.

"Yes, sir," Dekker answered, bringing over the blueprints with detailed directions and measurements. "My earliest guesses as to what it was when I first began creating it was that it was an extra large breathing apparatus for the Macra. It was very specific with the certain chemicals needed inside the atmosphere—twenty five percent nitrosyl chloride, twenty two percent hydrogen chloride, twenty percent nitrogen, twelve percent fluorine, nine percent hydrogen cyanide, six percent acetone, and six percent phosgene."

"Nice cocktail," Jack commented.

"The ideal atmosphere for Macra," the Doctor mused, rubbing his chin. "Have you run any further scans on them? Blood tests?"

"No," Dekker said. "The chemicals are so strong and fatal when inhaled directly."

"Why not use protective gear?" Alistair asked. "You let that cameraman inside."

"We were too afraid to go inside ourselves," he admitted. "Even that young man was reluctant to step inside the tank to get a look of the aliens. If this was the stuff of nightmares, then I wouldn't be able to sleep at night."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "None of the families of all of those _children_ wouldn't be able to sleep at night if we didn't do anything to stop them."

"Andrew, we have every private session of Gold Command coming up with their strategies on how to deal with the Macra," Jack mentioned. "Everything said in there is in our possession." Dekker's eyes widened. "Everything kept secret will be made public if we don't handle this right away. But with the way the cabinet refused our offer to help, it seems we have no choice."

"We need every second of what happens in that room recorded and broadcast at the right time," the Doctor went on. "Because the public needs to know about this. Even Her Majesty. 'Course, I already phoned Lizzie earlier and caught her up to speed with everything that's been happening with the cabinet and the current situation, so I wouldn't be too surprised if she sends one of her grandsons over to pick up the footage themselves."

"I can set up the recording system," Dekker said, gesturing at his station. "All of the cameras are connected to ports in every television in the building."

"Brilliant. Come on then, let's not keep the unwelcomed guest waiting."

While Dekker prepared the equipment for the recording process the Doctor walked outside and began to pace, a hand going through his hair. He chose the time to check in with his wife to see how she was doing back at the Hub. _"This Dekker bloke, as Alistair had described him so thoroughly, is a weasel. Turns out he stole some Torchwood tech a long time ago in order to use it for the subspace transmat."_

 _"Why am I not surprised?"_ Rose replied.

 _"He's also recording what happens inside the room to go along with our copies of the footage. We'll have it redirected to the TARDIS to keep."_

 _"Good. I'll be ready for you."_

He clicked out when he saw Alistair exiting the room, appearing a little fatigued. Understandably, of course. His dear friend was getting older and still remained in the job title where others his age would have retired by now. Not that it stopped him from going, though. The day that the Brig walked away from this life would be the end of the world.

"We're almost ready to proceed inside, Doctor," Alistair said. "I could evacuate the entire building with this if necessary." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a remote of some kind with a red button on it.

The Doctor frowned. "Er…sorry, but w-what does that do, exactly?" he asked.

"Special quadrupled alarm system connected to every wire in the building," Alistair explained. "Some of the fellow officers hooked it into the walls and security programs when they first arrived, thus giving every room with a computer the alert to evacuate as soon as possible."

A slow smile appeared on the Doctor's face. "Oh, brilliant idea."

Alistair pocketed the device with a smile of his own. "You're not the only tech master involved with UNIT, you know. Learned from the best."

He shrugged, false-modest. "Weeeell…good thinking ahead, but I don't think it'll be needed right now."

"Dekker has just a few more adjustments to make to the equipment and then we'll be set to go inside to speak to the blighters."

"Not 'we', just me," the Doctor said. "Well, just me and Jack, I should say. I won't risk you going inside, Alistair. It's too dangerous."

The other man arched an eyebrow. "I've known you for nearly five decades and have been involved with UNIT even longer. I should think you would know the limits I can withstand by now."

"This is where the list stops. This species is Macran in origin, Alistair— _Macran_. You've dealt with that lot before and know what they're capable of doing. Inside their tank is a mixture of poisons that could kill humans, and if we hit a nerve—which is exactly what we're going to do—they'll release it in the air vents throughout the whole building."

"Then just block them off from any resources."

The Doctor rubbed his eyes. He always had the deepest respect for his old friend, but the man was stubborn and persistent. Not this time though. "Please, Alistair, you need to get out of this building effective immediately. I'm saying this kindly."

"Shockingly, I might add," the Brigadier replied.

"Yes, I know, I'm always rude. Rude and not ginger, yes, that's never changed and never will. But I'm telling you this for your own good. Just get out and head back home to Doris. This is almost over and, if everything goes well, I'll be meeting you for tea later on."

"And not monitor what's going on? I must say, Doctor, you're getting feeble in your old age."

"Macra are not ones to have reasonable conversations with, and most definitely not this devolved type. Anything could happen in there, and it's solely the reason why I told Rose to stay behind. I won't—no, I _can't_ risk her or our unborn child to be subjected in this environment. And that goes for you too." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, his tone softening. He didn't need to say it, but it was just in case. Worst case scenario, not that he wanted to think about it. "Listen…the wire is tapped into your laptop and connected to UNIT. If something goes wrong, then I'm leaving this in the hands of UNIT—"

"We both know that won't happen, Doctor," Alistair interrupted. "You're a remarkable man and you always have been through each of your faces. You and I both know that you'll fix this and make it out alive. When it comes to your wife you'd walk knee-deep through fire and wreckage in order to save the universe and her. And now for your unborn child."

The Doctor sighed, his eyes slipping shut. "Okay, fine. You can stay. You can keep an eye on Dekker and watch our confrontation in the lab. When this is all over with I promise to drop you off at home."

"Only if you stay for a little bit, Doctor," the Brigadier said. "I'll be sure to have some brandy for you when you come over. Just don't park the TARDIS in the garden again. Doris still hasn't forgiven you is ruining her prized bed. Don't think you'll get out of more garden work."

"I'll water the daffodils with care." He extended his hand for the Brig to shake. "Thank you, Alistair."

"Good luck, old friend," Alistair told him before they headed back into the lab room where some tv sets were hooked up and on.

"Almost set, Doc," Jack said from the side.

"One second," he replied. He pulled out a piece of paper and a pen to quickly scribble down the low-level number to the TARDIS connected to the Torchwood software to obtain the footage of their confrontation with the Macra. He then walked over and handed it to Dekker. "I need you to redirect the live tv feed to this number as well. Can you do that?"

Dekker nodded. "I can, sir."

"Good. Now then, Macra are known for their poisonous air supply so they're going to attempt to release it throughout the Thames."

"But this building is designed to withstand biological or chemical attack," the man said.

"Not through the venting systems." The Doctor whipped out his sonic and dashed over to a control box and ran it over the panel, causing it to spark. "There we go. Something to blow up in their faces. Metaphorically, that is. They're cornered." He turned to Jack. "You ready?"

The immortal man nodded. "Let's crash the party."

Dekker pressed a few buttons, giving them the thumbs up that the recording had begun. The Brigadier stood on the side and watched. The Doctor exited the room with Jack, moving to the large double doors leading into the room with the Macra. He pushed them open and swaggered in, his coat tails flowing behind his feet. Jack was right beside him, coming to a stop when they were facing the tank in the dimly lit room. The Doctor reached for his sonic and aimed it at the bottom corner where a plug was, the foggy appearance in the tank filtering and illuminating. The alien responded by thumping its tail against the glass surface with a snarl followed by green liquid splattering on the three panels.

"Oh, sorry," the Doctor said unapologetically, tucking away his sonic and burying his hands in his pockets. "Didn't mean to wake you up. Well, not really. Can't imagine anyone sleeping easily around here."

"What is the meaning of this?" the alien demanded in a deep voice.

"You should already know that," Jack said before addressing themselves. "I'm Captain Jack Harkness. I've dealt with you lot before long ago. And this," he gestured at the Time Lord, "is the Doctor. And he's here to explain to you why, this time, you're not getting what you want."

"You yielded in the past."

"But _I_ didn't," the Doctor replied, his tongue pressing against the back of his top row of teeth. "Macra." The three heads moved around in the light, their attention directed onto him. "What, didn't think anyone could figure it out?" he added smugly, taking a step forward. "Sure, there are thousands upon thousands of species in the universe who are hypnotic bottom feeders on the evolutionary food chain in between the years one billion and thirty-nine trillion alone, but narrowing down wasn't too hard given your intentions with the children being used as stimulants."

"The hit is good," the alien said. "Chemicals are good."

His brows shot up, his voice fierce. " _Good_?" He nodded at the tank when the sight of the helpless child hooked up to the ventilator came to his view, disgust once again churning in his gut. "That was a child, a _human being._ An innocent life filled with _meaning_ and _purpose,_ and what did you do? Sucked every ounce of life out of them! That's not living, that's not even purgatory!"

"They do not argue or fear."

"That's because your kind have no heart. Or functional eyes to even see the pain you've caused."

"They were not missed when they came with us."

"They did not come to you willingly; they were _hypnotized._ But you see, that's the one thing you had in that last time you came to this planet. I wasn't here. I was too far away, but had I been around then the circumstances would have ended differently than what history has written."

"Explain."

The Doctor sucked in a breath, his hands still in his pockets as he slowly paced in front of the tank.

"In situations like this, I've found that there's an old, useful saying: 'an injury to one is an injury to all.' Now, your kind have been around a long time, as have I, and I know what goes through your minds when you look at these humans. They may _seem_ petty and small. Hell, there's so many advancements in technology they haven't even stumbled across yet with interstellar travel through galaxies or even anything so simple as anti-gravity playgrounds." He stopped pacing, a proud smile on his face. "But I'll tell you what they do have—tenacity. That strong will that keeps them going with curiosity and determination. 'Course, that gets them into a lot of trouble, that one vice of humans being stubbornness with their power-hungry governments starting wars over pieces of lands or the smallest drop of oil, but that aside…they have spirit. The will to achieve their goals and to put their brilliance to good use for travelling in outer space and wondering what lies behind their moon and sun and sky, to curing diseases enough to wipe out the whole planet, to fight and _survive._ That's what makes them _giants._ And that, according to that philosophy I've mentioned, is what makes the human race one of the finest species in the universe."

Through his entire speech he could feel his wife's mental nudges of approval with everything he's said. For that alone he knew he got his point across. It was one he would gladly explain for hours on end.

"To put it plain and simple," Jack chimed in. "What he's saying is that you're not getting one solitary, single child. No deal."

"Jack, I wasn't finished," the Doctor muttered.

"Sorry, Doc, but you have a habit of going off topic."

"You yielded in the past," the alien said. "You will do so again."

"The numbers were so small in the past that they could be kept secret," Jack replied. "But that's not going to happen this time because we've recorded everything. All the negotiations, everything the politicians said, everything that happened in this room. Those tapes will be released to the public."

"You yielded in the past. You will do so again."

"When people find out the truth, you will have over six billion angry human beings taking up arms to fight you. That might be a fight you think you can win, but at the end of it, the human race in defense of its children will fight to the death."

"Which is why we're offering you a chance," the Doctor said. "Just one chance to leave this planet without making another fuss. As long as you never return."

The alien's heads swirled around slowly, cocking to one side. A low guttural sound came from it, sounding like an amused chuckle. "This is fascinating, isn't it? The human infant mortality rate is twenty-nine thousand one hundred and fifty-eight deaths per day. A child dies every three seconds. The human response is to accept and adapt."

"That may be so, but unlike those deaths, which are full of grief and pain and in most cases preventable, they are _not_ the after effects of a malicious alien race holding an entire planet hostage." The Doctor kept his glare on the tank as he approached it. "Everything you've done is enough to start a war, and not one you can win if that's what you're thinking."

Silence followed, the tension still rolling off thick as the alien watched him carefully. "Then let the fight begin," it replied.

A hissing sound followed, but then something inside the tank sparked and caused the alien to thrash inside its smoke. It snarled in anger, thumping its stinger against the glass. A complacent crooked grin appeared on the Doctor's face as he sniffed.

"Sorry," he said in the same tone as he had when he first addressed the creature, with no sympathy. "You lot may get a kick out of poisoning others with your hypnotic telepathic feeds and viruses, but you never counted on me to get in the way."

"What is the meaning of this?" the alien roared. "You wanted a demonstration of war!"

"No, I'm always here to _stop_ the fighting, not _urge_ it. I simply managed to close off every single air vent in this building before we entered the room. Never said that, did I? Huh. Oh well, no damage done. You may be billions of light-years away from your home, but not even your predators can put all three of your heads together with your technology. Just seems like someone else knows more about it then your future generations ever will." He chuckled quietly, full of mirth. "You're cut off from everything."

"Impossible," the alien said. "Our kind will destroy the human race within minutes!"

"Just look at yourselves," the Doctor ground out, shaking his head in disgust. "All hopped up on the endorphins and chemicals of innocent _children._ What happened to your species, you've devolved in your evolutionary chain! Don't you lot even consume methyl iodide out of propane reservoirs on your planet anymore? Oh, no, you're a part of the last Macran conglomeration, aren't you?"

"Yes," the alien finally responded after a moment.

"And what happened to the others? My best guess would be cold turkey. Your number one source of survival being your propane filtered out and left you to resort to the only other drug source being the human race, is that right?" Again, no answer. His patience was wearing thin, his fury only rising higher as did his voice. "Isn't it?"

"We were," it replied. "We were sent here to retrieve the source. Many died through the transmat from deprivation. Which is what you have intentions of doing!"

"There's still a way for you to live without harming anyone else on this planet," he ground out. "There are various places in the universe that can help you gain a healthy life, to get all the help that you need."

More splattering liquid and heavy slamming of limbs whacked against the case, but the Doctor didn't flinch. "This world is ours to do with what we want! And what we want is our hit!"

"This is not your world to abuse! These human beings were never born to become your slaves! You've wreaked havoc on my adopted home, and I will defend it with all my power."

"You do not have the authority!"

"I have all the authority _in the universe_!" the Doctor roared, stepping closer towards the tank until his fringe pressed against the surface, his glower so intense it could burn through the thick plexiglass while his voice thundered throughout the room. "I'm the Doctor, the last of the Time Lords, and the highest authority you'll ever meet. I can already see that you're looking to withdraw. This battle that you're creating is one of futility. I will only say this one more time—stop this and leave in peace. You're cut off from all facilities and haven't the slightest chance of winning. Know why? Because I know what humanity achieves in their history, touching the stars and spreading across the galaxies to explore. And do you know where you're at? Exactly where you came from—in the dark, millions of miles below civilizations. Not fit to live in a decent society. Get a history book, look me up, and find out who you're facing. I'm being kind right now. I'm offering you one last chance. Get off this planet. _Now_."

His insides were shaking. Not out of fear, out of anger. This creature was testing his patience and trying to outdo him, but they needed to know that they were dealing with the Oncoming Storm. Just looking over at the poor child hooked into the ventilator with their eyes wide open, blank and almost lifeless, made him sick. Rose entered his mind, briefly, trying to calm him down before he blew more steam. He was hoping that this alien would take his offer to leave without any consequences or causing anymore trouble.

"We're waiting for your reply," Jack spoke up from behind.

"Decision has been made," the alien said. "Action has been taken."

An odd noise erupted through the air, causing the Doctor to let out a wail of pain. He stepped away from the tank with his eyes clamped shut and his hands covering his ears. It reverberated through his mind, an unpleasant clamor that sounded like high pitches and screeching. The force was so strong it made him drop to his knees, nails digging into his scalp.

 _"Doctor!"_ He heard Rose whimpering through their bond and inwardly cursed. Telepathic frequency. She could feel it and it was shaking through her system as much as his.

 _"Rose! I can't block it out!"_

 _"It hurts!"_

"What the hell's that noise?" Jack asked over the annoyance. It wasn't affecting him as badly as he knelt beside the Doctor. "What's it doing?"

"Increased frequency," the Doctor ground out through clenched teeth. His head was pounding, as if he stuck his head in a washing machine. He let out a curse, feeling the pain claw at him.

"Stop this!" Jack yelled.

"The remnant will be disconnected," the alien replied.

"Remnant? Clem?"

"It's the psychic link," the Doctor said, his eyes opening to see a dial on the tank fluctuating wildly. "They're going to try to kill him!"


	56. Reverberations

**A/N: For those of you that follow me on tumblr, I've changed my name to _goodtobealunatic._ My name won't change on here, but it will on other sites. ****Thanks again, faithful viewers! And Happy Valentine's Day! *throws hearts and chocolate all around* ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 54: Reverberations**_

Rose was standing in the TARDIS console room, frozen with her hands over her ears while the unpleasant sound pierced through her head. The unbearable noise made her let out a quiet whimper and her insides tighten, causing her to fall back into the jump seat. She had been following her husband's wavelength through their bond and sonic to get his exact location's coordinates inside the building for when she can come pick them up. She was also disgusted by what the aliens in the Thames and how stubborn they were during the negotiation with her husband and best friend. They were given a chance to leave without causing more of an uproar on this planet, and by the looks of things they were rejecting it. Bloody bastards.

The sound kept echoing in her ears and throughout her mind, causing a slight burning sensation to manifest on her forehead. It felt like a hot knife, the heat never letting up. It made her gasp quietly but she fought through it when she contacted her husband about it. He tried to soothe her but he couldn't block out the racket. Her eyes shot open when she heard what the Doctor said was happening.

"Clem, talk to us!" Gwen was yelling outside in the computer station.

"Turn it off!" Rhys hollered.

Rose ran out of the TARDIS with her hands still over her ears. Clem was clutching his head while the Welsh couple tried to help him.

"What's wrong?" Gwen asked. "Tell us!"

"It's the aliens!" Rose cried in horror. "They're disconnecting the link!"

"What?" Rhys said.

Clem's body began to thrash and convulse, blood beginning to drip from his ears and nose. He fell to the ground and the Welsh woman grabbed his arm while Rose moved over to kneel beside him on the couch.

"Can't it be stopped?" Gwen asked.

Rose shook her head sadly. "I don't know!" She placed a hand on her forehead, the pain increasing. "God, it hurts," she whispered, mainly to herself.

"You okay?"

"I feel the frequency. It's terrible!"

Clem opened his mouth and began to belt out an agonizing scream, getting louder each second. Soon the shrieking died down and Rose felt her mind easing up from the disturbance. The man let out a groan and stopped his struggling, his body slumping in Gwen's arms.

"Clem?" the Welsh woman said quietly.

"Is he…dead?" Rhys asked.

Rose opened her eyes and inwardly gasped. She reached over and placed two shaky fingers on the man's neck. What she expected to be a lifeless body still had a pulse. Her eyes widened. "He's alive," she whispered. "He's still alive."

"How?" Gwen asked. "I mean, that's a relief, but how did he survive?"

"I think the Doctor had something to do with it. He knew they would try to kill them."

"But _why_ did they try to kill him?" Rhys asked incredulously. "He hasn't done anything."

"Because these aliens are hostile and heartless," Rose replied. "They turned down the Doctor's offer, so they wanted to send him a message by trying to take another innocent life. But they don't know what they're dealing with now."

Rose felt nauseated the more she stared at Clem's body and set him down to lay properly on the couch. The poor man did nothing wrong and he was almost murdered by a maniacal lobster in a tank. Thankfully the Doctor was a step ahead of them and was able to protect the man. It needed to be stopped before more people fell prey to its predatory nature. She knew her husband would be the one to do it.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Jack somehow resisted the urge to pull out his pistol and start taking a few shots at the tank where the alien was contained. The bastards were doing nothing out of the ordinary than what they had done back then—lying and deceiving those around them, doing things their own way and rejecting offers. He should have known that would happen but having the Doctor present during the negotiable would be more convincing for the creatures to do as he says. Especially him. Apparently they had no idea of what they were dealing with.

He turned to look at the Time Lord, seeing him recover from the frequency attack. He helped him to his feet and saw that his eyes were black, fury and anger swirling deep down. It had been a long time since Jack had seen such darkness lingering in the other man's eyes. Well, if he was being honest and more observant, he would say that it wasn't as dark a look than what he had witnessed almost two years ago when a certain psychotic Time Lord had taken away the one love of the Doctor's life and made her a prisoner, had done vial things to her, even went so far to hold her at gunpoint and pull the trigger. He could still remember the crack of thunder when it rang through the systems that day and the cries of despair from the man beside him.

There was a dark, dangerous look in his eyes that day. Now though, it wasn't as thick as it was that day, but it was still piercing enough.

"You refused to take my offer?" the Doctor asked, his voice sounding calm, but Jack knew he was anything but.

"Action has been taken," the alien replied. "The remnant had been disconnected. The world is ours!"

He growled. "Then what comes next will be on your heads. Remember that you will be responsible for what happens to you."

He was still, his form level. It was eerie how Jack could still see and hear the Doctor's previous self leaking out. The man who hid all of his pain and darkness behind smiles and laughter. And this incarnation was even more manic than his last, making him an even greater bringer of storms. But Rose was always the one who kept him grounded and made sure his head was on straight, his anchor, his main source of stability.

A moment later the TARDIS appeared behind them with a whoosh of air. Jack turned around and immediately went inside. The Doctor stood in front of the tank a little longer before slowly walking backwards, his eyes still on the tank before he slipped inside the ship and shut the doors behind him. He moved up the ramp and circled the console, grabbing the TARDIS phone and dialing a number. Rose stood beside him, noting every ounce of frustration etched across his features along with every wave pouring off of him, the heat making her shiver a bit along with her symptoms.

"Alistair," the Doctor said into the phone. "We're coming to pick you up. Grab the recordings and hang on for a moment."

He hung the phone up and began to punch in the coordinates to the Brigadier's location in the computer then pulled the lever. Moments later they landed inside the lab area and opened the door. Alistair was waiting for them and wasted no time in entering the ship with the recordings from the thirteenth floor, completely ignoring Dekker's presence as the Doctor set them off. He stood by the console, still, his head shaking lightly.

"And I thought _humans_ were the most stubborn species," he muttered.

"What happened to Clem, Doctor?" Rose asked. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine, he's only asleep right now. The link was destined to be disconnected at some point by those bloody, ruthless creatures but I added a small barrier in the man's mind, preventing it from full penetration. It won't be in place for an extended time, only limited."

"But we're still gonna stop them," Rose spoke up, placing a hand over his.

"Of course we will. I have an idea of how we can do that." He finally turned to face her. "How are you feeling? I know that screeching wasn't anything pleasant to deal with."

"'M okay. My head was hurting for a little bit, nothing that severe."

His eyes widened in concern. "Where at?"

"My forehead, that's all. It's gone now."

The Doctor's serious face dropped to one of empathy as he leaned over to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering there for a moment before pulling back. She was ready to hear him say something more about her safety but he didn't. But she saw it in his eyes. When this was all over he would probably seek her out and run more tests on her to make sure she and the baby were still doing okay, even though she assured him they were.

"What's our next move?" Jack asked. "How can we be sure the rest of Gold Command doesn't act upon anything?"

He shook his head. "They won't, they're sitting ducks in that boardroom. And with their Prime Minister in custody they'll think twice before trying to take action against the creatures now."

"They wouldn't be able to try anyway," Alistair spoke up. "All UNIT officials from the third brigade are still intact and monitoring their every move. If someone attempts to make announcements or escapes they have permission to arrest them as well."

"We have a few stops to make before we make it back to the Thames and pursue the Macra again," the Doctor said. "Torchwood still has a large target painted on its back so we'll relocate for now. Even though this is almost over it's better to take further safety precautions and remain in the TARDIS and out of the Hub. There could still be spies lingering about and waiting in the shadows."

"Couldn't we have done that sooner though?" Rhys asked.

He frowned. "Ah."

"What about Frobisher?" Jack asked. "He knows where Alice and Steven are."

"Lois sent us their location not too long ago," Rose told him. "She overheard Frobisher on the phone and looked up the base where they're being held."

"And we'll be able to pick up Donna and Ianto along with them, brilliant!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Oh, this Lois Habiba has done us good this whole time, she deserves an award. Then we can cross off that stop to UNIT to see Frobisher. Not like he or Green are going anywhere, but we'll get reports out of them when this is all done. First stop, Torchwood, then Alice and Steven Carter."

He pulled the lever and sent them off. Moments later they appeared in the computer station in the Hub where Gwen and Rhys sat. They were still monitoring Clem's resting body on the couch. Opening the door the Brigadier stepped out and told the couple of their next stop before helping them bring the sleeping man's body into the ship. Jack took over and moved him to a guest room on the TARDIS. The Doctor said he would be asleep for a while so that his mind could relax and any static could simmer down, so by the time this whole Macra escapade was over he would still be asleep and, hopefully, freed.

"How can you be sure the alien won't try to kill Clem again?" Gwen asked. "They won't just give up so quickly."

"They'll come up short," the Doctor replied. "The barrier in Clem's mind can act as a defense mechanism as well, allowing any mental attacks to be ricocheted back onto the opposite end. They know he can't do anything to send it back their way, but it could backfire and they could be hit with their own shot."

"So what's the plan then?" Alistair asked.

"Once we get the others out I'll need to examine Steven. From the start I've needed a child to be able to get a better look at what we were dealing with to find the frequency."

"But I thought that's why you needed Clem," Rose mentioned.

"It was. And, helpful as it has been, I can't use his frequency at the moment now that he's dormant. It would reverberate in his mind and possible kill him since it was already triggered once. But I was able to pick out the frequency and locked it onto the TARDIS wavelengths to use to our advantage. Only thing is now they are angrier, so we'll need more force."

"So…you're going to use _Steven_?"

"If I can pull the link out of his mind I'll be able to triplicate the frequency and use it to stop the Macra."

"Like hell you will!" Everyone turned to see Jack standing at the entrance of the corridor, displeased. "Steven is my grandson, Doctor, and he's not going to be used as an experiment!"

"Jack, I promise you no harm will come to the boy. I'm just examining it and pulling it out. I'll be very cautious and careful, I always am when it comes to telepathy."

"But those bastards almost _killed_ Clem with that link."

"Which is why I need to extract the connection between Steven and the Macra before anything happens to him and the rest of the children across the planet."

Jack shook his head. "There has to be another way."

"There isn't," the Doctor stressed. "Once we triplicate the frequency we can send it straight back to the creature, let them get hit with their own poison."

"Would that kill them?" Rose asked quietly.

He shook his head. "No. It would only hurt them. After everything they've done to this planet, the pain would be more than enough punishment for them. Not death." His eyes flicked up to the immortal man. "Jack, it's to save thousands of lives, including Steven's."

Jack scrubbed a hand down his face, his eyes shutting. Rose watched him sympathetically. This had to be hard on her friend since he, like the Doctor, had no other family left in the world. Having loved ones involved in a battle between humans and aliens was rough and stressful, enough to make their nerves throw them all over the place. She walked over to him and gently rubbed his arm.

"He'll be safe, Jack," she said softly. "We promise." Jack let out a deep breath and finally nodded. "C'mon, let's break them out. I already preset the coordinates to the place where they're being kept so we can head over."

"Great thinking ahead," the Doctor said as he pulled the lever. "Reckon we won't be able to find their exact location, but we can find our way inside."

"Already covered," Rose said, typing in something in the computer before turning a dial on the side and sending them off again. Her husband watched her proudly as they landed. On the monitor they saw Donna and Ianto sitting on a bench facing a woman and a young boy on a bed. They all turned in the direction of the TARDIS. Running towards the doors Rose thrust them open and smiled widely at the others. "Hey, guys." She turned to the woman and young boy. "You must be Alice and Steven, hello."

"Who are you?" Alice asked.

"Rose Tyler."

"'Bout time you lot got here!" Donna remarked, almost annoyed. "What's going on? Is it done and over with now?"

"Not yet," she said quickly as she fumbled around for her sonic screwdriver and began to unlock the door. "We gotta hurry up before someone comes through the outer door."

"They won't get far," Ianto said. "Not when there's a massive blue box blocking their way from getting in here."

The lock clicked and the door slid open. She motioned for the others to come inside the TARDIS as fast as possible. Donna and Ianto ushered Alice and Steven into the ship and were close behind them. The new guests were frozen in place as they craned their necks to observe the new phenomenon being the massive size of the console room betraying the outside exterior.

"It's…" Alice began.

"It's just bigger on the inside," Rose finished.

"Uncle Jack!" Steven exclaimed with a smile as he ran up the ramp when he caught sight of the immortal man moving around the console.

"Hey, soldier!" Jack said, picking the young boy up in his arms in a tight hug. "Oh, now that's a good greeting. You and you mom doing alright?"

"Yeah, we're okay. What is this place? It's amazing!"

"It's a spaceship, pal."

Steven's eyes widened in awe as Jack set him down to the ground with a smile. "An actual _spaceship_? Really? Like one on telly?"

Jack chuckled. "You bet. But unlike all those spaceships you see on tv you'll never find one in the shape of a bigger-on-the-inside blue box."

"One of a kind, the Old Girl is," the Doctor spoke up with a bright grin as he reached up to stroke the time rotor. He had finished putting in the coordinates to the next location he had in mind and sent them out with a smooth ride. He slung an arm around Rose's waist and wiggled his fingers at the boy and the woman. "Hello! I'm the Doctor, this is my wife Rose, you've already met our friend Donna, and this is the TARDIS—the most magnificent ship in the universe."

"Wow," Steven said in wonder. "Are you an actual alien?"

"Yep," he replied, popping the 'p'.

"You look human."

"To be fair, we all look Time Lord to him," Rose pointed out before elbowing her husband in the ribs when he snorted.

Steven turned to her. "Are you an alien foo?"

Rose smiled and shook her head. "No, 'm mostly human."

His brows furrowed in confusion. "How? Are you like Spock and have an alien father or something?"

"Steven," Alice spoke up.

The Doctor laughed, earning himself a swat to the chest by Rose. "Some turn of events," he remarked. "Usually _I'm_ the one considered to be Spock."

"Maybe you're like Data," Steven said.

"What?"

Jack scoffed as he rested a hand on the young boy's head and ruffled his hair. "Someone's been thinking about joining the Starfleet Academy."

The Doctor tilted his head back and forth with a sniff. "Weeell, to each is own. But, in any sense, it's a pleasure to meet you both. The Old Girl is pleased, too."

"'She?'" Steven asked.

"The ship's alive," Jack told him.

Again, the boy's eyes widened as he looked around the room. "Really? Can it talk?"

"Not…really," Rose answered. "She sort of hums and sings to you, but She has Her ways of communicating."

"You have the coolest friends in the world, Uncle Jack," Steven said with a smile, looking up.

The immortal man smirked and ruffled the boy's hair again. The TARDIS landed smoothly in their location and the Doctor dropped his arm from around his wife's waist to head down the doors.

"Where are we?" Jack asked.

"Alistair's house," he replied.

"Doctor, I hardly think now is the time for some brandy," the Brigadier said.

"No no, we'll still have that later. How could I ever pass up some of Doris' famous brandy?" Alistair arched an eyebrow. The Doctor pressed his lips together in a fine line. "Don't give me that look. We need a brief safe haven, so to speak, just a hideout where you all will be safe should any spies linger around Cardiff. I could just keep you lot in the TARDIS but we'll be back in the Thames in a matter of moments—five minutes at most, at least I'd hope. The faster we get through this the better."

"What are we supposed to do?" Donna asked incredulously. "Why can't we come along with you?"

"Because, even though we've got the Macra backed up against the wall and their strength is weakening, they'll try all they can to fight back."

"But you cut them off from everything," Rose told him. "'S not like they can release the poison or anything now."

"Well, no, that much is their setback. But they've still got a connection to the children, faint ones similar to what is in Clem's mind. Speaking of him, Jack, go on and bring him out. He should still be asleep but once he wakes up at least he'll be in Alistair's house and further away from the creature to detect."

"They won't be able to?" Ianto asked.

The Doctor shook his head. "The blockage in the man's mind is a part of the template, almost like a back-up security protocol that can hide his wavelength. It's too small of a link now for them to trace."

"So you expect us all to wait for you?" Donna asked.

"Not all of you. The majority, yes. Alistair, you and Jack will come with me—"

"Typical," Rose cut in with an eye roll.

The Doctor frowned. "What? Listen, the less people in the TARDIS once I transmit the sound back onto the tank it can be enough to make anyone's ears ring. I'd actually prefer not to have anyone else aboard whilst I go along with the plan, but I'll need some extra hands to help me out with the console to make sure the sound hits them at a hundred percent."

"I can help monitor the sounds," Rose offered. "You're not the only one who knows how to operate the TARDIS, I could get it done faster."

The Doctor bit the inside of his cheek, considering her idea. Truthfully he'd rather not subject his wife to those horrendous noises again, and with a triplicated frequency the unpleasantness would be even worse to the ears and the mind. Being exposed to such a cacophony could not only be harmful to her but the baby as well. Its wee brain may not be fully formed yet but it was fragile and delicate in its beginning stages. Still not knowing the limitations Rose could withstand with their unexpected unborn child and its overwhelming power being surrounded by a thick telepathic frequency could be a potential threat to both of them. Or it might not be. He didn't know. But he saw that she was determined to help him out regardless of he would tell her and stay with him through the final act. He couldn't change her mind. He would check to make sure both would be safe before bringing her along with him, Jack, and Alistair.

Letting out a sigh he scratched the back of his head. "Alright, fine. You probably want to give the Prime Minister a piece of your mind when it's all over anyway."

"Damn right I do," Rose said, crossing her arms.

"Everyone else, just stay put here until we come back in time for tea. It'll all be over soon."

Jack and Ianto quickly retrieved Clem's sleeping body and carried him out while Alistair led Donna, Gwen, and Rhys inside his home. Rose stood by the console while Alice took Steven's hand and made her way to follow everyone else. The Doctor, however, stopped her by calling her name quietly.

"I know this is all sudden, but I'm going to need your help," he told her.

"What for?" Alice asked with a frown. "Don't know how much I can do."

"It's something that plays an important role in our plan to stop the aliens and send them back to where they belong. I need your son for a moment."

"Why?" the woman asked, tightening her grip on the boy as she kept him close to her. "My son isn't being used for any experiments. No wonder why you're friends with…with Jack."

"No, I assure you this won't hurt Steven," the Doctor said gently. "I'm not doing anything dangerous like taking him with us to see the aliens."

"You're not?" the boy said, pouting.

Alice shook her head. "No chance."

"We promise he'll be okay," Rose spoke up, coming down the ramp where the woman stood with the boy. "This is the Doctor, he's my husband. You can trust him when he says Steven won't be harmed in any way. You have both of our words."

The woman studied her carefully, flitting her eyes between her and the Doctor. She had every right to be skeptical about them. After all, they were only two strangers that were close friends with her father who she knew nothing about. And with these aliens in the loose she would do everything in her power as a mother to make sure her child was safe. Rose knew that one day she would relate to that. Her own mother did the same thing when she was little and she knew in the next coming years she would mirror those actions when their own child was born.

"Alice," the Doctor put in, stepping closer to slip his arm around Rose's waist. "If you don't take my word for it, then at least tale my wife's. If she agrees with me and says that it's safe then she's enough confirmation. All I'm going to do is look inside of your son's mind to examine the telepathic link the aliens used in order to communicate through the children. I can be able to pull it out with ease without him even feeling a thing, and I need your permission to do so."

"It's to save thousands of lives, Alice," Rose added softly.

"What about that man—Clem or whatever his name is?" Alice asked. "You said he was connected to them too."

"He is, and they tried to cut off the link between them," the Doctor explained. "If I hadn't examined it earlier then he would've been killed. These aliens are careless and could take any and every single person if they wanted to. Could try to take millions of lives." His face darkened. "But I won't let them. I'm going to stop them. In order to do that I'm going to need to tap into Steven's mind and triplicate the frequency the aliens used to hurt Clem."

Alice stared down at her son, her hand stroking his hair. Hesitantly the woman nodded and let go of him. Rose came over and placed a hand on the boy's back and led him over to the jump seat. The Doctor came around the console and knelt down on the ground in front of him, a soft expression on his face.

"Comfy, Steven?" he asked. Steven nodded. "Alright. Just stay still, okay? I promise you won't feel a thing."

"Are you going to read my mind?" the boy asked.

"No, I won't look at any memories or things like that so long as you imagine doors and keep things to yourself that you wouldn't want me to see. I just want to check on something in your mind. It won't hurt a bit and should only take a moment. Just relax, can you do that for me?"

Again, the boy nodded and he offered a tiny smile before raising his hands up to the boy's head, fingers landing on his temples as he gently eased inside. Just as he promised Alice, he was gentle while searching through the young boy's mind for the Macra's link. If the creatures implanted one into each of the children meeting their specific criteria they were all joined together as one, a bond chain. When something happens to one it affects them all, almost like a stack of dominoes. Or chain reaction, as he mentioned.

If he could extract the frequency from one child's mind and send it back to the Macra then it should break every template inside every carrier's mind without damage or any feeling at all. They weren't able to feel when it was put in place, so the opposite should be no different. Weaving through a child's mind always took delicate work since their brains were still growing and he was cautious once he carefully tapped into the connection, the pulse faint and not as strong. He found the frequency yet again, a higher pitched one, but on the same wavelength as Clem's. With heedful effort the Doctor slowly reached for it and had it within his grasp, the static charge tingling in his own mind as he gently pulled it out of place.

Distant echoes came to his ears, sounds of the Macran descendants that he heard earlier. Those weren't all, though. Not counting the noises deep within Steven's mind the Doctor could swear that he heard something else, something more personal from his own end, and then he saw it—Jenny. The bright young face of his and Rose's daughter, so youthful and energetic. Seconds later the image became grainy as it would with old film, but then color splashed over it, the reel of her being shot in cold blood, her newly created life that had begun coming to an end. His insides trembled. He was expecting this to come back to him again. It already happened in the last two days since they've been involved with this situation, and it brought his train of thought back to his own child dilemma.

Any bouts of anxiety had relatively eased up ever since Donna and Jack had that talk with him that knocked some sense into him, his realization coming to fruition that this child that he and Rose were expecting was indeed a miracle. And, while he was still feeling his warmth for the fragile life she was carrying, he felt the demons creeping back up from their cages, clawing into his mind while he searched through this young boy's. He didn't want to feel like that again, not now. He had lost his family before, multiple times—his children back home by his own hands, much to his displeasure and regrets, and then with Jenny by the hands of a malicious monster of a human being. With this new life growing inside of his wife's womb he didn't dwell on what he could possibly lose. Not anymore.

He thought about every parent on Earth keeping their children close to them, worried and afraid of losing them to ruthless monsters, an all too familiar feeling. He had lost children before, he knew what that pain felt like. He was having another on the way and would do everything he could to make sure it would never be harmed in any way. He wouldn't let anyone else have to feel that agony today, not when he could put an end to it all.

Once the link was in his sights again the Doctor refocused and pulled the frequency out of Steven's mind completely, still gentle. His eyes opened, blinking a few times as he let out a deep breath. The boy stared at him curiously.

"Whoa," Steven said with wonder.

"See?" the Doctor replied with a small smirk. "Barely felt anything. You were brilliant, Steven, well done."

"You got it?" Rose asked from the side.

He stood to his feet and brushed off his knees, nodding. "Got it. Now we can use it to our advantage."

"We ready yet?" Jack asked, coming back into the TARDIS to stand beside his daughter, Alistair not far behind.

"All we have to do is work in the frequency into the TARDIS' broadcasting wavelength. Shouldn't take too long since I've already worked Clem's into the system earlier today, so Steven's should be no trouble."

"Work is to be done quickly," the Brigadier said. "It's nightfall and the children will be going to bed soon."

A manic look appeared on his face. "I'm all on it."

The Doctor moved around the console in a blur of blue, his hands twisting various dials and pulling at wires with his sonic screwdriver running along the circuitry. Rose was beside him to assist him in the task while Jack spoke quietly to his daughter and grandson. He and Alistair escorted the two out of the TARDIS and into the house along with the others to wait until their return from the Thames. Rose kept an eye on her husband as he worked, his hair sticking up like a cockatoo more than usual and an intent look on his face. She knew that he was determined to stop these aliens but something triggered inside of him. She couldn't make it out and she wasn't going to tap into his mind to question him. His focus was on the Macra right now and how he would send them back.

"Almost done…" he muttered, his sonic between his lips. "Just one more wire…"

"Is this gonna overload their minds?" Rose asked.

He sighed. "Yes. Nothing too severe to cause a fatality, but a loud enough annoyance to send them away. It's the last of its kind, it's weak. If they even tried to fight back…" he trailed off, choosing not to finish the sentence at first. "They've taken countless innocent lives for their own gain, without care. They want to leave this planet with millions of children, conspired with the government. I offered them a chance to leave in peace and they refused. What happens next will be on their heads."

Rose bit her lip as she walked around the console to place a hand on his back. "So many others will be saved. Remember that."

His eyes slipped shut for a moment, a muscle working in his jaw. "I know. Are you sure you want to be here for this? The noise won't be pleasant. It could…it could cause you more pain—"

"I'll be fine," she assured. "A little headache won't do too much damage. It shouldn't harm the baby either, yeah?"

He opened his eyes at that, looking exhausted. "It's only directed at the creature but can still be heard by other telepaths." His hand raised up to rest against the side of her face with a softened expression. "If you at any point feel anything overwhelming you, let me know immediately. I'll let Jack or Alistair take over and bring you to the infirmary to be checked."

Rose nodded. "'Kay."

He kissed her forehead before continuing with his work on the console with her helping him. Jack and Alistair finally came back into the TARDIS by themselves. "We ready?" the former asked.

"All set," the Doctor confirmed. "Allons-y."

He pulled the lever and they were off. Moments later they landed back in their spot in the Thames House in front of the tank containing the creatures. A man in UNIT attire was standing by the double doors, as if he were waiting for them. The Doctor took a deep breath and made his way down the ramp, opening the doors with his eyes set on the glass tank. Behind the smoke the creature's heads swayed around, their attention fixed on him.

"You have returned," the alien said, sounding amused.

"I gave you a chance and you refused," the Doctor ground out. "Now I'll stop you from taking one more child or any other human life from this planet."

Its tail whipped against the glass in anger. "We need the hit to survive!" it roared. "You stand in our way!"

"Yeah, that happens."

"We will not hold back! We have already disconnected the remnant, we can take every child with us!"

A short chuckle escaped from the Doctor. "You really think that, don't you?"

"What does this mean?"

"You actually thought that we'd come here unprepared? That we wouldn't do our homework before we met? Blimey, I never knew you lot were this dull."

The alien was silent, its heads cocking to the side. "Explain."

"Just because you've got more than one head doesn't mean you can put them all together and think things through and not be concerned about who or what might get in the way." A cheeky smile appeared on his face. "In this case, little ol' me."

Claws and tails slammed hard against the glass, shockingly not breaking the thick surface. "What have you done?" the alien roared.

"You're not the only telepath running around here. Well, can't really say that in your case since you're sitting ducks inside a glass case, but all the same regardless."

"No one will stop us!"

The Doctor arched an eyebrow, the teasing smirk falling completely in a flash second, playfulness gone. "This is your last warning," he said. "Your last chance to leave this planet in peace. Think properly and just leave. Find your help somewhere else, one less immoral than this."

The alien roared again, its snot-like liquid coating the panels. "War will be the answer! We will grab every single vessel on this planet, every human being! We will not fail in receiving our hit!"

"You did this."

"We need to feed!"

"Yeah? Feed on this!" The Doctor whipped out his sonic and aimed it at the bottom of the tank where a small circular panel was laying, causing it to spark. "Now!"

Inside the TARDIS Rose pressed a button on the console, emitting the reconstitution wave from the ship's speakers. Its multi-toned pitch echoed throughout everyone's ears, the strange recombination of frequencies pounding against the walls. Rose shut her eyes and cupped her ears again, the sound reverberating in her mind. That small burning sensation arose again, nothing too severe and painful. Her teeth were clenched and she tried her best to handle the noise. The aliens began to screech at the clamor, smacking the glass panels hard with their tails and their snot. At one point Rose peeked her eye open to see the creature writhing in agony, their roars mixing in with the waves.

The Doctor was standing outside the TARDIS with his arm outstretched, his hand still holding the sonic as he increased the pitch. Even though Rose couldn't make out his face she knew it was the grim mask of the Oncoming Storm staring them down. A bright white light began to illuminate the murky atmosphere of the tank, hues of blues and oranges. It was enough to make everyone shield their eyes. Jack turned the monitor around to give him, Rose and the Brigadier a better look of what was happening. A beam of fire manifested inside the tank and shot up towards the ceiling. Changing the angle Rose brought up the outside monitor, revealing the pillar ascending into the sky and firming a hole in the clouds.

"It's working!" Jack yelled over the noise.

 _"Doctor, they're leaving!"_ Rose alerted mentally.

Suddenly the alien's roared ceased altogether and the Doctor told them to cut the transmission. Rose dropped her hands, her ears still ringing from the noises. On the monitor they saw the clouds closing over the hole in the sky, the beings vanishing from sight. Silence fell over the thirteenth floor. The Doctor lowered his arm with the sonic and remained in his spot, staring at the empty tank.

"It's done."

* * *

 **To the one guest reviewer that isn't crazy about this arc: I appreciate your honesty. This was a challenge I wanted to give myself. It's** **finished now, there's just short aftermath chapters. When I first gave the crossover a thought I wanted to add more depth to it and test myself. I wasn't expecting it to be this long, but since Midnight was cut out along with another special rewrite I had planned for this story this crossover filled in those spots. If you didn't enjoy this, cool. I'm fine with that.**


	57. What Lies Next Part 1

**A/N: So the Deadpool movie was just about everything I was expecting and it delivered. *sighs happily* While it could've been better in some aspects, it did justice to his character after that atrocity in Origins.**

 **Anyway, the end of the Torchwood crossover FINALLY. Times made it feel never-ending, but we're about to leave Cardiff. I'm so happy with the responses I've gotten with this arc. You guys are truly amazing, I can't stress that enough. Much love and many thanks ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 55: What Lies Next Part 1**_

The others exited the TARDIS once the room fell silent, Rose coming to stand beside her husband as they all stared at the empty tank where the alien and smoke clouds had been.

"Did you reverse the teleport?" Alistair asked.

"More than that," the Doctor said. "I severed all connections branching out from the subspace transmat. If they ever tried to make contact with Earth again they'd be rejected. All ties have been cut and they're stuck back where they belong in their own galaxy."

"You sure there's no more out there?" Rose asked.

He sighed. "I don't even know for sure. It could have lied and said the rest of the pack didn't survive the transmission when they could actually be hiding under the rubble where they came out from. As of right now, though, they're not a threat to Earth anymore. They're stranded in their own time without means of transportation."

"We can always come back and recover all the stolen technologies," Jack said. "That way it'll be in good hands this time in our vaults."

The Doctor turned to face and Rose, his hand resting on the back of her neck as he gently massaged her skin. "You alright?" he asked quietly. "Pain?"

She shook her head. "'S passing, nothing that bad."

He breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good. I'll still run a quick scan." He turned around to see the colonel still trying to process everything that happened. "Everything okay, colonel? Sorry, what was your name?"

"Oduya, sir," he replied, saluting. "Augustus Oduya."

"Please don't salute," the Doctor grimaced. "I hate salutes."

"It's an honor to have worked with you in this case, Doctor," Oduya said, walking over to them. "Sir Alistair always had the best regards for you and your experience."

"Good man, colonel," the Brigadier said. "You and your brigade have done very well with the situation."

"What about Gold Command?" Rose asked. "They're still on lockdown."

"We can take care of the cabinet," Oduya said. "Far as I know they're all getting files on their desks first thing tomorrow morning. We're going to need a statement to the public as well."

"That can be arranged," Alistair said. "Once everything becomes public UNIT and other officials will be able to explain everything. We have all the evidence to prove the case for what the government have done against the Queen and country."

"Reckon Queen Lizzie would have a say on that soon enough," the Doctor said, slinging his arm around Rose's shoulders. "Everyone will be watching the telly first thing to see what's coming next."

Oduya nodded. "Mr. Green and Mr. Frobisher are still at UNIT headquarters. We've yet to get a direct report from each of them until everything was dealt with."

"No worries, colonel, that was our next stop on our list. Just get everyone escorted out. The threat is over now."

"Will do, sir."

As the man existed the room the rest of the gang stare s at the empty tank for another moment before slipping inside the TARDIS. After a quick run-over scan on Rose with the sonic, the Doctor put in the coordinates for the UNIT base where the Prime Minister and Home Office Secretary were being kept. Since the former was in custody he decided that they would see him last. He was the one entirely to blame for allowing the government to ally themselves with a ruthless band of alien thugs, so he would receive the fury later on. For now, John Frobisher would be paid a visit first.

Conveniently landing in the lobby area the Doctor reached for Rose's hand as he led them out. The Brigadier took the lead down the corridors to where the man and his family were staying. UNIT soldiers were guarding the entrance but moved aside to let them pass. John Frobisher was sitting on a lounge couch with his wife and two daughters around him, looking exhausted and worried. He looked up once he caught sight of them entering the room, his eyes widening before he immediately stood to his feet.

"Is it over?" he asked.

"It is," Jack said flatly. "Not with the help of you and every other lackey."

"Jack, I'm so sorry. I-I didn't want to take your daughter and grandson, I was taking orders."

"You didn't have to follow them!"

"I know, perhaps I shouldn't have. I didn't want it to come to that or even be _involved_ in this."

"You almost had him killed!" Rose yelled. "All because you lot didn't want him or anyone else to speak!"

The Doctor, still holding her hand, soothed her mind as he stepped up from behind the Brigadier to approach the man. Frobisher swallowed hard and shifted a little uncomfortably. "Sir," he said, about to give him a salute.

"Don't salute," the Doctor told him. "You ordered all of the attacks on those innocent people."

Frobisher tried to keep his voice from shaking. "Not willingly, sir. Brian Green pulled me aside and ordered me to do so. There was a fear that the original team from the first encounter were going to leak out the information to the press and he demanded that I take full responsibility for everything that would happen."

Jack snorted. "Didn't count on us getting our hands on the footage of what went down on the thirteenth floor."

"I had a feeling you would still find a way to be involved with the incident, but I wasn't expecting the presence of the Doctor."

"A massive invasion where an alien race landed on Earth to abduct millions of children all as a need for drugs?" the Doctor replied with an arched eyebrow. "How could I miss something as catastrophic as that?"

"But…the records showed that you weren't around during the first encounter," Frobisher pointed out.

The Doctor inhaled a deep breath, his eyes directed on the ceiling. He opened his mouth to speak, but Rose beat him to it.

"Sometimes he's busy saving other planets and civilizations out there. You can't sit there and count on both your hands how many times he's saved you lot on Earth 'cause he's done it so many times. If you didn't have corrupt politicians in office then maybe you'd be able to co-operate and think things through for once!" She shook her head. "Bloody Downing Street," she murmured.

Frobisher nodded. "You're right. If the circumstances had been handled in a more professional and rational way then all of this could've been prevented sooner. That's my fault. When the Prime Minister took me in his office and informed me about everything that was happening and his plan I was so…so mortified. Over the years we've had similar incidents with paranoid officials running the government but what he was suggesting made me sick. I'm merely a secretary and he had the audacity to appoint me to _eliminate_ people—people who would be able to _help_ us rather than hinder us with such a situation. I wanted no part of this. I wish…I wish I could've went back and changed that mistake."

The man's wife reached over and grabbed his hand when he ducked his head down shamefully. The Doctor studied him. While he was furious with what the government had done he saw just how much guilt was wearing the secretary thin. That's what would happen when the boss's ego and abuse of power takes over and orders people around to do the most outrageous things. Frobisher was in just as much danger as every child if something went wrong in Green's despicable plan on how to deal with the aliens.

"Sweetheart," Frobisher said, looking over at his wife and daughters. "Can you take the girls out of here for a few minutes, please?" The woman nodded before standing with their children and walking out of the room.

"You could've said no," the Doctor said softly. "You didn't have to follow his orders."

"I know," Frobisher said quietly, sinking back onto the couch. "I was afraid. What else could I have done? He's the Prime Minister for God's sake."

"Stood up to him," Rose spoke up. "Yeah, there's risks that come along with it but in times like this where you know that what they're doing is the wrong way, you tell them so. Take Lois, for example. When we first met her she was afraid too. She was worried about losing the job she just got yesterday because she was committing treason. She was so afraid to help us out but in the end she managed to help millions of lives by letting us know what was going on. She stood up to the Prime Minister and all of the Gold Command by herself. She worked up enough courage to face down the one man responsible for going along with the chaos and told him off. Everyone's got a voice that should be heard, including _you_."

The Doctor watched her proudly, his hand resting on her back. "There's always a choice, Frobisher," he said gently. "Just because you were ordered to execute others doesn't mean you should go along with it. There's always an alternative."

Frobisher moved his eyes over each of them and sighed heavily. "I've never been so ashamed in my life," the man said, holding his head in his hands. "The fact that I went along with it all is just…unfathomable. If my own daughters weren't affected by the hypnosis I doubt that I wouldn't have objected the plans without a thought. And I didn't say anything to stop them." He paused, raising his head to look down the hall where his family had gone. "I can't even look at them straight without feeling guilty, without wanting to shoot myself in the head for what I had done. For what I put them through. I never signed up for any of this, I never wanted to be a part of an assassination plot."

"You're better than that, John," Jack said. "You have a family to care for, something worth living for. It may hurt but you can make things right now."

"I don't know for sure how long I'll be keeping my position on the cabinet. As it is, even if I'll have a job tomorrow morning."

"We'll work something out," Rose said. "The Doctor's a contact of the Queen, maybe she can figure this out when you explain everything to her."

The man's eyes widened. "You think that would work? I was a part of the coup and the government that betrayed her country."

"You were a pawn; Green was the puppetmaster," the Doctor said. "He put you on to make you take the fall instead of him. I've already explained the situation to Her Majesty, so it's up to her. All we know for sure is that Great Britain will have to find a new Prime Minister. Again."

"'S as common as the changing weather these days," Rose murmured.

"We'll just need your statement to the general public, Mr. Frobisher," Alistair spoke up.

"Yes, sir," Frobisher said.

"Also," Jack spoke up. "For the record, the assassination attempt wouldn't have worked out anyway. Most likely hurt like hell, but wouldn't be enough to keep me down for the count."

"The theories suggested that your longevity and Lazarus qualities are connected in some way to the rift."

"From the rift, eh?" Jack said with a smirk, elbowing Rose. "You hear that, Rosie. They have no idea."

She rolled her eyes. "I told you it was an accident."

"A good accident, don't forget that."

The man frowned and shook his head. "I don't follow."

"Don't…bother asking," the Doctor replied. "Long story, but my wife was responsible for it."

"Accidentally," Rose stressed.

Frobisher looked confused but decided to drop the subject. "Of course. I've read so many files about you, Doctor. About you and Dame Tyler, about all of the good you've done. You're spectacular people."

"Weeell," the Doctor said with false modesty.

"I must offer my sincere apologies again to all of you. I'm sorry for bringing you all into this, but I thank you for helping us. I hope to do penance for what I had done."

"Just go home with your family and rest, John. And keep your eyes and ears open when the news comes on. Something interesting should come on, I'm sure of it."

After leaving John Frobisher with his family the Doctor and Rose took it upon themselves to walk down the corridor where one Lois Habiba was located. Jack followed them while the Brigadier stayed behind in the lobby. Luckily the UNIT brigade picked her up and took her away from the Thames. If it weren't for them the young woman would be in a prison cell right now for what she had done. And, while treason is a serious crime, it was for the greater good and helped them out with disclosing the government with their conspiracies with the aliens. Queen Elizabeth would take care of it. It was her country, after all. She knew what was good for it and whatnot.

Lois was sitting by a small table with a mug in her hands. She looked up when she saw them come in. "Rose…"

"It's okay, Lois," Rose said, stepping forward to sit beside her, her hand resting on her arm. "It's all over. You did good. More than that, you were brilliant. We couldn't have done it without your help."

"It's you," the young woman said, facing the men in wonder. "You're Jack Harkness and you're the Doctor."

"As you live and breathe," the immortal man said.

"Good to finally meet you, Lois Habiba," the Doctor said with a smile.

"And you," Lois said. "You were the real heroes, not me."

"Oh, come on, don't say that," Rose cut in. "Remember what I told you at the chippy? You're never just an 'office girl' when it comes to saving the world. And that's what you did, Lois. Millions of children are safe because of you."

"I was an office girl. Not anymore. The government will start looking for me and put me away for life."

"I shouldn't think so," the Doctor said. "All of the footage we've recorded is still in our possession waiting to be publicized. The Prime Minister's term is numbered. And, since he was the main one behind everything, the process of his end will be expedited. You, on the other hand, Miss Habiba, are going to be a free woman."

Her eyes widened. "What, seriously? After everything I did against the country?"

"From what we've seen through those lenses the only ones who performed acts against the country were Gold Command. Slippery politicians, always a possibility in paranoid governments."

"And in Britain," Rose added.

"Why's it always Britain?" Lois asked.

The married couple exchanged a look and simultaneously shrugged.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Jack spoke up. "But Gwen offered you a job to come work with us, right?"

"She did," the young woman said.

He smirked. "Then there's no need to worry about the unemployment line. We'll be seeing you in Cardiff first thing tomorrow."

She chuckled. "I won't be late."

The Doctor placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Keep being brilliant, Lois Habiba. And, whatever you do, watch yourself around him." He nodded back at Jack, who rolled his eyes.

"For God's sake," he muttered.

There was one last person they wanted to see before they left to go back to Alistair's where the others were waiting for them, the head honcho responsible for almost allowing millions of children to be abducted by a dangerous race of aliens just to cover up their 'clean-slated reputation'—former Prime Minister Brian Green. This was a meeting that the Doctor wanted alone but Rose insisted that she go with him. She had wanted to give him a piece of her mind as well and, knowing how fierce a Tyler woman can become when the people around her who she cared about were put in jeopardy, she wouldn't hold back from anything. Jack had taken Lois out of her waiting room and met with the Brigadier, leaving the other two to head down to the prison cells in the basement.

Brian Green, former Prime Minister, was sitting on a small cot with his hands still cuffed and his head leaning against the cold stone of the wall. He was probably wallowing in his guilt knowing how much chaos he created by keeping everything disclosed in order to avoid the biggest publicity nightmare of current affairs. Also sulking because his position at the top was collapsing and he couldn't just back out and place the blame on John Frobisher. One of the guards that stood by the door stepped aside and allowed them to pass through, opening the cell door for them to enter. The Doctor kept his hands in his pockets, staring hard at the man while Rose crossed her arms over her chest with a matching glare.

"Prime Minister Brian Green," he said with a quiet voice. "Well, I should say _former_ since you don't seem to be having another term coming your way."

"W-who are you?" Green sputtered out.

"Must be pretty tired if you couldn't figure that out," Rose snorted.

The man narrowed his eyes before his brows raised slowly in realization. "Why are you here? To gloat? To kick a man while he's already down?"

"Kinda calling the kettle black," she said sharply, taking a step forward. "And what does that mean for what you were gonna do to Jack? To Torchwood? To all those children out there?"

Green shrugged nonchalant. "Strictly business."

Rose blinked a few times, thinking she heard wrong for a second there. This man wasn't serious, was he? She wished she could say that she was shocked by the arrogance and the pomposity, but all in all she wasn't. Abuse of power at its finest. She felt the Doctor caressing her mind as she balled her fists up, barely containing her composure and restraint to sock the man's jaw.

"You tried to kill our friend," she said quietly, hard. "You knew that he wouldn't stay dead, either, so you would've done something worse to him in order to destroy Torchwood—people who risk their lives day in and day out to keep you _safe,_ people you know you can trust. And what did you do? You tried to _take them out_ execution style, all because you were concerned about keeping a reputation!" She advanced on him and smacked him hard across the face, the crack echoing through the room. "Everything you planned with those children, everything you and the rest of those snobs in office came up as a 'brilliant strategy' was one of the _sickest_ things I've ever seen, and that's saying something what with the destruction on far away worlds."

Green shrunk back down in his cot. "I…I wasn't meant to be involved in this," he stammered.

"So you cowered out and hid behind human shields?"

"I couldn't meet with the aliens myself, I had no direct contact with them."

"And you were gonna let an innocent man take the fall," the Doctor finally spoke, his voice still soft and dangerous.

The man gulped, shifting uncomfortably. "D-disposable men on the frontlines. Everything could've been labeled as a whim, as a-as something that was in America's hands rather than our own afterward."

"As a means to save your own reputation instead of the safety of millions of lives."

"I-I…I don't want to issue a blank order."

His tone was rough, ancient, yet not raised. At a low tone it could still send chills down one's spine. He reached over and placed a hand on Rose's hip, gently easing her back so he could tower over the disgruntled former Prime Minister, setting his weary gaze upon him.

"I offered you a chance," the Doctor continued. "Just one chance for you to co-operate with me, to avoid any of this from happening. Miss Habiba had made our outlines clear to you, only your ignorance chose to act blindly without any given thought. Thankfully my dear old friend landed just in time to assemble extra members from UNIT to monitor you and the rest of your command team—if you could even call it that. The Queen is utterly chagrined by your strategies and mindset, that someone of your nature is running her country, and frankly so am I." He paused. "You know, I had made a speech not too long ago about my view on the human race and why, through all of the wars and battles you've created, I've found reasons to believe in their greatness. But you? You're the very _embodiment_ of this planet's number one vice—power and greed. I gave you a chance to stop the madness and you declined it. You put the lives of millions of people, my friends, and my wife in danger. Look for a nearby telly, Mr. Green, and listen close to what the news says. I think you'll find it most interesting."

Giving the man one more long stare the Doctor threaded his fingers through Rose's. She offered him a gentle squeeze and comforting mental waves, a beneficial move on both of their parts. The guard locked the cell back up, keeping the man in his rightful place in custody. They made their way back into the lobby area, meeting up with Jack and Alistair.

"So," the Doctor said, a little more chipper. "How about that brandy?"

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The TARDIS was parked in the front garden of Alistair and Doris' home, not on the flower bed like the last time the Doctor paid his dear friend a visit since he was more aware of his landing spot. Inside the house every member of Torchwood joined them for some of the best brandy on planet Earth, relaxing after two draining days of action. It was a nice break since the world wasn't ending at the moment, much to Alistair's preference allowing them all to settle down for a little bit before the TARDIS gang took off again. With such a full house with the addition of Jack's daughter and grandson and Clem, once he finally awoke, it was due.

Ianto had called his sister to check up on how she and her children were doing. As expected they were perfectly fine. The Doctor explained how, by extracting the frequency from Steven's mind and using it against the Macra in a triplicated tone, the template inside of each of the carriers with the link were freed, able to walk around without a two-way connection to be under the control of an immoral hypnotic species. It was a harmless removal where they barely felt a thing, naturally. They also gathered around later on to watch the evening news in the living room to see the public statement by UNIT.

All footage from inside the thirteenth floor of the Thames House as well as in the Gold Command boardroom was released to the public, but not revealing the identities of each of the members involved save for the former Prime Minister since he was the puppeteer with his strings attached to everyone in office, making them perform orders against their will and good judgment. To ensure that no riots would begin in the streets a live conference came from inside Buckingham Palace with Her Majesty speaking on behalf of the Royal Family. She spoke about the Prime Minister being resigned from his duties and spending time in prison for his tyrannical behavior, then went on saying that the children and adults of Great Britain, as well as the whole planet, would always be protected and safe under the guidance of the Doctor and Torchwood, eternal allies to the Queen.

It was very lordly of her to give such accolades to them, but when it came to Earth it would always be defended.

Nightfall came fast. The day was an extremely long and intense one and everyone was knackered. Steven had fallen asleep in Alice's lap while Clem was nodding off as well. The Doctor noted Rose's eyes slipping shut a few times throughout the live conference, completely missing the part where the Queen announced she would offer them her personal gratitudes tomorrow morning. It didn't matter. She needed all the energy she could get after two days of non-stop madness, both her and the baby. That had been on his mind nearly the entire time they had been at Alistair's just as much as it had been for the last twenty-four hours since discovering the news, never-ending thoughts about the future, about what they were being granted. He wanted to talk to her about it more thoroughly, this time with an even better mindset after a well-needed talk from his friends knocked some sense into him. Her fatigue was too noticeable though, as was Donna's.

It was then he said it was time to leave. Alistair and Doris led everyone out before they all headed inside the TARDIS, the Doctor and Rose bidding the last goodbyes.

"About to be knighted again, Doctor?" Alistair said with a smirk. "As if you needed more titles on your file. There's barely any room left for achievements and honors."

"It's hardly necessary, really," the Doctor said with a shrug. He glanced over at Rose, winking at her. "But being honored by royalty always works well for us in the end."

"What are the odds of us being banished again?" Rose replied.

Alistair chuckled. "With the many times you and your husband have been saving this planet I'd imagine things going smoothly this time around. There's always an open visitation for you to come by whenever you can. It's nice to have company around when the world isn't ending and we can catch up some more."

"I'll keep that in mind," the Doctor said. "But you're never one to always relax at home for a holiday, Alistair. Always busy."

"He can thank you for that," Doris remarked. "Ever since he met you he's been out and about."

He scratched his sideburn. "Weeell…"

"Busy life with busy husbands," Rose said with a smile.

Doris returned it and nodded. "Please come back another time. We can have a girl's day out and leave the men. Sometimes the men forget how much work they are themselves for us to deal with."

She snorted. "Tell me about it."

The Doctor and the Brigadier exchanged a look, both scratching their heads. "Putting myself up for more garden work, I suppose," the former muttered.

"You earned it," Alistair said. "The begonias could use some attention."

"Put me on a rain check."

"Will do. You've got a lot more on your hands now though. More work." He grinned at both of them. "Again, congratulations."

"Thanks, Alistiar," Rose said, stepping forward to kiss his cheek. "We promise to come back. This one," she patted the Doctor's chest, "has a lot of catching up to do."

"Try not to change your face again," Doris said. "Every time I've seen you you're a different person. I don't know how Alistair can recognize you after all these years."

The Doctor made a happy hum. "He's just that good. Not hard to miss. And I'll try my best not to."

They exchanged handshakes and hugs before slipping inside the TARDIS. The Doctor typed in the coordinates to the care center where Clem was staying and dropped him off, reassuring him that he was perfectly safe and that the aliens were gone and wouldn't be looking for him anymore. The next stop was to Alice and Steven's house. Jack had been the one to say goodbye to them last, telling them he would come and visit them when the world wasn't in any danger and take his grandson out for a day—not around aliens or experiments, as promised to Alice. She said she'd think about it. And finally, the last stop was back in Cardiff at the Plas.

"Bit of an adventure, huh?" Jack said with a smirk. "I've missed all this, the old team coming together."

"Anything can happen when you call, Jack," Rose said teasingly.

"Too true," the Doctor commented.

"Can have a Team TARDIS reunion, can't go wrong with that."

"Team TARDIS Plus," Donna said.

"Have we become the Avengers now?" Ianto asked, earning chuckles from the others.

"We'll get some costumes for the occasion," Gwen joked.

"Anyway!" the Doctor proclaimed. "Busy life, work to do. For all of us, that is. You're all brilliant people, good to meet all of you."

"And you," Ianto said. "We look forward to seeing you again soon."

Donna snorted. "Which, with the trouble these two run into, might be for a long time." She nodded at the Doctor and Rose. "Probably meet again until the ice caps melt."

"Maybe not," Gwen replied, her arm looped through Rhys'. "If we're lucky we'll run into each other again. Jack might give you a another call."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow at the man. "I would hope it wouldn't be for interruptions."

"For emergencies only," the immortal man said, raising his hand up in vow. A sly look crossed his face. "So you admit that I interrupted you in a bad time? Or good time, I take it."

He didn't dignify that with a response, tugging on his earlobe as he glanced over at his wife, who elbowed his side. _"Discretion,"_ she told him mentally.

 _"Sorry,"_ he replied to her before stepping forward to shake their hands. "I'd come back to grab some of that coffee of yours, Ianto Jones. Delicioso!"

The Welsh man laughed. "I'll special package some for you."

"Can't send it through a P.O box though," Jack said. "No direct address."

"We'll work something out," Rose said, giving him a hug. "Take care."

"You too, Rosie. Congrats with the Time Tot. I look forward to seeing the little Dickens when they're born. Make sure they visit good ol' Uncle Jack!"

She chuckled and pulled back, the mental image amusing her. She then moved over to Gwen and Rhys. "Good luck with yours."

"Same to you," the Welsh woman said with a smile. "We can talk and share stories coming from experiences."

"Aye," Rhys said.

Nodding, Rose moved over to Ianto and gave him a hug as well. "Remember what I told you," she whispered. "Give him time."

"I will," he replied. "Thank you."

Jack stepped forward and extended his hand for the Doctor to shake. "Good luck, Doc," he said before turning serious, leaning in to speak quietly. "Take good care of her. You have two miracles to cherish, two reasons to live for."

He took a deep breath, his eyes falling over to his wife on the side as she spoke to the rest of Torchwood, the awe-inspiring feeling spreading throughout his body again. The sense of amazement. He smiled warmly. "You bet I do," he said quietly. "I made a promise, and I intend to keep it."

"I know you will. See you around, _pops_."

* * *

 **My mind has been all over the place, sorry about the abrupt cutoff. Quick question: should I separate my Turn Left/SE/JE rewrite from this story? I'm currently working on the dramatic changes to Turn Left with Rose. Should I make the rest of S4 its own story like I did with VotD or keep it here? It's a stupid question but it's just a thought.**


	58. What Lies Next Part 2

**A/N: After giving it thought I've decided to go with the majority of you guys and keep the rest of S4 in CTS. I'll try not to drag it out so much. Thank you guys so much for sticking around! *hugs***

* * *

 _ **Chapter 56: What Lies Next Part 2**_

The Doctor led the ladies over to the TARDIS doors and let them enter. Rose rounded the console and sent them into the Vortex, yawning in the process.

"I agree with you, blondie," Donna said. "Fun as today was, I'm knackered."

"Where to next?" the Doctor asked. "There's all sorts of relaxing leisure planets not too far away. Think a bit of a holiday is needed and a bit overdue."

"You got cotton in your ears?" the redhead asked. "You might be all hopped up on medicine and bouncing with energy, but we have some dates with our beds."

"No no, I didn't say anything about leaving now. It's been…a long two days. Some rest is needed."

"Just don't make us miss our knighting ceremony tomorrow. This is bonkers, I'm gonna meet the _Queen_! I'm going to _Buckingham_ _Palace_!"

"Dame Donna Noble," Rose said with a grin, slinging her arm around the other woman's shoulders. "Has a good ring to it, don't you reckon, Doctor?"

"Too right," he concurred, a proud smile on his face. "Dame Donna Noble of Chiswick, rolls off the tongue well. Very pious sounding, but still appropriate. You've done some noble deeds, Donna Noble."

The redhead rolled her eyes. "Again with the corny jokes."

"Bad habit of his," Rose told her, waving it off. "Never goes away."

"Oi!" he cried.

Donna yawned this time. "Alright, I'm off to bed. Don't wanna meet the Queen with bags under my eyes."

"I'm right behind ya," Rose said, stretching her arms over her head. "Right after a quick shower first. Coming Doctor?"

"I'll join you after, love," the Doctor replied, unfastening his suit jacket's buttons and placing it on the jump seat. He began to roll his dress shirt's sleeves up. "I need to re-wire the TARDIS circuitry still containing the triplicated frequency and revert to Her normal settings. With a sound like that we'd start luring others on our trail, wouldn't fancy hitchhikers that way."

"Oh, right," Rose said, nodding. "Good idea."

"I'll let you know when I'm finished and join you. Although…it might take a short while."

"Jus' don't make a mess in here. Bad enough there were wires all over the place when you changed it."

"I'll keep it nice and tidy for you. If I need your help I could always wake you up."

Rose scoffed. "No chance. You know the consequences."

The Doctor chuckled once. "And you're always stocked with your pillows for ammunition. I think I would have learned my lesson by now."

She shook her head at him before walking down the corridor with Donna, leaving him to his work. Rose had a feeling he would stay behind after they left Cardiff to work on the console, mainly because he was probably lost in his thoughts after an adventure just like always. For once, though, she could easily tell that he wasn't feeling an ounce of guilt for how he handled the situation with the enemy, thankfully. Typical Doctor behavior guaranteed him to brood and dwell over all of the lives lost but there was a great amount of them saved and millions of deaths prevented because they thought things through. She knew what was on his mind, the only thing that hasn't left. The baby. Their child.

Ever since their brief spat about having her wander around outside while pregnant he seemed to be more loosened up. It may not have been a full-fledged argument between them or anywhere near the levels of their ones of the past, but it stirred them both up for a few moments. She knew that he was looking out for her the entire time, more than the usual protective husband defenses, but his anxiety had made him more on the edge than ever before. She didn't really mind it too much from what she was leading on. It was a good sign to her knowing that he was concerned about her well-being just as much as the baby's. He could have completely ignored her and kept her at arm's length if he had truly not wanted to have this child with her, something that would've undoubtedly broken her heart if that would be the case. But it wasn't. She would never expect that out of him no matter how much his fears ate at him, not when it came to something that was the product of their love. He wanted this with her, she knew he did. She could feel it.

A hand resting on Rose's arm brought her out of her thoughts. Donna had been standing by her bedroom door studying her carefully, a small smile on her face. "He'll come around," she said gently. "Just you wait."

Rose sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I know. Be ready for tomorrow morning, Donna. Royals can be cranky in the morning at times."

"Oh, I'm not missing it! Night, Rose."

"Goodnight Donna."

Heading down the hall Rose came upon her and her husband's bedroom door with their entwined emblems engraved into the wood. The TARDIS hummed in her mind, making her smile as she entered.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The Doctor was putting the finishing touches on rerouting the TARDIS circuitry, his sonic screwdriver between his teeth as he worked. It wasn't taking him quite as long as he originally planned, much to his preference. He wanted to get done as much as possible in a short amount of time so that he could take a kip. The last couple of days had put a strain on him and he felt drained. He needed a decent night's rest, something he hasn't had in a little while. Not with the way his mind's been racing.

There were a couple of times where he took short breaks to let his vision refocus while he worked, faint blurring but nothing too serious that he couldn't shake off with ease. His pills were wearing off but still proved to be effective. He sensed that Rose was still doing okay when it came to the symptoms as far as her dizzy spells, thankfully. The last thing he would want is for her to pass out. Standard signs and symptoms of pregnancy, as he's read about in the large volume last night, could vary in their duration as well as force. It only applied to Gallifreyan children, naturally, and since their child was a cross-species breed with advanced human genetics there was still no telling how long they would last or what he would expect with an impossible pregnancy.

For the most part he began to feel more…at ease. At least the major seesaw of complications that were making his nerves voice all over the place were settling down exponentially since this morning. Especially after that talk with Donna and Jack. Granted, he's been fighting against the cold restraints pulling at him in the negative areas of his mind for the past couple days, every shred of fear and darkness washing over him as a reminder of everything he had lost in his life. But through the dark corners looming over him were the storm clouds breaking, the light shining and chasing away the demons as they lurked. Those warm sensations spread through him again, a welcoming envelope that cancelled out the coldness, his acknowledgement of the valued and precious life that was beginning to grow within his wife, an opportunity that wasn't even meant to come in once of a lifetime, but in none of them.

His mind wandered off into what the next year would be like for them both—what limits they would have to go through when it came to the force of the symptoms. Rose was a strong woman, he knew that, and sustaining a cross-species child would put a great amount of strain on her body since she was still mostly human. He may be the one stuck in the en suite with morning sickness and nausea, but what if she began to feel the same effects? He hated the idea of seeing his wife ill, knowing how lousy it would feel to go through all of that but knowing her like he did she would do all she could to fight off her weakness since this was something she had been content with. As was he. Not with his beloved suffering through any pain, but at what the end result would be. They had talked about the likelihood of them ever having children at some point in their lives, the longing of actually experiencing something so precious deep-rooted.

Another light to come to his life for whatever reason. He couldn't fathom the idea or thought of how or why this child came to be—well, he was significantly aware of _how_ this child was created, he should clarify. Of course he always thought about that when it came to his precious pink and yellow human still to this day. The universe worked in mysterious ways, sometimes for the greater good and sometimes for the absolute worst. When it came to Rose he always felt the sense of tranquility he had longed for in centuries, the free spirit of living and loving. And now with this newborn life…he was beginning to feel the same. A wave of reverence and protection—a new batch of intuitiveness rising from the surface, something he thought had been buried so long ago, dead and gone and highly unlikely to be reanimated. He identified it without question. Parenthood, and the deep longing of wanting this child. He was going to become a father again. Rose was going to become a mother.

His insides shook a little at the thought again but he recalled what Donna and Jack had reminded him, mirroring the gentle tug at his heartsstrings that this was a life coming into this world, an impossibility to treasure, a miracle. That's what this child was—a miracle. He never saw himself denying that fact when he and his wife first discovered the reality, he was just being pushed and pressured by the weight of the universe pressing down on him and his buoyancy, nearly blinding him and obstructing his views of how he sees this child.

No. Not now. He wouldn't let something so precious slip through his fingers now with the opportunity landing in his and Rose's hands. He would make the most out of this, every second they had throughout this whole experience, how ever long it would take. This would surely lead him into having a double coronary with his head spinning in so many directions, but this would all be worth it in the end and further down the road. Even if he still wanted Rose to stay in the TARDIS for her own safety.

Seemingly finished with his work the Doctor wiped his hands on his trousers and straightened up, looking over his work before checking the monitor. All good and back to normal. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, his exhaustion making its presence known. It had been a long two days, which in some ways felt equivalent to about a week. A nice rest was needed right now.

He fell behind on his cycle and pushed it back far too many times, so catching up wouldn't hurt him. The TARDIS hummed in his mind, agreeing with him before showing him a mental image of Rose laying in their bed, appearing sound asleep. He was about to gently nudge her mind for confirmation but the Old Girl was quick to let him know.

Walking down the corridor he made his way to their bedchamber and slowly opened the door. He peeked inside the dimly lit room, smiling softly at the sight of Rose snuggled into her blankets, not wrapped up completely but keeping them close to her chest. The Doctor shut the door behind him and quietly made his way over to the side of their bed where he removed his trainers before slipping in his spot. He rested on his side with his head propped up on his hand as he watched her. She was so calm, no surprise there. He would always be the one stressing out while she handled everything smoothly without showing any signs of discomfort. It was inspiring and relaxing.

He spent moments without moving a muscle before reaching over to cradle one of her hands in his, brushing his thumb over her knuckles a few times. The longer he stared at her the stronger the connection with their child became, he could feel it. Not _literally_ since the wee one's mind was only just beginning to grow, but that deep reverence spread throughout his being. His eyes moved over her form, stopping when he came to her midsection. A sense of awe dawned over him again, his breath hitching. It seemed so unreal and yet so right. So _amazing._

Bringing Rose's hand up to his face he pressed a few light kisses to her fingers before placing it down. He shifted, sliding down the bed until he stopped to be closer to the very place where their child was. Carefully removing the covers from her grasp he lowered them down to her hip then nudged the hem of her shirt up to reveal her womb. Supporting himself up on his elbow he gently placed his free hand over her flat abdomen, completely marveled. He swore he felt one of those short tremors Rose has been mentioning for a second. The corners of his mouth twitched up.

"Hello, little one," he whispered. "I know you're sleeping well at the moment, something you'll probably take after your mother with, I see. Not that I'm complaining, it's a given since… you're part human. Well, _advanced_ human. Anyway, I suppose that we should get to know each other since…well, since you'll be coming into this world in eleven or so months there's some things you should learn now. First of all, number one thing being, I'm the D—"

He cut himself off with the usual introduction and let out a quiet chuckle, ready to replace it with one he hasn't said in centuries, one he'd never think he'd use again. One he almost said to Jenny. He swallowed hard, but kept his focus.

"Sorry. It's…it's been a long time. I'm the Doctor, but more importantly I'm…I'm your dad." Another watery chuckle escaped from him, the wondrous fact making his insides flutter. "And, also number one on the list, is this lovely home that you'll be living inside of for the time being. This is your mum, Rose. And she's keeping you safe and cozy in your temporary abode. It'll be a while until you leave this warm and comfortable home and join us in person in your other home here, in the TARDIS—the most magnificent ship in the universe. She's your family, too, and She'll take care of you along with your mum and I. Both two ladies who keep me grounded and my head on straight so that I don't end up running around like a mad man." He snorted. "Well, I should say more mad than usual, I suppose."

He paused, letting his fingers trace circles and lines in his home scripture over his wife's skin while he continued with the hushed tone.

"Your mum is the most amazing and loving person I've ever encountered. Someone who, for some odd reason, fell in love with an old man in a blue box like myself. Someone who taught me how to be so many things that I never knew I was, things I never thought I could do again. She's stayed with me since our first meeting and will be here forever. That'll be a story to tell you another day when you're finally in this world, among so many other ones that you'll enjoy. At least I hope you will. Rassilon knows how your mother has put up with me all this time. Unlike her I can be so thick; Mr. Thickity-Thick and Mr. Rude and Not Ginger, actually. Still, she loves me for who I am. And I hope that someday you will too just as much as we love…you. And speaking of mad…that's what the universe is like—it's terrible and mad with so many people and beings that cause so much trouble with their egotistical tendencies and whatnot." He smiled. "But in the midst of all that madness is the universe in all its splendor. And it's that, it's _beautiful._ So many wonderful people for you to meet and planets and star systems and galaxies just waiting to be explored, all of it waiting for you."

His fingers came to a stop. His eyes moved to the side off into space, his mind drifting with them.

"I've done…a lot of things over the years, done some of the most amazing and brilliant but also some of the most terrible to make others cower. And yet…your mother forgives me for all the wrongs I've done, things that would make anyone turn away in fear and shame. A storm that could tear through anything in its path, that could strike fear into the hearts of many. Not your mother, though. No, she's…she's just extraordinary and impossible. And I _love_ the impossible…just as much as I love you. I hope that when you come into this world you will do the same. I hope that you'll be just like your mother, because for me…" He shook his head. "Well, as you already know from what I've told you, I'm such an idiot. But just like I promised her so long ago, I swear to you that I will protect both of you with all of my hearts. I've done a lot of wrong in my long life…but I promise to make this right."

Though he was still feeling nervous considering this had come to light only one night ago he let any and all doubts and fears back to their cages in the back of his mind where they belonged for the time being, far away from his conscience to make his decisions for him. They could have this together, another experience for both of them. Just like he promised his wife years ago, he would do all he could to make sure this child was safe. He would protect two of the most precious beings to come into his life with all his hearts because this child, just like when Rose came into life, was meant to be. A gift he could grant her, something he thought was denied. It was theirs to have together.

Caught up with his speech it finally came to the Doctor's attention that he sensed Rose was awake. Oh. He glanced up and saw her watching him with a warm smile on her lips and tears in her eyes.

"Hello," he said quietly.

"Hello," she replied.

"Sorry I woke you."

"'S okay. I don't feel as tired anymore."

The Doctor was about to mentally ask the TARDIS if She knew that Rose had been awake the entire time, but She played innocent. Cheeky ship did it on purpose. "How much of that did you catch?" he asked.

Rose hummed in thought. "Almost all of it."

He arched an eyebrow. "Only 'almost'?"

"Just about the whole thing, then."

The Doctor chuckled, his hand still resting on her abdomen, his ministrations stopped for the moment. "Rose…about what I did earlier…I know you told me to stop apologizing for it, but I mean it. I'm so sorry that I made you feel that way. In no way possible will you ever be considered invalid just because you're carrying our child. I never intended to make you feel that way, never would I. I just…"

"Shhh." She pushed herself up to place a single finger over his lips, silencing him. "You've said more than enough already. I know you do it to look out for me. Well…now to look out for _us_." She brought a hand over to rest on top of his. "I'm grateful that you do all you can to make sure I'm safe, and I know you'll do even more with our child on the way. I know how much this has been making you feel nervous and afraid, but we were given a miracle, Doctor. And I know you can make this right."

He threaded his fingers through hers. "I won't let anything happen to either of you. I'll always see this child as our miracle, no matter what." Her signature tongue-in-teeth grin spread across her face as he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. He let out a deep breath. "Blimey…"

Rose was still smiling, squeezing his hand. "We're having a baby."

He nodded, his chest heavy. "We are."

"I still can't believe it."

"Neither can I. I'll make sure to keep monitoring both of you to see if there's any further changes and keep everything on record for preference. Impossible as an outcome as this is we need to keep a close eye on any specific symptoms or alterations."

"For eleven more months, yeah?"

"More or less. It's only an estimate."

Rose let out a long sigh. "And I thought you were hard work when you had a cold. You're gonna start whining because of the morning sickness now."

He scratched the back of his head, an apologetic look on his face. "Well…I'll take what I can get out of this since we're both travelling down this rocky road. Eleven plus months is a long time, Rose, and I know this can put a strain onto your body since our child's a hybrid. The less suffering for you the better."

"In sickness and in health," she said. A short chuckle escaped from him as he stretched up to kiss her softly. "We'll just travel more lightly until then. Even though the running won't ever stop no matter what, you know."

"True, not with this life." He paused and pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing before whispering, "This is…"

"What is it, love?" Rose asked softly.

He had become a bit tense but under her touch he relaxed. "I'm just…I'm _scared_ , Rose. I'm so scared about this. With our track record I wouldn't want us to step out of the TARDIS and run straight into a problem or two. I mean…look at the last couple of days, for example. The whole _bloody month,_ rather. Trouble is our long-term companion."

She looked at him, still gentle. "I know. But that doesn't mean that every single place we step foot on has the potential for danger."

"No, but it's always lurking behind us somewhere." He squeezed her hand and raised it back up to his cheek. "I just don't want you to get caught in crossfire, Rose. I don't want any harm to come to either you or the baby. I won't let it."

Rose placed a hand on his arm and sat herself up to a seated position, bringing him up to rest their foreheads together. He swallowed hard and let out a deep breath, feeling himself calm down with every wave his wife transferred into his mind. There was another short tremor, faint but noticeable. It was still too soon to feel any tendrils of the baby's own mind attempt to touch there's with its presence. Still though, he found himself gently trying to reach for it. He could try even further for better examination but he didn't wish to overwhelm either of them at the moment. He had plenty of time to practice with this and plenty of time to properly adjust to this lifestyle again. Well…it was very different than what he had a long time ago. But his wife's strong faith in him and their child flowed into him.

"Now I really understand why human males would keep their pregnant wives confined to their house," he murmured. "It wasn't just to make sure the women were safe and sound but it was just as effective for the _men_."

Rose pulled back, giving him a serious look. "Don't you try that on me again," she warned.

"No, I promised I wouldn't do that to you, Rose," the Doctor said with a head shake. He should've crossed his fingers with that one. No, maybe not. "Not that I'd have a chance to, really." He threw a tiny smile. "Seems we can't even be away from each other for so long."

"You're starting to sound like everyone else," she said lightly. "Not only that but if you even tried to walk outta here by yourself you'd only end up in jail for eating a banana somewhere where it's illegal."

He tilted his head. That was true. It happened to them once before. He inhaled deeply. "But I won't. Together, right?"

"You bet." She brought him in for a lingering kiss. "We're in this together, no matter what." She rubbed his shoulder. "We can manage. As long as you land in the right place and time then we shouldn't worry. Although…maybe I should start taking the wheel more than you. My track record's already better 'an yours."

The Doctor smirked. "Someone's ego is inflating. I should think the TARDIS isn't big enough to hold both yours _and_ mine."

"Won't affect Her much, the Old Girl's always on my side," she teased. The ship being mentioned hummed playfully around them. "See?"

"Serves me right," he sighed. "Whatever I did to become outnumbered in my own ship I'll never know."

"You're a glutton for punishment."

The Doctor shook his head and she giggled before he kissed her soundly, his hand still resting over her womb where their child was growing. A few moments later he hummed in her mouth and abruptly pulled away. He cleared his throat. "Rose…" he choked out.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

Instead of giving her a direct answer he hopped out of the bed, falling on the floor in the process. He scrambled to his feet and rushed into the en suite. Rose sat back to lean against the headboard but just before she could say another word to him she was silenced when she heard him heaving a few times. Her face twisted into a grimace then to an expression of sympathy. Having her husband be the one with morning sickness through this pregnancy would be a hefty clean-up. Unless this was practice for the future.

 _"You alright?"_ she called to him, mentally since he couldn't speak verbally at the moment.

 _"Don't worry, love, I'm fine."_ He continued to heave and Rose bit her lip. It felt wrong to laugh at him but she managed to suppress a grin. When he spoke out loud he sounded hoarse. "Still worth it."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Meanwhile somewhere galaxies away a particular young ginger girl was woken up by a distant echo in the winds outside her ship, the howling familiar in her ears as she's found from deep inside herself. She had lost track of time but one thing she was certain about was coinciding with that instinctive urge to continue running and exploring new worlds, only this time around there was a phrase repeating itself in her mind in an eerie mantra— _the darkness is coming._ What was the darkness? She's been recalling every instance where she lay awake at night after having a pleasant dream of her amazing parents only to have the ominous warning come out from deep down behind the beautiful images. Then there were other sayings. _The Wolf will be at the door, the Red One will unleash fire, the Pack will be together._ It seemed like more than just that. Something big was coming, the feel of thunder rolling off in the distance. She could sense it, in a way, but she was a little wary about it. The moment was coming. She didn't know what it was exactly, but it was approaching and she was prepared to face the battle. And to be prepared for when she finally returned to her parents.

Jenny knew she was ready for when the time would come, and it was closer now than it has ever been.


	59. Interlude: Lost in Transmission

**A/N:** **So I lied about doing another interlude a while ago. Can't help myself :3 But since we're off into the next arc, it deserves a small break here. And to bring to life a little bit that I had mentioned so many chapters back ago. As always, much love to you guys!**

* * *

 _ **Interlude: Lost in Transmission**_

 _Somewhere in Pete's World_

Mickey Smith was sitting in his office by a computer monitor eating a pasty, doing his current job of keeping a close eye for any activity from the other side of the universe. So far he and his team haven't had the best of luck when trying to measure the timelines to locate the Doctor and Rose. The Cannon was a given, a much more advanced version of the previous mark from three years ago and could find any person in any time or part of space. When it came to those two though it was a bit of a challenge.

Only a handful of other times did they manage to find a direct spot to where the Doctor and Rose were, but they lost them almost instantly. The first time he saw them walking by a television shop but right when they turned to look into the screen the image had faded. The same thing happened the second time, only it was through the TARDIS broadcast when they saw a tall ginger woman standing in the console room with her back to the screen. Ever since then they've been hopping with caution and looking for a signal. Running was always a constant in their lives and they would move at fast paces, but sometimes there were inconveniences and missed connections.

He leaned back in his seat, lightly wincing at the strain on his bandaged left wrist. The last time that he hopped he had been with Jake and they had a rough landing in a graveyard, leading Mickey to get a small sprain. It was harmless and nothing a few days worth of healing couldn't handle, and _definitely_ not a severe injury to prevent him from moving out of the door. He hated waiting everything out and would rather head straight into the action and chase down the TARDIS once it came into view but keeping a close eye for the slightest breakthrough was an important part in this years long mission.

Something was coming, something big. It was hiding behind the stars—or now just behind the inky black sky since the stars were beginning to die out. Only a few were left dotting the surface and beginning to blur, but it would only be a matter of time until there would be no more left. Even some of the worlds were disappearing. One of the worlds that they landed on not too long ago fell away completely. It was strange and impossible to track down. If the Doctor were here he would be able to figure this out, not to degrade any of the amazing workers at this universe's Torchwood but desperate times called for desperate measures.

They've made some miscalculations with their previous close encounters when trying to contact the Doctor and Rose, missing them by a few feet and losing them or losing all radio signals. Jake had gone a few jumps himself in the late hours of a night shift and nearly came into contact with them but ended up following the wrong blonde woman, to which he earned a slap to the face for being perceived as a stalker. That was one of the main reasons why Mickey wanted to go instead. Sometimes the other man could be a little hopeless, but it wasn't his fault—entirely, that is. Since staying in this world he wanted Jake to know that he wanted to help out and be himself, not to be a replacement for his friend's fallen lover. Owen and Tosh were helpful but with them on their holidays it was more so left up to the rest of the team to continue with the technology, not that it was complicating.

"How you holding up, Micks?"

Mickey turned around to see Jackie walking in his office with two mugs of freshly brewed coffee, taking one for himself. "Been alright," he answered. "I'd be even better if I had been the one to hop right now."

"You should rest for once. Working day in, day out the way you do takes a toll on anyone."

"I've been resting for days now. It's not like I snapped my neck or broke a bone or anything. Only a wrist sprain." He raised his bandaged wrist. "I can go out there and look for the TARDIS instead of sitting here and hoping for a sign."

Jackie placed a hand on his shoulder. "You still have contact. That's what matters the most right now. Not the jumping. You're doing your hardest at work, just rest."

Mickey sighed and took a sip from his mug, noting how steady Jackie's tone was. But he knew how she was really feeling—anxious. These last three years have been a ride for Jackie ever since Canary Wharf. If anyone had been sitting for so long waiting for a hope to come it was _her_ the most. That day on Bad Wolf Bay was still etched into his memory as if it happened yesterday, and Jackie hasn't gotten over it yet after all this time. She was proud of everything Rose did and accepted her as a responsible adult to do whatever she pleases and to make the right decisions—choosing the Doctor over her own mother being one of them. He wasn't shocked by her move but it was for the best. That man was her life now, her best opportunity for happiness. Jackie understood why Rose did that but Mickey knew how much she missed her.

She never got to say a proper goodbye to her daughter, never got to hug her or kiss her. The least they could do for her would be to make her see Rose at least one more time in the flesh, even if it were for a few minutes. He and his team have been working hard to grant Jackie's wish, but now with the stars going out and the faulty connection it made things more difficult. Mickey had promised to take her on one of the jumps when they came close to encountering the Doctor and Rose but Pete had been concerned about her safety, especially after she just had their son, Tony. The man had every right to be worried about the dimension hopping. It was risky, tears between universes manifesting subsequent to the process. They were cautious, keeping the jumps minimal, but it was important that they reach the duo.

"How have you been with the connections lately?" Jackie asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"The same," Mickey replied, setting his mug down to gesture at the computer. "Only static for right now. Whenever we get through it's only on our end, like a one-way radio. That's why jumping's our best option right now." He turned to face her and lowered his voice. "Still wanna come with us on the next one?"

"Never gave it a second thought," she whispered, making sure her husband wasn't nearby to give his input.

"You're sure? It can be a rough trip."

"I have to, Mickey, you know that. Rose is my daughter and I never even gave her a proper goodbye. No hug, no kiss, nothing. Can't you imagine what it's like to stand there with a loved one who looks like a ghost and just disappears?"

Mickey was silent at first. He had been there that day, waiting by the jeep with Pete, letting Jackie say goodbye to them. He wished he had been closer to the scene but he knew it was Jackie's moment of closure, something he couldn't interrupt.

"And I've got a good mind to slap that bloody alien upside the head if anything's happened to her in the last three years," Jackie continued.

"Time moves faster on this end, Jackie," he reminded. "It could only be three _months_ later on their side."

"Then I could've been three years younger over there, thanks for telling me again."

"That's not what I meant."

She shook her head. "Still. God only _knows_ what they've been doing all this time while travelling, and with him and his alien…things."

"Didn't you talk to them about that before?"

"Yeah, but that was three years ago! I've seen the way they looked at each other, that eye-shagging."

"They're in love with each other, Jackie, you know those looks are expected."

"Since the first day they met, mind you. But with that alien's new face it got more intense, I've seen it. For all I know he's been shagging my daughter _before_ I got stuck here. Him and his alien parts, he's probably got tentacles and…stuff!"

Mickey placed his hand over his eyes. This was the Doctor and Rose they were talking about, two people who were madly in love with each other. Something that everyone was aware of before the both of _them_ did, and once they finally admitted to being a couple that day when the ghosts started leaking through the Void Jackie started making ridiculous accusations of what they were actually doing instead of visiting her. That was back then and it never changed. His attention came to him when running footsteps came into his office.

"Missed them again," Jake reported flatly.

"How close?" Mickey asked.

"About a hundred feet. They were on Earth again, at Buckingham Palace."

"What for?" Jackie asked, frowning. "To have tea with the Queen?"

Jake shrugged. "Might've been, I missed them at the exit. They were with that ginger woman again and some other people, even a UNIT officer."

"Some kind of ceremony?" Mickey quipped.

"Could be. I landed too far away and missed them when they took off. But then I went back into the timeline and came across a cross sectioned broadcasting signal we might be able to trace."

Mickey's eyes widened. "Then put it through the computer."

Removing a cable from the computer he brought the end to connect into a small drive from Jake's transmitter. He placed it down beside him on the desk, the three of them waiting for something to pop up on the screen. Static began to give away and a beeping sound emitted from the speakers.

The image was grainy but Mickey twisted a dial for a clearer picture. It came through, revealing the Doctor sitting on the captain's chair in the console room, alone, with a thing-a-ma-bob in his hands. He never changed, still had the wild brown hair just in a different cut and a pinstriped suit. The color was different too—a deep burgundy shade. It was hard to see him fully since, with the angle they were given, he was positioned in the corner of the screen and his profile showing.

"Doctor!" Mickey called out for the hell of it.

"Where's Rose?" Jackie cried, moving closer. "There's himself, that bony one, but where's my daughter? WHERE IS SHE, DOCTOR?"

Mickey shut an eye, her sharpened tone splitting through his head. Judging from the evidence there was no audio on the Doctor's end. If the alien had heard that familiar ear-piercing shriek he would've fallen off the seat and reacted in an instant. The Time Lord looked over to the side from his work to face the corridor when another figure came in the picture. It was Rose. She still looked the same from when they last seen her when the rift closed. She was wearing a elegant ensemble, as if ready for a special night out at a restaurant or other occasions, her smile wide and bright. Mickey chanced a glance at Jackie, who covered her mouth for a moment.

"Oh, my sweetheart," she choked out quietly. "She's so beautiful."

"Hasn't aged a day," Jake commented.

"It's a speciality of hers," Mickey said, looking back at the screen. "As much as his."

The Doctor had dropped the contraption with a matching grin on his face as he looked her up and down fondly, approaching her. They were exchanging unheard words, unabashedly flirting with each other. Rose had brought up a hand to mess with his tie before he wrapped an arm around her waist and another around her neck, bringing her in for a kiss. A _very_ passionate one by the looks of it. It felt awkward since they were spying in on them like this, but at the same time it gave off good vibes.

"Oi, look where his hands are going!" Jackie bellowed, noting how low the Doctor's hands were moving down Rose's body. He rested them on her hips and led her backwards, both of them now out of the frame. "Oh, that bleedin' alien is gonna go through _three faces_ when I get my hands on him! He better not be having a fling with my daughter!"

"It can't be considered a fling if they're madly in love with each other," Mickey told her.

"I don't care if they love each other so much, that doesn't give him the right to waltz around like that just because I'm not there and like he owns the place."

"Isn't it his ship?" Jake inquired.

She turned to him with a fierce look. "Jake, she's my daughter! I don't care if he owned every single planet from Mars to Pluto and in the whole Milky Way!"

Mickey rubbed his chin. "Uh, Jackie—"

"I know, Micks," she interrupted. "I know Rose is an adult and can make her own decisions but I told that bloody alien to take good care of her! Not to get her _knocked up_!"

"Can he even _have_ kids?"

"That's not the point! Those two are always gettin' into trouble, how safe would it be if there _was_ a child onboard? What if they got lost on Mars or something?"

Mickey and Jake exchanged a look while Jackie continued to rant about the Doctor and his alien parts. Stopping that woman in the middle of a speech was never a wise idea, so they let her go. She cut herself off when another figure came into the console room. It was a young girl—a ginger. But it was a different ginger woman than their other companion they had seen them with.

"Who's that?" Jake asked. "That's not the same redhead we've been seeing."

The young woman looked to be about nineteen years old. She yelled something and less than a second later the Doctor and Rose returned in the frame, looking a little disheveled before straightening out their clothes. Mickey wanted to glance at Jackie but he kept his focus on the girl. She was telling them something before picking up the Doctor's forgotten contraption and examining it, saying something but they couldn't read her lips. Whatever it was made the alien shake his head and Rose to laugh.

"She looks like…" Mickey drew out. "No, it couldn't be."

"You seen her before?" Jake asked.

"No."

"She…kinda looks familiar for some reason," Jackie said. "Even to me."

Narrowing his eyes Mickey hit the record button, focussing on the young girl's face. The picture cut out not much later and he cursed, but he was able to keep a clip from the broadcast. He opened it up in a video manager and replayed it, this time increasing the frames to focus more on the girl. His hands went to his shaven head in bafflement, his eyes blinking a few times.

"Holy…" he breathed out.

"What is it?" Jackie asked, sounding nervous. "Who is she?"

He didn't want to make accusations and draw conclusions when he didn't have all of the facts, but the features in the young girl were too familiar that he could barely wrap his head around it. Swallowing hard he looked over at Jackie, noting her expression was both serious and anxious. Both Jackie and Jake leaned in for a better observation, the latter tilting his head.

"Could she be the daughter of that other ginger woman?"

"Uh, I wouldn't guess that it was the _other woman's_ daughter…"

Jackie pulled back with a gasp, her hands covering her mouth again.

"What?" Jake said, shaking his head. "It couldn't _really_ be…could it?"

"I'm telling you, mate, I can see it," Mickey said in disbelief. "The smile, the nose…but then again I could be imagining things."

"Oh, my _God_ ," Jackie breathed out. Somehow she remained standing on two legs but she looked like she was ready to drop. "Is…is that my…? It _can't_ be. There's no way."

"How can you be so sure?" Jake asked. "I've never seen this girl before and neither have you."

"It's no ordinary companion," Mickey said with a snort. "And I _wasn't_ sure, it's only a guess. But we really shouldn't think when we don't know the details."

"Through all of the jumps we've made we've never come across _her_."

"That's 'cause all of our jumps have been in their present. How about earlier when you saw them at Buckingham Palace? Did you see that girl?"

"No. The only ginger I saw was that other woman we've been seeing. That taller one." Jake looked back at the screen. "Not this one."

Mickey nodded. "Exactly. What we were just witnessing was most likely the _future_. The Cannon is designed to measure timelines, meaning we can go into anyone's past, present, _and_ future."

"So we picked up a signal from the future?"

"Looks like it. Could've been a small blip in the transmission and we picked up this feed instead of the other one from their present."

Jake slapped his thigh. "Goddammit. But if it was a two way feed that branched out I can still trace the other one to the present to see if we can get through."

Mickey exited out of the video manager and unplugged the cable. "Worth a shot."

"She's…" Jackie spoke up, still stunned and shaken from the very possibility before her eyes. Her voice was hushed. "That girl. She's my…are you saying that she's…my _granddaughter_?"

Mickey studied her before looking back at the old video where the frame was paused on the girl's face. It was a strange thought to consider, the idea of the Doctor and Rose having a daughter. Being a couple was one thing because he's known those two had strong feelings for each other for a while, even in the days of when he was still travelling with them. But becoming _parents_? In Rose's case he knew that she used to say that she never intended on having children in her life with anyone. She was younger when she said that and it had been in the early days of when they were dating, but he had to admit he believed her. Although, people do change over time along with their opinions and beliefs. As for the Doctor…he had no idea that the Time Lord ever wanted to start a family at any point in his life. Unless he made an exception with Rose? But was he even able to _have_ children?

He placed a hand on Jackie's arm. This had to be making her more antsy to get on the other side of the universe than before, only corroborating her theory that the Doctor and Rose were…well, allegedly intimate and that this ginger girl was, possibly, her granddaughter. Or _will_ be her granddaughter. Or was really just another companion that might have shared a few physical traits of the Doctor and Rose. He wasn't able to make out which of the two scenarios were racking her brain more, but it was a pretty fair game of back and forth between them both.

Jackie's eyes were still glued onto the screen. "That alien's gonna get an ear full when I see him," she ground out quietly. "And then he's gonna be smacked until his face falls to the floor when I get my hands on him for-for swinging his alien bits around my daughter, and-and—"

"It's only probable," Mickey told her, then took a deep breath. "Listen, for all we know it can also be an alternate timeline, one that doesn't even exist. With the way the universes are collapsing _anything's_ possible. We shouldn't draw conclusions so fast."

Jackie let out a deep breath. "Regardless if it's true or not his head will be spinnin' faster than his mouth."

"Got it!" Jake proclaimed as he plugged in the wire into the port. "Here's present day."

The picture flickered once again, the static not as strong as it had originally been. Another image came on the monitor, this time not on the TARDIS. They seemed to be on some futuristic planet resort, almost like a spa area. The broadcast must have broken through one of the security cameras, giving them a good view of the area. Some beings that appeared to be humanoid with aqua-green colored skin and scales wandered around. The main doors opened and the Doctor stepped through with his arm looped through Rose's and the other ginger woman they've been seeing. The picture flickered again.

"Piece of shit," Jake muttered as he smacked the computer to get the image back up.

"Easy now," Mickey chided, swatting the man's hand away.

The screen came back on, this time in a different room altogether. Must have been in a tv. Rose was laying on a bed in what looked like a guest room in the resort, changed into more comfortable clothes fit for relaxing. She was reading a book before looking to the side with a smile. The Doctor had come in the frame, his suit jacket and tie gone along with his shoes. He was looking pretty pale while carrying a mug containing a liquid. Rose looked empathetic as she took the mug and took a sip, then placed it on the bedside table, snuggling into the Doctor's side once he lay with his arms wrapped around her, his hand stroking her hair softly. They were talking, smiling, relaxing without a care in the world.

It was even more awkward to be watching such a private moment in a guest room and the last thing they would want to feel is like peeping toms, but luckily it wasn't an image too indecent. Otherwise they would've disconnected the broadcast.

At one point Mickey noticed the Doctor had moved one of his hands down to rest on Rose's abdomen before shifting to kiss her lips, curling into each other even more. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and they remained that way for a few moments before the image faded briefly. Mickey remembered how the two of them were acting that day at Canary Wharf, all touchy and gooey-eyed than usual. Now though, from the angle they had, it became more. The tenderness was so obvious now than it had been back then. After a few moments Rose seemed to be asleep and the Doctor slowly sat up. He reached over to pull out a pencil and pad from his jacket and leaned against the headboard, scribbling something down. He stopped before smiling warmly at Rose and continuing to write or draw or whatever he was doing.

Mickey glanced over at Jackie, whose hands were pressed together almost in prayer against her lips, her eyes shining. He took another deep breath. They were at peace and had no idea that something was coming. But they needed their help.

"We have to stick with our mission," he spoke up. "Whoever that ginger girl was isn't important right now. Should we ever see that girl again don't mention anything about her to the Doctor and Rose once we contact them. And be cautious if we ever run into her. We've got no idea who she is."

"Hopefully it's soon," Jake said, moving to the side window to look up at the night sky. "'Cause there's only a few stars left in the sky. Hold on…that's different."

"What is it?" Mickey asked.

"Weird. A bunch of the stars are coming back."

"What?"

"Yeah, they're moving around in some sort of shape."

"What shape?"

"Mick, you'll wanna see this."

Mickey pushed back his chair to join him by the window, peering out into the darkness. Sure enough there were stars reappearing in the sky, arranging themselves in some distinct pattern. He frowned. Something didn't seem right. His suspicions were confirmed when he made out the specific shape of the stars—it was two words. Two words that made a chill shoot down his spine.

 _Bad Wolf._

"What's Bad Wolf?" Jake asked curiously.

Mickey swallowed hard, his hand rubbing the top of his head as he watched the ominous phrase inscribe itself in the dark sky. "Trouble."

* * *

 **Oh boy.**


	60. Shan Shen

**A/N: As always, much love to you lovely viewers! Small _Ghosts of India_ reference in here as well, which was a pretty good DW book.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 57: Shan Shen**_

"…before I tickle you with my weapons of mass destruction."

Rose stirred at the sound of the Doctor's voice in her ear paired with his usual cool sensation being transferred into her mind. Her fatigue had increased over the last couple of weeks, a normal symptom her husband noted since her body was working hard to meet the baby's needs while its form grew. Days went on where he never made a comment about how she was slipping into old habits and would just stay in bed beside her or just head off into the console room to tinker while she rested. Apparently today he was bored out of his oversized mind and wanted to get her out from under the covers. She hugged the duvet closer to her body, not wanting to get out of her comfortable spot. She would bet that not even his tickle torturing would be enough to get her out of bed.

"Really, Rose?" the Doctor asked, snuggling behind her. He kissed her shoulder. "Please get up."

"No chance," she mumbled.

"C'mon, sleepyhead," her husband urged, now hovering over her with a grip on her blanket. "It's morning, it's a new day, our friend's awake, and the birds are chirping!"

"There are no birds onboard, Doctor."

He sniffed. "Figure of speech."

"And it's not morning."

"Well, it's all relative. Could be morning anywhere else, or it might not be. Probably midnight in London, breakfast time in India, brunch in Los Angeles, dinnertime in Budapest, nighttime in Toronto. Who knows, I certainly don't. And neither do you, which is the reason why you should wake up."

She blinked a few times and turned around to see his bright, happy face that was utterly adorable that she couldn't resist smiling back at him. "Breakfast in India?" she asked with furrowed brows.

He made a happy hum. "If you want. The spice pattern is pretty overwhelming right after opening your eyes, but if that's what you'd like then I wouldn't mind."

Rose thought about it. "Dunno. The last time we were in India for curry we ran into those chalky soldiers and walking swamp monsters."

"Jal Karath," he supplied. "Their form was weed-like, yes, but they weren't swamp monsters, Rose."

"Whatever. Still looked like they came out of a swamp."

"But we met Ghandi in India, that was a plus."

"Yeah, but you landed us in the wrong year again. Donna was taken away, and we were almost taken as prisoners."

He scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Well, yes, maybe it's best that we stay away from Calcutta for a while. Or India, for that matter. At least in the 1930s."

"Running into ourselves wouldn't be good. But if you had just got the year correct…"

The Doctor shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Rassilon, here it comes," he grumbled.

Rose pushed herself up and patted his chest. "Or maybe you should just stop piloting the TARDIS altogether and let me take the wheel." Her eyes travelled down to her abdomen and placed a hand over it, smirking. "This little one is gonna take lessons from me when they're old enough."

He snorted and rolled his eyes playfully. "I probably won't have a say in that, would I?"

"You would, but the last thing we'd want is for them to develop your habits of bad parking."

"Well, they're already prone to inhabiting your bad habit of hibernation."

"Shut up."

He chuckled quietly before pressing a soft kiss to her lips, placing his hand over hers.

Almost three weeks had passed since the trio left Cardiff and London behind them after being knighted by Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace. It had been a brief ceremony to honor them as well as team Torchwood for their heroic efforts in saving the world—yet again—from a terroristic alien attack. The Doctor had stressed that the gesture was hardly necessary but Her Majesty made it known that it was her duty and her rights to allow them such high approbation. He had watched with such pride when he saw his wife be knighted for the fourth time in her life, the second from British loyalty. Donna had been overwhelmed from the experience and was smiling so wide for her role in the part of saving the world. She deserved it as much as all of them for being brilliant along with Torchwood.

As promised to both ladies the Doctor took them to a beautiful resort planet for an overdue holiday. Madness certainly came into their lives quick as always but with all of the sudden detours they've had to make a nice stop for some much needed relaxation was in order. He took them to a couple of places, purposely spoiling themselves with the luxurious landscapes and breathtaking sceneries. The first stop had been anti-gravity sightseeing on Tavario Beta, followed by some fun in the twenty-four hour sun on Halergan Three. Their last stop had been to Kaata Flo Ko to check out the diamond coral reefs. Much like its sister planet Kaao'Tilia it was one of the most beautiful getaways for a holiday, one that brought back tender and vivid memories followed by a few other trips.

The Doctor also kept true to his word in monitoring Rose and their unborn baby's systems. Thankfully neither mother nor child showed any signs of harm, much to his relief. All of the common symptoms had remained with the brief dizzy spells, headaches, chills, among others for her and the morning sickness for him. Well, that was a misnomer considering those spells can arise any time of the day and not just in the early hours, but he was managing throughout the attacks as was she. He kept all of his symptoms to himself so not to let them slip onto his wife. She had far too many on her own and he didn't want her suffering through another. It wasn't too bad since he had the right medicine to alleviate everything and lessen the pains and sensations, so, even with the light travels, it made the trips easier with less hassle.

Admittedly there were a few instances where he was concerned about his wife's well-being in the last few weeks. Quite a few times she had a nightmare or two featuring some unreal event to never happen and her to wake up in a cold sweat with another splitting headache, but he was there to chase away those monsters and alleviate the pain. Stress would put an even greater strain on her body as it was still adjusting to the baby's needs to further work in the growing process of its intricate system. She was holding herself very well so far but the road was still a long one. She was almost knocking out two months through the gestation but there were a little over ten to go, by his estimates. Not knowing what more could happen to either of them through this experience was making him tremble but he let those fits of anxiety slip away and savored every second.

This was quite possibly their only opportunity at having a child together with the odds stacked against them, so he was going to cherish every moment with the miraculous gift he and his wife were given.

The last few weeks have still been a whirlwind for the both of them but they have been at ease for the most part in knowing that their unborn child would be entering this very lifestyle in over ten months, give or take a couple. He hadn't ironed out the details or the stages of the exact duration yet and probably never will, but either way they were enjoying themselves with their friend. They didn't want to make her seem uncomfortable with their current situation or that she was being left out of anything, because she wasn't. They always made sure Donna had company, even if it was to yell at the Doctor for serving her slime-like contents on a silver platter.

Rose broke the kiss. "Alright, I'm fully awake now. Happy?"

"It's about time," he muttered with a teasing smile. She pinched his side and he yelped a bit. "I've had a few places to go to in mind, some with the best cuisines and markets and overall cultures. Any place you'd like, your choice."

"Making me decide for you?"

"Well, just taking suggestions. What d'you fancy having?"

Rose thought for a moment. "I've got a hankering for something spicy, actually. I can go for some curry."

"Curry again, eh?"

"Or just something…I dunno, rich tasting."

Tapping a finger against his chin the Doctor hummed in thought as he tried to think of a decent location for them to land with the appropriate meals. With this pregnancy he found himself wanting to eat specific foods that he hadn't had for centuries. Try as he might he couldn't resist passing off an offer for some curry. Just having the rich tang of the spices on his tongue was tempting enough and he found himself craving it as well. If not that, anything to jazz up the senses.

He knew various places in the universe that offered some of the finest spices and cuisines and consumables where no danger could come in their way, especially now that his wife was carrying their child. Then a thought came to him as he came up with the perfect place to take them with some added festivities.

"Ooh, Shan Shen!" he suddenly exclaimed.

"What's that then?" Rose asked, rubbing her ear.

"That, love, was a rhyme." He chuckled. "Nice one, I might add."

She lightly pushed him. "'M serious, what's Shan Shen?"

"It's a planet thirty-one galaxies away inhabited by humans and humanoids alike, a planet based on Chinese culture. Its orbit neighbors several celestial bodies and has some of the best marketplaces to obtain antiques. They've also got this amazing festival that holds some of the traditionals—old and new—with various items with reasonable prices. Well, most of them. With a bit of luck we can catch that."

"Bit of luck?" she repeated. "That's a change."

"Plus, they've got top notch foods and spices, not just some curry. Oh, it's brilliant!"

She smiled widely. "Sounds good to me! Just don't buy the entire planet."

He groaned. "Rose, what do you take me for? I'm not going to purchase _every single_ item I come across."

"With all your pockets I wouldn't be surprised."

Giving her a false stern look he gave her another soft kiss before nuzzling her nose with his. "You and Donna are going to love it."

"Bit of a wander?" she said.

"'Course it is. What could happen?"

Rose stared at him, crossing her arms. "You just _had_ to say that, didn't you?"

He frowned. "What?"

"Every time you say things like, 'oh, what could _possibly_ go wrong,' there's usually a chance that something _will_."

His brows raised. "Ohhh…sorry. Habit of mine. But not all the time." She crossed her arms. "I said not _all_ the time, Rose. Besides, trouble can come to us even when I don't say a word and jinx ourselves."

She snorted. "When have you ever gone about without saying a word about anything?"

He rolled his eyes. "Okay then, let's just pretend that I never said a word about anything happening while on Shan Shen." He leaned to the side and knocked on the bedpost a few times. "There, undone."

She scoffed. "If only it was that easy."

"How are you? Still doing good?" She nodded. "No more migraines? 'Cause I have the medicine for them."

"Just a small one, nothing too serious."

The Doctor studied her for a moment. He wanted to believe her, and he regretted that parts of him didn't, but she would say she was fine if she stepped on a pile of poudiculip spikes. And those were painful. For the last few weeks more symptoms began to appear for the first time—severe migraines, body aches, and fatigue. While her being more exhausted wasn't much of a change from her normal days prior to carrying their cross-species child, he became concerned about her splitting headaches.

As he already told her the baby tries to form a link to theirs once their mind was beginning to develop. Rose was strong, he could never deny that, and she could hold her ground and contain telepathic bonds, but he was still a little wary about the power behind their child's. It was unique and there was no telling what its capabilities would be. Still, he did his best to chuck away those anxiety fits so he could properly cherish this experience with his wife. He had to admit that he was still afraid in some aspects, but he would be damned if anything were to happen to his wife and his child.

He raised a hand to cradle the back of her head. "Alright," he said gently. "But if you ever feel anything severe, let me know."

"I will."

Throwing the covers aside Rose swung her legs to the side of the bed and stretched her arms over her head. Only when she felt a familiar bunch of fingers land on her ribs did she squeal and leap off but the Doctor was on her and kept her in bed with his tickling of torture, giggling.

"I warned you once," he joked.

"I'm already awake!" she said in between laughs.

"How can I be sure you're not sleepwalking?"

"A mind so big and allegedly brilliant as yours should be able to figure it out and tell the difference."

He harrumphed, his fingers still making her squirm in his arms before he brought her down to lay on their bed with his body hovering over hers. His eyes were soft, matching his smile.

"And you say that I'm a distraction," Rose added.

The Doctor hummed in thought. "Yes, but a good distraction, though. A _very_ good one."

Rose threw him a cheeky grin. "How do you expect me to get dressed when we're like this?"

A low growl escaped from him. "Think I can help with that." He lowered himself down and traced his lips over her neck, his breath sending chills through her body. "Unless…" he murmured. "We can wait a while longer."

"Down, boy," she told him.

Shan Shen would have to wait a little longer.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Donna was waiting in the galley for the lovebirds to get out of their cave and join her. Knowing how ironic it was for the both of them to lose track of time when the skinny alien was a Time Lord baffled her but then again they were a married couple and engaged in married couple privileges, so what more would she expect. And now that they were expecting a baby they spent even more time together, as if that was impossible since they were constantly glued to each other. She didn't mind, though. He was loosening up and enjoying himself with his wife and, by the evidence, has become more randy than before.

How the TARDIS put up with their randy behavior baffled her.

She's been travelling with them for a long while now, probably a year at this point, she guessed. A year away from home, living her life for the better and enjoying herself. She missed her grandfather and sitting with him on that hill to gaze at the stars in the sky and just being in his company. She even missed her mother despite all the bickering they'd always do when it came to the subject of Donna's career choices and future. She loved them both and wished she could visit them soon. Calling them was never enough, she wanted to stay with them for a while. She loved this way of life with her two best friends, but she still had family on Earth who were thinking about her. Maybe not today, but tomorrow she was going home to check in and see them.

Chewing on her muffin Donna took a deep breath. She had been exhausted for the last couple of weeks since they left Cardiff and she was knighted. Boy, what a tale to tell her mother and grandfather. Donna Noble—no, Dame Donna Noble of Chiswick. And her mother believed she wouldn't achieve much greatness in her life and look at her now. She went to Buckingham Palace with the Queen herself. Cross that off the bucket list, she thought happily.

Along with that memory to last the rest of her life she couldn't help but be puzzled over a specific dream she had been having since then. It wasn't anything bad or even to be considered a nightmare, but it was just…odd. For the life of her she could never remember what images came to her mind but one thing that remained constant was Rose. The blonde appeared in every one of them, but not the Doctor. Donna had no idea what the significance meant but she surmised it had to do with the three of them constantly travelling together, so naturally she'd have dreams with them. It wasn't creepy, was it? They were harmless. She always brushed them aside and paid no mind to what images she created in her brain when she was in the middle of a slumber.

The Doctor and Rose finally emerged from their bedroom, their hands linked together. "Morning, Donna!" he chirped.

"Morning," the blonde mumbled. "Thought you said it was only relative."

"Oh, it is, you know that. But for us it's the start of a brand new day, hence good morning."

"You two really look like your morning's already been made," Donna remarked. The Doctor's ears turned pink while Rose looked away. "Don't you dare spill on the details. I plan on keeping my muffin inside my stomach."

"Funny thing, you know on Verabion Sector Six that every meal that they consume can be pumped out of their systems to be used as fertilizer for their crops?"

"Lovely breakfast conversation," Rose said, pulling a face. He nudged her shoulder playfully.

"So what's on the agenda today?" Donna asked.

He smiled widely. "Come on, I'll show you!"

He took his wife's hand and dashed through the corridor, Donna following closely behind. He let go of her hand dance around the console to punch in coordinates to their location before pulling the lever to send them off into the Vortex. The ride was a little bumpy but ever since the discovery that Rose was pregnant the landings were much smoother. It could have been that his driving skills finally improved now that there was more precious fragility onboard, much to his wife's preference.

"It's not another resort, is it?" Donna asked. "'Cause I'd need more time to get dressed appropriately."

"Nope," he replied. "And your clothes are perfectly fine for where we're going. Blend right in with the local commuters."

"Sure about that? The last time you said that we ended up in the middle of blue eel, slimy things with horns."

"Ah, the Scalissininomilos. And they weren't eels, Donna. That's an offensive term to their culture."

"Yeah, to other creatures we're all pink and yellow weasels," Rose commented from the jump seat.

"You, Rose Tyler, are a pink and yellow weasel," the Doctor said with a wink. "Donna Noble, you're a red one."

The redhead snorted. "Lovely."

Once the ship came to a stop the Doctor showed off his manic grin and moved over to the coral strut where his trench coat rested and shrugged it on while Rose threw on her blue bomber jacket. Donna was the first one down the ramp and out the door.

"Eugh," she commented, noting how they had landed in a dirty alleyway that reeked of grimy cement and wet socks. "So extravagant."

Rose came out next and wrinkled her nose, glancing around. "We've landed in worse, this is barely anything."

"Oh, c'mon," the Doctor said, closing the door behind him. "This isn't so bad. Besides, the festivities are this way." The distant sound of oriental music began to come to their attention, making him smile brighter. "See? It's just started!"

Grabbing Rose's hand he took the lead as they exited the alley with Donna following. An odd tremor shot through Rose as they walked, a weird feeling, not the usual ones she would feel reverberating from the baby. She brushed it aside. Probably just from being hungry. Above their heads were crimson and gold banners and flags waving in the breeze with traditional Chinese writing on them.

"How come the TARDIS isn't translating that?" Donna asked. "Does it not work with Chinese?"

"You kidding?" the Doctor asked. "The Old Girl can translate any language, Her circuits are doing it as we speak. Merchants and wanderers from all over come here, all kinds of cultures and languages. The writings you see are ancient, but She can easily translate them."

"Then why isn't She?"

He paused and examined a banner on the stone wall beside them. "Dunno."

"Maybe She's deciding to let that go," Rose said with a shrug. "Certain languages stay the same where She doesn't change them."

"That's true."

"Like those squiggles and circles I see all over the console," Donna said.

"That's Gallifreyan, Donna," Rose informed, nodding towards her husband. "That's the Doctor's native language and handwriting."

"I gathered, but how come the TARDIS never translates it to English? Don't tell me he writes his fantasies on them and posts them everywhere."

The Doctor turned around in shock. "Donna!"

Rose laughed. "Some of them are."

His voice raised a pitch higher. "Rose!"

Donna chuckled. "Bet they're all gushy love notes like a teenager would pass in class, eh Spaceman?"

"They've been around since I started travelling with him," Rose said with a grin, looking up at the Doctor. A violent blush swept across his face. "Isn't that right, love?"

Clearing his throat he turned to her with a warn smile before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It wasn't hard to figure out in the early days of when Rose was travelling with the man that would later become her husband. Ever since he taught her his ancient language, from how to write and how to speak, she's been able to read just about every single post-it note placed in various areas of the TARDIS. Donna was right to call him a teenager in class with love notes. From the very beginning Rose had been hooked in with his charm and charisma and the feeling had been mutual for him early on. Looping her arm through his they walked out of the alley and into the closest narrow street.

Crowds piled the area from wall to wall, wanderers of all kinds as well as peasants moving about, the majority of them being of oriental descent. Wooden stalls were lined up with merchants trying to sell their unique products or items. More flags and decorations adorned the streets, fluttering in the breeze while towering pagodas loomed in the distance. The sky was a hazy white, the temperature moderate enough, large kites flying in the air and even some cars and vehicles zooming by. Though the air was thick with heat with little walk room the trio squeezed on by the commuters and observed the sellers and their wares.

 _"Not an average bazzar,"_ Rose thought to the Doctor.

 _"That's what makes it special,"_ he replied. _"But we're in the middle of their New Year's festival, brilliant celebration!"_

Passing by one of the stalls the savory smell of something spicy hit their noses, causing him to skid to a stop. A seller was offering some kabobs with a spiced meat and veggies, something that Rose couldn't resist. The Doctor's mouth had already been watering from the smells, so he wasted no time in buying a couple for them. They each took some bites and hummed in satisfaction at the succulent juices.

"I can't imagine what you'd be like with all your cravings between the two of you," Donna said as they continued down the street.

"Knowing how bizarre his plates can be he'd probably eat chocolate covered cheese," Rose said.

"Wha wron wit at?" the Doctor asked, once again talking with his mouth full.

Rose rolled her eyes. "You're worse than a child," she murmured.

The redhead snorted. "Then that makes two kids you'd have to raise."

They both laughed at that as they walked. The Doctor walked past another stall with small samples, a compound item that looked like some sort of spice. He tapped his fingers in it and sniffed them before tasting it on his tongue, smacking his lips. He tilted his head and gave the man a thumbs up before they headed down another street.

"Ooh!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Just what I was hoping to find!"

"A shiny toy to add to your collection?" Rose questioned, amused by his brightness. "You've already got so many knick-knacks and globes."

He shook his head. "No, nothing like that. Although, with all the customs around here, I wouldn't mind taking a few collectibles if they're available."

"Few?" Donna inquired.

"By a few, he means the entire planet's worth," Rose told her.

"Oi!" the Doctor protested. "I don't intend on taking every single one on the TARDIS!"

"You almost did on Noel."

"That's…that's not the same. And I didn't acquire any duplicates, only one of each different snowglobe and song."

"Until they make more, right?"

He clicked his tongue and winked, earning himself an elbow nudge to the ribs. They continued to walk down the street with curiosity, enjoying the lively festival. The Doctor stopped by another stall and grabbed them each a frothy beverage in a large glass. "Oh, ho, ho!"

"What the hell is that?" Rose said, eyeing it warily.

"A top seller," he replied happily. "These drinks sell by the minute, they're so popular. You're going to love this."

Rose and Donna took their mugs, staring into the glasses. The former scrunched her nose up, an odd feeling entering her gut. "Is it supposed to smell like cucumbers?"

"Yeah, it looks like root beer," the redhead commented. "A very thick, root beer that smells like cucumbers and oranges."

"It's better than root beer," the Doctor assured. "Been a while since I've had me a glass of this brew. Prepare yourselves for a taste sensation, 'cause your taste buds will be running wild."

Rose snorted. "Sure they won't run a mile away?"

"Come on, love, just trust me. It's harmless. Ready? One, two, three!"

In synchronicity they each took a swig of the beverage, each making appreciative sounds at the cool taste as they swallowed. When they pulled their lips away from the rim they were each sporting decorative foamy moustaches and some on their noses.

"Ah!" the Doctor said with satisfaction. "What's the verdict, ladies?"

Rose and Donna burst into laughter. "Lovely!" the former said at the same time the latter squealed, "Perfect!"

"Now was I right, or was I right?" he preened. He turned to his wife, motioning at his mouth. "Got a little…"

Rose shook her head and gestured at hers. "You've got a little somethin' here too."

He arched an eyebrow, feigning cluelessness. "Do I? Where at exactly?"

Giggling she raised herself up to give him a lingering kiss to the lips. She pulled back at licked her own, grinning at him. "Got it."

Matching hers he dipped a finger into his glass, scooping a little froth before smearing it on her nose. "But I missed a spot." He moved closer in an attempt to lick it off, but she squeaked and pushed him away, both of them giggling like loons.

"Oi, you two," Donna commented from the side. "You're in public! You wanna fool around that way save it for when you go to bed!"

The married couple stopped, holding a gaze before pulling apart. Rose swatted the Doctor's arm while he simply shrugged. They both went to take another sip from their glasses, his hand making it to the bottom of her glass as he gently tipped it higher for her to swallow a larger amount. She made a noise and lowered it with a small cough, shooting him a dirty look while he snickered behind his glass, smiling playfully. She kicked his leg, making him stumble a bit and spill some of his drink on the ground.

"Whoops," she said unapologetically, flashing a sweet smile.

The Doctor wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, shaking his head. "Serves me right. I should know better than that. _We'll settle this later,"_ he added mentally.

 _"I intend to win,"_ she replied.

 _"We'll see about that."_

The trio continued to browse through the open trades, the Doctor inspecting some cooked vegetables in a wok. He took a green item and asked for Rose to try it, plopping it in her mouth. It was heavenly. These pregnancy cravings, she noted, were very fickle. One minute she wanted something spicy then the next she wanted something sweet. This particular food she was eating was both, satisfying both of her needs. The wee one inside of her womb must be enjoying all of these different tastes.

While Rose was enjoying herself she saw Donna snooping around one of the stalls up ahead. As much as she would love to stay by her husband's side she didn't feel like lingering around a vegetable stand, especially when her mouth was watering.

"Mmm," the Doctor hummed in delight, eating something purple and covered in yellow powder. He brought his hand over. "Try this, Rose."

She took it between her teeth and chewed it, nodding. "Not bad."

"Tangy and lemon-y with a bit of green, just—" He kissed his fingers like a gourmet chef. "Bellisimo! And look what I found."

He brought her a small paper plate with curry rice, his eyes lighting up and his eyebrows waggling. Rose's mood lifted even more as she took the dish and the small fork. "Oh, I love you," she said. "You're my hero."

"I am but a humble servant," he replied with a bow. "Your wish is my command, my lady."

She giggled and nudged him playfully again. The spice was delicious, accommodating to her hankering with every bite. She shut her eyes and hummed. The Doctor reached a hand in to pick at the food with her, but he was considerate enough to get himself a dish of his own. Shared bonds, shared symptoms. Interesting way of life this was turning out to be for them. Once she was finished he took their plates and stuffed them in a small sack from his jacket for rubbish, then tucked it away.

"That hit the spot," Rose said with a smile.

"Hit several for me too," the Doctor said, smacking his belly before rubbing it. "Just as good if not better than the batch we picked up in Calcutta, won't you say?"

"Both were good, but I needed that right now. Ta."

"Just doing my duties as a husband," he said with a wink.

"I don't know about you, but I'm gonna check out what other souvenirs we can get around here," Rose said.

The Doctor turned to her. "Okay. Wanna go towards the eastern section? There could be some antique scarves or—ooh, authentic pomatoes!" His attention span changed directions when he noticed the neighboring stall selling a red-colored food that resembled a potato but had green spikes on the top. "Ohhh, these are only found on one side of this galaxy."

"Lemme guess, they're a cross between potatoes and tomatoes?"

"Yep! Turns out, it's a good combo." He bit a piece off and made another appreciative sound.

"Yeah, I can go off with Donna," Rose said, watching her husband chow down as if he hadn't eaten anything all day. "'S not like we'll get lost in a place like this. At least be put in prison, right?"

"'Course not," he said, his voice muffled. He swallowed. "Great big festival like this, peace is the main setting. Not a disturbance."

"Well, you promised that there'd be no trouble after you jinxed yourself."

"I knocked on coral, it was undone."

"Surrrre. But really, Doctor, I'll be with Donna. We won't get too far off."

The Doctor paused for a moment, toying with the pomato in his palm. She knew how protective he was of her wandering around, the feeling increasing now that she was carrying their unborn child. He made it clear that he wouldn't let her remain condemned inside the TARDIS, and that he didn't believe she was invalid just because she was pregnant. He trusted her completely, and she could hold herself just fine. He opened his mouth to speak than shut it. Three times.

Rose placed a hand on his forearm. "I'll be fine," she said softly. "It's not like 'm going to end up falling into a pothole or anything."

"Let's hope not, Miss Jeopardy Friendly," he replied. "Although…"

"Don't say it. Say it and I'll kick you again."

His expression softened as he leaned closer with a lower voice. "Just be careful. If you need anything or see something suspicious, let me know in here." He tapped a finger to her temple. "I'll come looking for you. Or vice versa."

"Yes, dad," she said with an exaggerated sigh.

He gave her a quick peck on the lips, a happy hum coming from the back of his throat. He shook his body with a manic grin. "Ah! Nice and spicy! Brilliant combination with a taste of Rose."

Rose laughed. "Really gets you up, doesn't it?"

His smile became salacious. _"Don't need spices for that to happen,"_ he told her mentally, sending her prurient images to justify that remark. She rather enjoyed them and returned the favor. She gave him another kiss before joining Donna at a stall.

His gut was telling him that he should follow them to make sure nothing bad happened to either of them. His wife was strong and he didn't want to make his nerves take him over and have Rose confined to the comfortable atmosphere of the TARDIS. He promised himself and her that he wouldn't resort to that. He shook himself off and continued to browse. Everything would be fine, he knocked on it earlier. At least he hoped.

Little did he know how wrong he would be.

* * *

 **Well…shit.**


	61. Turn Away

**A/N:** **As always, much love and many thanks to all of you!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 58: Turn Away**_

"Surprised he let you go," Donna remarked when Rose joined her. "Always glued to each other, you two are. Sure he won't get into trouble without you around?"

"Nah, he'll be fine," Rose said, looking over her shoulder to see her husband negotiating with a trader over what looked to be a vegetable with long spikes. "He's busy with the wares, and he knows better."

"Good. Some girl time never hurt anyone."

"Agreed."

The women looped their arms together as they swirved through the crowds of people, trying to avoid bumping into others as they walked. That feeling came over Rose again and once more she ignored it. The Doctor had been occupied as he observed a small jar of spices, using his most reliable tester being his trusty tongue.

At some point they each went their own separate ways, continuing to browse. Rose had ended up at a stall selling decorative scarves and other forms of clothing. It's been a long time since she's properly shopped since her husband was never the type to do so—searching for antiques or items in gift shops and bazaars apparently didn't count as 'shopping,' but more along the lines of 'pragmatic collecting' according to him.

She wondered if she would be able to find some appropriate outfits for the baby. A big festival like this with countless wares and items up for sale, anything could pop up if it looked decent enough. She knew she could rely on the TARDIS for supplying them with clothes, but it would be nice to actually buy something nice for the little one. Its gender was unknown since it was too soon to tell, but that didn't mean they couldn't find a unisex outfit.

Shocking though this still was for them she was loving every second of it. Sure, there were times where she felt like passing out when the dizzy spells came over her or when the slightest whiff of something delicious made her nauseous or she had splitting headaches form out of nowhere. In those moments, though, she thought ahead of what the future could mean for her and the Doctor, having something precious that was unthinkable but could be held dearly in their hearts for the rest of their long lives.

Who would have imagined that all of this happened after an alien with big ears and leather appeared in the basement of a shop and took a blonde girl's hand and whispered, 'run', then changed his face and became her husband and now an expectant couple? It was a dream come true, which may not have been the exact imagination of what she pictured her life would become when she was younger, but she wouldn't change any of it for the world.

Rose moved along the stalls, studying the items. Occasionally she would turn around to see where her husband and friend were. The Doctor had been enthusiastically chatting with a trader about some random object in the far distance while Donna was observing some jewelry.

"You want to buy Shukina?" a young oriental girl who looked no older than ten years old asked. "Or Peshwami? Most beautiful Peshwami in all of Shan Shen."

Rose looked at the long crimson scarf, considering it. She assumed that was the Peshwami and the small golden amulet was the Shukina. "Sure, I'll take one of each," she said kindly, pulling out a credit stick to pay.

The young girl said her thanks and complimented her. "You were my first customer," she admitted, handing her a Shukina.

"Yeah? Seems wrong, these are gorgeous."

"People usually stay at the Rusiku sections and don't come to me. Some of the sellers think I'm wasting my time making these."

Rose smiled gently. "Well, don't pay any mind to them. They're mad 'cause they can't make anything out of string. Don't stop making these, more are gonna be sold. Just you wait."

The young girl grinned and bowed her head. "You're most kind, ma'am."

Leaving the girl to her stall Rose walked a little further down the street to enjoy the rest of the festival. She stopped for a moment when she felt another strange sensation shoot through her system, a sickening one resting in her stomach. She rested a hand on her abdomen. Could it have been the curry disagreeing with her? The wee one might not be accepting the spiciness as much as her. A strong aroma hit her nose and made her feel a little loopy for a moment, but she managed to recover.

"Are you alright, lady?" an oriental woman asked with tanned skin and small red markings in face paint, sitting outside of a tent.

Rose nodded. "Fine," she replied, dropping her hand. "Just felt dizzy for a mo'."

The woman looked back into the tent. "Tell your fortune? Your future predicted, your life foretold."

"No thanks," Rose said, not unkindly. "'M one to stumble onto surprises once they come to me."

"But don't you want to know if you're going to be happy?"

What more could she ask for? She was married to the love of her life, they were having a baby together, they were travelling around the universe with their best friend, and revelling in the amazing lifestyle every day. "I'm already happy, but thanks for the offer."

The woman studied her fondly. "Your hair is golden, a sacred color. Reading's free for golden hair."

"Really, it's fine." Another rush came over her that caused her eyes to slip shut.

"Are you sure you're alright, miss?"

"Happened again." She shook her head and blinked a few times, feeling another headache coming on and stomach knot. Something was very wrong.

The woman placed a hand on her arm, her voice gentle. "Come in, I have some natural remedies to help. Some ginseng would do the trick."

Her gut was telling her not to enter the tent but for some reason she found her feet carrying her inside the hut. The room was dimmed, illuminated by some candles to bath the area in red and gold. The drapery was crafted with ancient designs matching the writings on the banners flying outside, jaded beads and paper lanterns hanging on top. The thick scent of incense hit her like a sledgehammer and caused her mind to feel hazy.

"My lady, you're not looking well," the woman said, bringing a seat over for Rose to sit in momentarily.

"I feel…" she breathed out, her stomach twisting.

"It must be the incense. It allows me to be able to tell fortunes of those who wish to see it. Just take deep breaths and you will be alright." The woman took a seat opposite of her, carefully grasping one of her hands to trace a finger along her palm. "Ohhh, and you are fascinating and good…Rose Tyler."

Rose's eyes snapped open. "How do you know my name?"

The woman smiled, continuing to caress her palm. "I can see it. That, and…a man. The most remarkable man. Your…husband. How did you meet?"

"You're the psychic one, you're supposed to tell me," Rose replied sarcastically. Her head felt clouded.

"I only see the future, tell me the past. When did your lives cross?"

"It's complicated. I was trapped in a shop's basement with alien things then he found me and grabbed my hand and told me to run. He blew up my job in the process."

"But what led you to that meeting?" the woman pressed.

The memory suddenly flashed in her mind, making her gasp. She was in Henrik's and it was nearing closing time. She was about to walk home when the security guard stopped her, holding the envelope containing the lottery winnings for the chief electrician, Wilson. She remembered not wanting to go but she begrudgingly took the winnings and searched for the man. She went down inside the storage room when she couldn't find him and came across the moving shop window mannequins who surrounded her. She prepared herself for the blow that could kill her when she suddenly felt a man's hand slip into hers. It was the Doctor, her first Doctor, with his rough Northern drawl as he told her, 'run!'

"Your life could have gone one way or the other," the fortune teller said. "What made you decide to go to the basement?"

"I…just did," Rose replied. Why was she blurting this out? This woman was giving off strange vibes. She went to alert her husband and…no. She couldn't find him. Their bond felt muffled, like she was lost in a fog. "What have you done?" she demanded.

"The moment when you chose to go," the woman said, her expression intensifying. The memory replayed in her mind. "You thought about walking out of the basement. What if you had done that? What then?"

"Let go of me!" Rose yelled, fighting to break from the woman's grasp, but her grip tightened. Her head was swimming and she felt like passing out. Worst of all, she couldn't contact her husband.

"What if it changes?" the woman pressed. "What if you walked away? What if you could have that chance again?"

"No! Stop it!" A sharp chill went down her spine, her skin jittering. "What's that?" Every event of her and the Doctor's first meeting began to flash like fast forwarding before reversing. She gasped when she felt something clasp onto her shoulder. "What the hell are you doing?!"

A sadistic smile spread across the woman's face. "Make the choice again, Rose Tyler, and change your mind. Turn away. Walk out of the basement. _Turn away_!"

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The Doctor was still walking through the streets of Shan Shen, going through as many stalls as he could to grab tasty nibbles and fascinating objects to place in the TARDIS with some of his other collectibles. It's been a while since he properly browsed through a bazaar or festival such as this, especially with his wife, so he was making the most of their time here by speaking to the locals about their wares and whatnot.

Coming across another stall he began to speak to one of the merchants about a particularly quirky idea for a food combination. Many of the wanders in the festival had some promising wares at reasonable prices, some not even charging a cent. He didn't mind shopping by himself—well, he never considered it to be 'shopping', he preferred the term pragmatic accumulating. Rose always told him that he was a hoarder because the attic had been packed with every souvenir he's ever bought over the centuries, but he dismissed that ridiculous accusation whenever she brought it up.

He was apprehensive to let Rose wander. This pregnancy was going to give him hearts failure, but he trusted her and she was with Donna. Of course, that meant double the trouble when the ladies went off, but he didn't want to appear like the overreacting and overprotective husband. It was bad, wasn't it? His wife was always aware that he was constantly looking out for her well-being, the instinct doubling now with their little tot on the way.

He couldn't help himself, it was how he was. Being familiar with parenthood, even though this was a natural birth with a unique pregnancy instead of the loom-based ones he and his wife on Gallifrey resorted to, the last thing he would want is another living soul to pose as a threat to the two gifts he had been granted with. He sensed that she was doing okay through their link, easing up his worries. That was enough to calm him down.

For a few moments.

It wasn't until he walked away from the stall that his eyes widened in alarm, the item that had been in his hands dropping to the ground. His breath was taken from him yet he was beginning to pant, panic instantly rising. His nerves shuddered. Something was wrong. A minute ago he was able to sense her presence. Now all he was receiving was silence and muffling, an equivalent to being covered with a thick sheet. He swallowed hard, trying not to fear for the worst. She was alive, that much was a relief for a little, but he couldn't feel her or barely detect a wave.

 _"Rose?"_ he asked mentally, trying to mask up his worry but failing. _"Love, talk to me. Where are you? Are you okay? Are you with Donna?"_ No response. His hearts stopped beating in his chest and froze up, his fears pounding through him. _"ROSE!"_

Nothing.

His stomach dropped. He was surprised that he wasn't having a double coronary at the moment and remained standing. What happened to her? Why couldn't he speak with her? Barely giving another thought he found himself running through the crowd of people, not the least bit concerned that he was bumping shoulders and stampeding through. There had to be a bloody good explanation as to why he couldn't even reach out to his wife through their bond, but whatever it was couldn't be anything safe. His pregnant wife was somewhere in the area and he couldn't even track her down to find her.

"Rose!" he called out through the street in hopes that he would get a response. He received nothing, not even mentally.

He cursed himself, both inwardly and outwardly. Trying his hardest to maintain his composure he desperately swirved through the crowd. His mind was screaming at him, the silence more than enough as it draped over the presence of his wife, the silence the only sound that frayed his nerves. What was happening to her? She must have encountered another telepathic being and shut herself out, but if that had been the case he would still be able to receive a faint connection. He swore that if something was trying to harm her he wasn't holding himself back from unleashing a storm.

Suddenly the Doctor gasped and skidded to a stop, his eyes blurring. He screwed them and moved to stand in a nearby alleyway, his palms pressed against his forehead. Something was wrong. He felt strands tightening, as if they were trying to rewrite themselves. Time was beginning to blur along with his vision, a sickening feeling washing over him that made him lightheaded. His breathing rhythm came out in uneven patterns, his hearts racing. The ground felt like it was cleared out from under him. All levels of bad. He should've listened to his gut.

 _"Rose!"_ he called out mentally again. Once more he got no reply and he kicked a crate over. "Bollocks!"

He needed to find her as soon as possible before everything unraveled around them.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

 _March 5th, 2005_

Rose Tyler's life was never something she would define as extraordinary, certainly not anything special given how things often went in her days of living. If she could ever find the appropriate words to describe it, she would say it was a combination of dull and colorless—no, that didn't cut it. She knew that she could have it worse but with that same mindset she could also have so much better and lived a more lively lifestyle or anything more exciting than what she had.

The first nineteen years of her life, as she's come to observe, nothing has happened. Not ever. She's always believed that she would never amount to anything if this was a precursor to what her future would become down the road. Although, as she continually thought about it, she would never _have_ a future. Her father, Peter, had died when she was an infant. Her mother, Jackie, had always told her stories when she was going on about the man she never had the chance to know in person, a man with so many ridiculous dreams but had loved both of them dearly and would do all he could to make sure they were safe.

Emotionally shaped by living with a single mother and hearing the stories about her father whom she never knew, they had to relocate from their home and move to a council estate flat where she had spent her years growing up. It wasn't anything spectacular, and certainly was the type of abode that would cause others to pass judgement, but it was only useless words. It was their home, the place where she felt loved.

But, in all honesty, life was a bit dull with nothing interesting happening. Her job was nothing she ever dreamt of doing when she was young. She was a shopgirl at a department store called Henrik's. It was equally as tedious as her life, or that may have been just the fact that it was a constant part in her life that she could never break away from. To her it seemed like she was destined to be a retail worker despite her distaste for it and lack of excitement. It was all by her own doing, even _she_ had to admit that. She wouldn't curse the heavens for bestowing this way of life upon her when it was all created by her own doing and her own decisions, as wrong and regretful they were.

It had been her choice to leave school behind her with no high honors or academic achievements. She may not have been a top level student in her classes, but she always tried to maintain herself and do her hardest. Three years ago she sat her GCSEs and things were beginning to get better for her time in school and her potential future. She didn't do too badly—one A, two Bs, four Cs, and a D in science. She never saw herself acing that bloody science class no matter how old she would be with all them chemicals and equations. Maths and science were never her strong subjects, and her mother supported her through all of it.

Jackie always hoped that she would be the first one in the family to go to a university and earn a decent career in a worthy career field. And Rose wanted that too. She never chose what major she would ever take if she got into a college, but she had plans to at least take her A-levels in her comfortable classes—literature, languages, and art. Everything seemed to be going straight for her, her future being laid out before her.

But months later she made the most terrible mistake she could have ever made in her life—falling in love. Worse than that being that she had fallen head over heels over a local boy by the name of Jimmy Stone.

Just the name alone made her sick to her stomach. She was making something of herself by wanting to improve on her grades, or at least on the right track to succeeding in life to make her mother proud of her, and then she tarnished it because of a boy. Jimmy Stone was a twenty year old bass guitarist for a band, someone who Rose had thought was charming and charismatic. Personally, she believed that she was way out of his league, but she had made the decision to quit school at the age of sixteen to pursue a romantic relationship with him, not even giving her mother or any of her friends a head's up. Things, as she imagined, were going pretty smooth at first and he seemed like the nicest guy. But she learned quickly that Jimmy was bad news. As her mother would teach her when she was young, lots of guys only wanted to be with women for one reason only, and it didn't even have anything to do with love. It was _control._

Her heart was broken in more ways than she could ever want to rehash on, feelings she never wanted to have again. What she had thought would be an amazing attempt of a getaway from the monotonous life she had known for something more excited wasted no time in backfiring. She thought the world that revolved around Jimmy Stone and his rock-and-roll persona would be what she needed in life, but she got nothing good out of the 'relationship'—not that she would consider it as one since there was no base of honesty or care for each other, at least from his end. He was a poisonous tosser who lowered her self esteem more to the point that she wished she had never existed, spat hateful and hurtful remarks at her, and used her as a toy rather than a _human being._ It was the worst time of her life, hours that she could never get back, wasted on someone who wasn't worth it. Her peers had been right when they told her girls like her were unappreciated and looked down on from guys like him.

After being left behind from that parasite, Rose had returned home feeling like a waste. She knew the warnings of running away with a self-centered man who only cared about his ego and treated her like a dog. She should have listened to those around her and chose to stay away, but her stupid hormones and lovesick teenage crush made up her mind for her. That night she came back home she broke down in her mother's arms, worried that she would never be forgiven for the choices and the regrets she would have to live with for the rest of her life. Through all of that pain, her mother supported her and sympathized, as did her fellow mates. Never would she ever let some man treat her that way ever again. She would stand up to them if they ever had intentions to hurt her. Those types were never worth any of her time, and she was fine with that.

Luckily, at the moment, she was in a relationship with a longtime childhood friend from school. Mickey helped her a lot after the fallout with Jimmy Stone, and she was thankful that he was there for her as support.

Life was still insipid, however, and it didn't appear to be changing anytime soon. As much as she would have fun with Mickey she still felt like she was missing out on excitement the world had to offer. There had to be something along beyond the Powell Estate. Ever since she was a young girl Rose had always wished she could travel and see the world, to look for something meaningful to give her wider opportunities. If she could she would probably move away, but she could never afford those fares. The furthest she's ever been was to France on a school trip to see the Mousse de Louvre, but back then that wasn't really something that caught her interest as something brilliant or adventure seeking. She wanted to go even further. Somehow, some way, she wished that one day she would be able to step foot on different lands, to be under the same sky but just stand on different soil.

She wasn't amounting to anything—no A-levels or any academic achievements other than a bronze medal in gymnastics that she required when in junior school, a job that she was displeased with and hated with a passion that wasn't leading her anywhere spectacular, and most importantly she had no future. That was the main thing she took away from that and every eventmade up to now. This was her life as she knew it, like she was reliving every day with the same tedious routine. Wake up, get ready for work for hours, come home, crash in bed to sleep, and repeat. She didn't want to live her life that way. As much as she'd rather spend her days laying under her covers and avoiding the real world, she wanted to be out and make something of herself, something that could make her mother proud and that could make her feel good about herself for once.

Was that too much to ask for? Well maybe to some people it was, but she knew a genie wouldn't suddenly show up to grant her wishes and whisk her away on a magic carpet to find whole new worlds. She could only dream of a better life, but to her it seemed non-existent.

At Henrik's, Rose was finishing up her job at neatly folding some dress shirts and setting them up on the tables. It was getting late and her time on the clock was coming to an end. An announcement came over the loudspeaker. _**"This is a customer announcement: the store will be closing in five minutes. Thank you."**_

Didn't need to tell her twice. She wanted to go home and just watch some telly, maybe call her mate Shareen or Keisha and hang out with them for a girl's night. Following the rest of the workers and a few customers, Rose began to make her way out until she was stopped when a hand came to her shoulder.

"Oi," said the security guard. She noticed him holding a package. "Derek left this and told me to give this to you."

"Seriously?" Rose replied, not too thrilled. "Couldn't he just do it himself?"

"Said he was too busy."

"What, like I have no plans?"

"Why else would he leave this for you to deliver?"

Always playing that card. The whole lot of co-workers would usually leave her with certain duties or would even prank her. Sometimes it was annoying but other times she would join in on the fun. But once the day was done and she had no more work to do, she was homebound. With a long suffering sigh, Rose took the package and begrudgingly made her way over to a lift. Wilson's name was written on the box, and the only place she would be able to find him would be in the basement since he was an electrician. If she didn't find him she wasn't staying long. Impatiently waiting the lift finally dinged and she headed down the corridor. It was poorly lit, but it could have been because it was the last shift and the end of the day. Or maybe Wilson wasn't finished with his job.

"Wilson?" she called out, her voice echoing in the corridor as she walked further down towards his office. "Wilson, I've got the lottery money." She came up to his door and knocked a few times. "You there? Look, I can't hang about 'cause they're closing the shop and I have to meet my mum." No answer. "Wilson!" Still nothing. She rolled her eyes and muttered to herself. "Oh, come on."

Before she could try knocking again a sudden thumping sound caught her attention. She whipped her head around towards the direction it came from. Silence always unnerved her, but she found herself walking towards the sound.

"Hello? Wilson? It's Rose. You there?"

She continued to walk down the corridor and stopped at a fire door, debating whether or not she should enter. Tentatively turning the knob, she went inside and found herself in a room that looked as though it was used for storage. Flipping the light switch on, she walked further into the room with slow steps. She kept calling Wilson's name, but she wasn't getting anywhere with locating him. There was another door at the side that she went up to filled with mannequins and opened it a crack. She froze. Something didn't feel right. She couldn't put her finger on it but it just didn't feel…normal. Just as she pushed it open more she shook her head.

 _Turn away,_ she was thinking.

On one hand she wanted to go inside because she had to, but then another part of her was trying to battle for dominance, trying to pull her away from the door. It might have been the creepy atmosphere of being in a dark basement all alone at night with dim lights, but something was telling her to not enter the room.

It was then that Rose turned away from the door and walked across the other side of the room to the fire door.

No sooner after she made her way out did she her the other door abruptly slamming shut. Shocked, she ran back and tried the handle. It wouldn't open. Strange. Must have been another prank. Well, she didn't have time for any of this right now. Good thing she wasn't on the other side of that door, or she would be been locked in with almost no chance of getting out until she found the guys responsible for joking around. Wilson would never come this far down anyway, hos job as an electrician was always in the other sections. This was far beyond his area. He probably went home early. She could just give him the lottery money tomorrow.

Finding her way back up to the top floor of the shop Rose saw that the security guard had waited for her. "You couldn't find him?" he asked with a frown.

"He wasn't around," she responded, shrugging. "I looked around to see if he was mucking about, but he wasn't there."

"Wilson never came out this way, though."

"Fire escape?"

"But avoiding the main entrance?"

Rose shook her head and handed the man the package. "I dunno what to tell you, mate. Just gonna have to wait until tomorrow to give him the money. It can wait, right?"

The guard sighed. "Suppose. Sorry to burden you, ma'am."

"'S okay, thanks."

The man shut all the lights and locked the doors waiting for the gates to fall down for full security before Rose left the vicinity.

"I thought you were beginning to camp out in there," Mickey joked as Rose met him at the corner before she could make it home.

"I thought I told you to stop waitin' up for me," she answered.

"I was phoning your mobile, didn't you hear it?"

"Must have been no service. But I'm here now, what d'you wanna do?"

"Wanna head down to the pub? You look like you could use a drink. Plus I think Shareen is hanging around there already."

Rose thought about it. It was always a riot whenever she would spend some time with her old mate Shareen, an old partner in crime. Not literally, but ever since they were kids they would always end up in trouble for trying to do something exciting while in the middle of lectures. She was goal-oriented as well and had plans to become a teacher, even taking English as a major in the university. She must have began her break early.

"Okay, I'll just call my mum," Rose said, reaching for her phone.

"No need, babe," Mickey said. "I gave her a head's up that I'd pick you up when you got off work."

"You didn't tell her about us going to the pub?"

"She'll understand. She's probably on the phone with one of her friends, so she wouldn't mind us staying out a little longer. We're adults anyway."

Rose chuckled. "You sure you're not gonna miss a late night game?"

Mickey shook his head. "No, it's all good. But…they do have telly at Nigel's around the corner."

Rolling her eyes she looped her arm through his as they walked down the street. The pub wasn't far away from Henrik's so they both chipped in and each ordered a pint and joined Shareen and Keisha at one of the booths. The jukebox was blaring through the building and the stalls were moderately filled with other customers.

"Two for the price of one, eh?" Shareen said with a grin. "That's more like it!"

"Reen, you better watch yourself before you take one too many," Rose said with a laugh, sitting across from them. "You've got studies."

"Hey, I just took my break away from everything, so I'm free to just take what I can."

"And then heave some later," Keisha added.

The four of them began to converse smoothly as they always did, going from one topic to another. Shareen began to talk about what she was up to at the university, which wasn't much as she described, but she said it could be so much better if she had more interesting professors. Then she happened to mention that she caught the coming attractions on the telly about the new mini-tv series/movie called _Casanova_ featuring one of Rose's favorite actors. The women all gushed over wanting to go to the cinema to catch it, leaving Mickey to roll his eyes and make comments about the man they had been talking about.

Listening in on how much her friends were enjoying their times, for the most part, in school to achieve their dreams made Rose feel a little guilty. She wasn't jealous, but it was pretty intimidating. In all honesty, she never thought that they'd still socialize with her since she dropped out of school to run away with a no-good bastard that betrayed her and used her, but they never let her down. She was grateful for that.

Their drinks were finished and Rose was about to get up and leave. She couldn't afford another shot with her savings. "Wait," Shareen said. "Where you going so soon?"

"'M feeling knackered," Rose answered truthfully. "Besides, one drink is more than enough for me."

"Sure you don't want another? I'm buying."

"Then I'd have to put you on my tab for the hundredth time 'cause I already owe you so much already over the last few years."

Shareen waved it off. "Oh, come on. That's nothing to worry about, Rose. I'm always happy to offer you somethin'. Besides, you've been on mine for a while now too, so we're pretty much even."

Rose snorted. "Yeah, I'm still waiting for that fare to Cardiff you took to see Radiohead."

She laughed. "Tell you what, I'll make up for it by taking all four of us to see Casanova."

"I'm in!"

Mickey groaned. "Am I really going to have to be dragged to a cinema to watch girls hoot and holler over some pretty Scottish bloke?"

Rose kissed his cheek. "Someone has a green monster on their back."

"I'm seeing it too, Micks," Shareen chimed in, raising her glass. "Better than hitting the boardwalk I'd say. But we can save that for Easter!"

They all raised their mugs for a toast and took one long sip of their ales before setting them down on the table. Rose couldn't help but notice that Keisha was shifting uncomfortably in her seat, staring off in the distance as if something caught her eye. She frowned. What was the matter with her? She was fine almost all this time.

"You alright, Keisha?" Rose asked.

Her friend snapped out of her trance, somewhat, looking bewildered. "Sorry?" she asked.

"You look like you saw a ghost or something."

"I…I don't…"

Rose arched an eyebrow, following the other woman's gaze. She looked at her shoulder. Nothing was there. "What is it? Why do you keep looking at me like that? Nothing's there."

Keisha's eyes widened in horror and she shook her head. It made Rose inwardly shiver from the faraway stare. "I don't know," she whispered.

"You sure you didn't have too much to drink? I mean, I know what that's like." She was throwing her a light smile to lift her friend's mood, but Keisha was becoming pale. Not a good sign, she guessed. But what was the matter? "Keisha?"

"It's like…" the other woman whispered, shaking her head. "It's like there's something there but I can't see it."

Rose frowned and looked at her shoulder again, feeling unsettled by her friend's odd behavior. Mickey and Shareen were also staring at Keisha with confusion. It had to be the ale, it just had to be. What other explanation could there be? It's been a while since any of them had a shot or a pint at the pub with them all constantly working or caught up in other things with their lives, so maybe it was just the alcohol affecting her strangely.

Before she could question any further a loud explosion rocked the pub, the walls shaking from the strong force. People gasped and a few screamed when a few windows broke. One of the men from inside the pub ran outside before hurrying back in. "My God, it's a fire!"

Everyone in the pub ran outside to see what was going on and gathered around the entrance, looking down the road to see a building up in a huge ball of flames. It wasn't just any old warehouse or building—it was Henrik's. And Rose stressed 'was' since it was quickly demolished by a wall of orange. She watched with wide eyes as her workplace became swallowed by the fire, the unsettling feeling never easing up.

"Oh my God," she breathed out in shock.

"You were in there not too long ago," Mickey said shakily. "You could've been in the middle of that!"

"Yeah…"

"Jesus, Rose, you could've died in that." He suddenly hugged her tightly.

"Hey, I'm fine!" she said, trying to break away from his grasp. "Look at me, Mickey, I'm okay!"

"I can't believe your shop blew up!" he said, clearly freaking out. "C'mon, let's go home for some tea. That should bring the shock to a stop, yeah?"

She nodded as they walked away from the vicinity just as the top of the building blew off, the flames climbing up along with the smoke pouring out. Rose couldn't help but think about Wilson. Although she looked around the building for him, what if he was still inside? It was impossible, but she was also remaining in the shop longer than usual. If she hadn't left sooner than she anticipated she most likely would've died in that wreckage and no one would've been able to save her just in time. She shivered at the thought and tried to maintain her composure. Out of this all she couldn't help but keep something else in mind. Her job exploded. What was she supposed to do now that her workplace was a pile of ashes?

As they walked Rose couldn't help but notice a bunch of people giving her a side eye and staring at her oddly. She wanted to ask them what the hell they were looking at, but some looked so disturbed for some reason. Shock? She only brushed those people aside and ignored them.


	62. The World Is Wrong

**A/N: Oh boy. As always, much love to you awesome viewers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 59: The World Is Wrong**_

 _In the wrong world_

About half an hour had passed and by the time they finally made it back to the flat, Jackie's voice was echoing through the door before they could even opening it. "—hold on, I think it's her now, Fay! I'll call you back." Rose had barely had a foot stepped inside until her mother came barreling into her. "Rose!" she bellowed, holding a phone while bringing her in for a hug. "I've been trying to call you! Why do you even have a phone if you won't pick it up to tell me you're okay?"

"I'm fine, mum," Rose got out. "Honestly, it's no big deal!"

"No big deal? You could've been killed!"

"But I didn't, see? I'm fine. Don't make a big fuss about it. How do even know about it already?"

Jackie led them inside the living room and gestured at the television. "Just came on as breaking news, on almost every channel! I was watching the rerun of today's _EastEnders_ when all of a sudden, flip! Building explosion! Lookin' like a bomb was dropped on the place! Then Fay gave me a ring and started yelling on the other end, asking for you, meanwhile I'm trying to contact you and you never picked up the bloody phone!"

Rose sighed and rolled her eyes. "Mum—"

"God forbid you pick up the phone and let me know you were fine! I was close to going into cardiac arrest!"

"I'm sorry! I was just all…jittery. My job blew up and I was fortunate enough to get out before—"

"I know, sweetie," Jackie said, her voice soft as she brought her in for another tight hug. "I'm just so glad you're okay."

Rose couldn't blame her mother's anxiety. It was a close call, somewhat. Only approximately fifteen minutes after her shift was over her entire job blew up with no known cause coming to the surface yet. As annoying as her mother could be sometimes, she knew she loved her dearly and would do anything to make sure nothing happened to them.

Jackie pulled back and ran a hand down Rose's hair before heading into the kitchen. "I'll pour you a cuppa, you're probably in shock. What happened there? What caused it?"

Rose shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't in the shop, I was at the pub with Mickey and some friends. I didn't see anything."

Jackie nodded towards Mickey, who sat on the love seat. "Good thing himself was there, then. Are you sure you're not hurt or anything? Big boom like that can send anyone straight into a wall if they're lucky. My God! It's a relief that you weren't any closer!" The phone rang and she answered it, positioning it between her ear and shoulder as she prepared the tea. "Hello? Oh, Deb, I know! No, she's here with me, she's not hurt! Shaken up, though, could you blame her?"

Plopping down onto the couch, Rose took the remote and increased the volume on the telly. The screen showed fire trucks and police on the scene, handling the fire on the empty pit where Henrik's used to be. She still couldn't believe it but it was true. She was jobless. Was this an arson plot? Who could've done it? A reporter finally showed up in front of the camera.

 _ **"The whole of Central London has been closed off as police investigate the fire. Earlier reports in the—"**_

"I know, it's on the telly!" Jackie's voice spoke up over the louder volume of the television as she came back into the sitting room. "It's everywhere! She's lucky to be alive!" She handed Rose and Mickey their mugs, still talking on the phone. "It's really affecting her hard. So much it's beginning to age her. Skin like an old bible. Walking in now you'd think I was her daughter!"

Rose furrowed her brows. Yes, she was shocked, but it wasn't _that_ extreme.

Mickey leaned forward, his voice low. "What d'you think it was, really?"

"I dunno," she replied honestly. "Could have been anything."

"You think it was done manually, like someone left a coffee pot on?"

She looked at him incredulously. "Seriously? A roof is just gonna blow up because of a bloody _coffee_ _pot_?"

"Hey, you never know! It was a big bang, must have been for an even bigger reason. You know them cartoons show how a little spark can make a planet explode to bits."

"Mickey, we ain't living in the television. This is real life."

"Whoever did it is lucky you survived though. I'd rough 'em up if I ever found them. Give them a good—" He jabbed his fists like a boxer. Rose snorted.

"Oh, perfect!" Jackie was saying, coming back into the room. "That's just what we'd need right now for service! You think he'd come in?" She moved her phone away from her ear and covered it with her hand. "It's Debbie on the other end. She knows a man from _The Mirror,_ and you know what she said? Five hundred quid for an interview!"

"Brilliant!" Rose exclaimed. "Give it here!" Jackie handed her the phone and Rose hung it up unceremoniously. As if she'd actually be thrilled about going to a police station to talk. Her mother placed her hands on her hips, her tone firm.

"Well, you've gotta find some way of making money. Your job's kaput and I'm not bailing you out."

"Yeah, well I'm not selling myself to some journalist who'll twist my words around for a quick buck."

"At least they'd offer you some money! Think about it, sweetheart. You deserve some compensation for what you've been through." The phone rang again and Jackie took it. "Beth! She's alive! I tell ya, sue for compensation! She was within seconds of death!"

"I was fifteen minutes away from there!" Rose chimed in.

"It was still your job!" Jackie told her before walking out of the room, still chatting on the phone to one of her friends.

Rose shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes still glued onto the tv screen as the news reporters interviewed nearby pedestrians and alleged witnesses. As much as she knew how much she would need to find another job, the thought was aggravating her. What more could she do as a career? All her life she imagined herself as a lowly shopgirl. How could she possibly top that with her educational background? It wasn't like she could just magically walk into a place and get a job. Even if she did it certainly wouldn't be one she dreamt of doing or one with any shred of enjoyment. How much worse could her life get?

Mickey gave her a sympathetic look. "I could put out my holidays at the shop. That could be extra money for you."

She smiled gently. "Thanks Micks, but you don't have to go to the trouble. You earned them days, keep them."

"Not like I take 'em anyway. Mechanics don't usually take many breaks from work."

"Really, it's fine."

He sighed. "The least I can offer you is a proper drink besides tea. You're in shock and should have something stronger to help."

She arched an eyebrow. "We've already had enough at the pub. You're not getting another hankering, are you?"

"No. I was thinking a nice coffee."

"Just make yourself one, I'll be fine. Just need a rest."

"I understand. On my tab?"

She chuckled. "Sure, along with the rest." They both stood up and she gave him a peck on the lips. "Don't wait up for me tomorrow morning."

"Won't be," Mickey said. "Early shift. Guess this means you're going job hunting again?"

Rose rubbed her head. "Lovely."

He smiled reassuringly. "You'll find something, babe. Something's out there for you."

After Mickey bid his goodbye for the night Rose headed for her room to change and head into the shower then hopped into bed. She really didn't have a reason to wake up early, but she had to go searching for a job. It wasn't like she could just jump in a plane and travel across the world without worries. That was a fairytale life, not reality.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"Gah!"

Pain shot through the Doctor as he tried to compose himself with Time around him tightening, trying to snap him in half from the force. He was making it sound too dramatic, but with him being the last Time Lord in existence, this was worse than anything else he could imagine. Well, close to the top. Blurred edges manifested in the corners of his eyes as he kept them clamped shut. A screeching noise equivalent to nails scraping against a chalkboard bounced through his head, pain coming along with it. He still couldn't contact Rose through their bond, and it wasn't helping his frantic behavior any more than having the turn of the universe shifting beneath his feet, throwing him off balance momentarily and bringing him to his knees.

Whatever was happening to his wife was affecting, not just her or even their child, but it was affecting Time itself. Not only that, but it was their _personal timeline_ that was being touched, he could feel it. Like cold claws. Bloody hell. He wouldn't let that happen. Nothing was going to tarnish everything he and his wife had and have. Over his dead body! He forced himself up from the ground, noticing how a crowd of people began to form at the mouth of the alley, watching him curiously.

"Watch out!" he yelled, his voice coming out too fierce, but he didn't care about his tone at the moment. He needed to find his wife. _Fast._

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

The next day wasn't anything spectacular, as if Rose even thought it would be, but having nothing to do with herself was not a feeling she enjoyed. Unemployment wasn't anything to hoot and holler about. Despite the fact that she despised her job working as a shopgirl it was better that she at least had a workplace to be at during the day. She was a walking contradiction, but she couldn't help that.

When she woke up she was about to get ready to head down Henrik's, but then her mother reminded her that there was no job for her to get ready for since it turned into an empty space for a parking lot. Well, maybe not literally but in time that's probably what it would become. Her mother also kept rambling on about different places for employment as suggestions, one of them being a butcher shop. That really didn't sit well with Rose, but Jackie insisted that it was still some kind of job where she could earn money and further went on about her strong idea of getting compensation for genuine shock. It was a valid claim but it seemed like too much for right now.

She thought about some other places for her to work that would be able to help get her by. Her friend Suki once mentioned that the hospital had a few jobs going in the canteen. There was also the option of her being a dinner lady in a local school, which wasn't her cup of tea. She supposed she could try to get her A-levels, but she didn't know. There were too many doors in her path and she was unsure of which direction she was heading in. Bloody Henrik's. For some odd reason she had a notion that something was…wrong. She couldn't make out what exactly, but something has been making her skin prickle and her insides twitch. Hormones?

She wouldn't be able to start anything right away but there was a sliver of hope that she would be employed again. Even though none of the jobs were satisfying to her dreams of travelling. She wished she could just get away from London for a while, and not to just end up in Manchester or anything, but to just end up in a different country altogether. She knew they had no funds for the move, and she wasn't much of a believer in fate. _Good_ fate, that was. As she's always said, she knew she would be destined with this type of life, so how could anything else pop into her life and change that?

By the time the evening hours came, Rose tagged along with her mother as they went shopping at the Queen's Arcade center. Mickey had been working late and said he would see her later on, so it left her with some more free time than she already had. The night was young and the weather was nice, so a nice stroll through a mall would be perfect.

"So have you heard news from any places?" Jackie asked as they browsed through the shopping center.

"None of them are starting right away," Rose replied. "But who knows."

"Well, you better hope one comes back soon. But, in the meantime, Debbie called me again earlier and it turns out you _can_ get compensation. I said so, didn't I? I've got this document thing off the police officer she sent over for you to sign and you'll be set!"

"Oh, great."

Jackie shook her head. "Don't thank me for helping you!"

"Mum, I told you, I was fine and I wasn't anywhere near the explosion!"

"You were around the corner! Close enough for shock and trauma!"

Rose huffed. This wasn't what she wanted to do in the middle of a mall, but this was leading into the usual argument with what she would be doing with her future, she could sense it coming. "But it's fine, mum," she stressed. "I left before it could explode."

"And now you have no job. What do you think you'll have call back first? You could always call another shop—"

"I'm tired of being a shopgirl," Rose cut in. "I've been a shopgirl for years."

"What's wrong with being a shopgirl?" Jackie asked, sounding offended by the remark. "I've worked in shops before."

"That's not what I meant. I wanna be something else, something _more._ I want to travel and see the world for what it is."

"Then go back to school and study to be someone who travels," her mother retorted. "Honestly, sweetheart, I know you mean well and I'm proud of you no matter what, but just keep your head up. Opportunities are everywhere when you have your eyes wide open."

Rose simply dropped the subject as they continued through the stores, only exchanging comments about the items they were buying. The same old mother-daughter bickering always found its way into her daily life, mainly about the future. Truth be told, Rose couldn't help but feel like something was wrong with her life. Granted, she always believed it was never the 'perfect kind' as her mother would insist, but something felt…off. She couldn't explain it.

When they finished going through the top level they stood on the escalator as it slowly descended to the ground floor. A shiver hit Rose and soon after she heard people screaming in the distance. Sure enough, a group of people began to run around in a panic.

"What the hell?" she muttered, frowning.

Jackie let out a screech, joining in with the chaos around them. She began to take off and Rose followed. Once they made it outside the pandemonium was even worse with crowds of commuters piling the streets in fear. But from what? As the mob thinned a little they were able to see just what was scaring everyone—an army of mannequins paraded through the streets from every shop and store entrance.

"Are those people dressed up?" Jackie gasped.

Rose narrowed her eyes, studying the dummies. Odd as it was, she felt calm. Almost like this was something she was used to dealing with. She grabbed her mother's hand and ran away from the streets. Some more dummies were beginning to break out of the windows by punching through the glass, advancing on every person in sight. Jackie was freaking out as they hurried down an empty alleyway. Exiting through the other end, they saw some people surrounded by the figures, their plastic arms raised. The hands opened to reveal holes where the fingers had been, followed by bullets being shot. It didn't ease up her mother any and it made Rose gasp in shock as they ran in the opposite direction.

Why was this making her feel a sudden freakish sense of déjà vu? She was running for her life from apparent living shop window dummies that were attacking and murdering people, and this all seemed strangely familiar to her. She supposed this could be something that came out of a wacky show on the telly, but in real life? Hardly even possible. Wait, _hardly_? This was completely impossible. Right? For some reason her gut was telling her that this was an occurrence that she's dealt with before many a times. Madness painted every corner of every street, the piercing screams of innocent victims trying to flee from the scene and the sounds of the wreckage. One of the dummies stopped and noticed them and was headed straight for them.

"It's coming this way!" Jackie cried, gripping onto Rose's arm.

"C'mon! We can lose it!" Rose yelled, taking another detour down the twisting side streets of downtown London.

Once they found a safe spot they caught their breaths and waited for something to happen, watching the rest of the chaos unfold before them. Bodies were littering the ground and people were running in all directions. A double-decker bus at the end of the street had crashed into a post-box and burst into flames, taking out a few of the mannequins. Black cabs sped by, honking furiously only to have their windshields shattered by bullets. Jackie was cowering beside Rose, covering her ears from hearing the destruction.

Instinctively, Rose felt her insides shaking and her feet itching to get herself involved in some way, but as soon as the madness began it was ending. The mannequins twitched before collapsing to the ground, now motionless. Everyone stood around in confusion, reluctant to move after the shock that occurred in what had to have been in the span of fifteen minutes, maybe sooner. She turned to her mother, who was still shaken up but thankfully unharmed.

"You alright?" she asked.

Jackie nodded slowly, but her words spat out rapidly. "They were dummies! Plastic men! But-but, what were they? They were just things! Shooting at people, and-and…"

"Shhh," Rose hushed gently. "Whatever happened is over now, just calm down. Just go home."

As they walked a load of police cars with blaring sirens came down the streets, coming to every person standing still and putting up barricades. The sound of officers speaking along with a fairly large ambulance caught Rose's attention, a magnetic pulse pulling her in on impulse. Her legs began to carry her in its direction as she followed. She knew she was leaving her mother behind in distress on the lonely way back home, but she was finding herself being drawn onto the path of where this ambulance was going for some reason. The adrenaline had been coursing through her veins since the start of the chaos but with every step she took until she broke into a run. Running, and running.

Maybe this was the excitement she's been longing for. Maybe this was leading her to something big. Or maybe she was out of it and thinking way over her head, but she let her feet carry her the entire way.

The ambulance brought her all the way to the London Eye, and shockingly she wasn't too out of breath. Judging by what she came to a stop at there must have been another explosion. This building left a much bigger amount of rubble, as well as a cavernous room underneath, much larger than a regular basement. She noticed an army truck parked outside—UNIT, it was called—with soldiers and police officers scattered around and keeping people away from the area.

"Everyone stay back," one soldier said to the gathering crowd. "The road has been closed, just return to your homes."

Rose glanced around and surreptitiously slid around some of the cars, making sure she was out of sight. The smell of smoke hit her lungs but it wasn't as overwhelming. The explosion must have happened earlier. Staying off to the side she was moved within hearing range of another soldier communicating through a walkie-talkie.

 ** _"Trap One to Greyhound Fifteen,"_ ** the man on the communicator said. _ **"What is your report? Over."**_

The soldier brought his up. "From the evidence, I'd say he managed to stop the creature. Some sort of blob or creature or something, we couldn't tell. Blew up the base underground. Over."

 _ **"And where is he now? Over."**_

The soldier hesitated, his voice hollow. "We found a body in the remains, sir. Over."

A body was being carted out on a stretcher towards an ambulance, covered in a red blanket. _**"Is it him?"** _ the captain asked.

"I think so," the soldier reported. "He stopped them but he just didn't make it out in time." He paused. "The Doctor is dead. Must have happened too fast for him to regenerate. Or…maybe he might not have tried to save himself if he did."

 _ **"Escort the ambulance back to UNIT base."**_

Rose watched the stretcher, compelled for some reason by the stranger. It was a man according to the soldiers, some doctor or something. Beneath the blanket an arm clad in leather fell out, limp. His hand was holding a silver cylindrical device with a blue tip until it slipped from his grasp and fell carelessly onto the ground as his body was loaded into the back of the ambulance. She stood frozen in place, an odd sensation rippling through her. Her eyes were beginning to well up. It wasn't just because it was sad that a man had ended up caught in the falling debris of a crumbling building, but she felt like falling apart. Like she was somehow…connected to this person.

 _What?_ That didn't even make sense. She had no idea who this person was! What doctor did she know besides the one on her coverage that would give her annual check-ups or prescribe medicine for when she was sick? Maybe she needed therapy if she actually believed any of this. Perhaps it was a side effect from the shock value from yesterday's events. But…much like earlier with the plastic mannequins suddenly pulling off a Pinocchio stunt and coming to life, she felt like it was just another day in her life. How could that be? She felt like something was drawing her into this unknown man, like she knew him, but it was impossible. Tears were beginning to fall down her cheeks now, her eyes stinging. Rose wiped her face dry with her hand.

She noticed that the device that had fallen from the man's hand still lay on the floor, untouched. Captivated by the mysterious object, she walked over and bent down to pick it up, studying it. She had never seen anything like this before and yet at the same time she couldn't help but feel a faraway sense that she had. Like an advertisement? No, that wasn't it. She looked up to see the small group of soldiers conversing by the ambulance, debating whether or not she should hand this over to them. It wasn't hers, it belonged to that man. Not that he needed it anymore, but it was his property.

Call it an abrupt propensity, she slid the item into her pocket and began to walk away from the scene, her heart heavy. Something wasn't sitting right in her gut, the same feeling she's had for a while. Why did she have this impression that her world was going to collapse around her?

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Mickey began to plug in the coordinates of the Doctor's location into the Dimension Cannon as quick as he could, making sure he had the right spot. One too many times did he or Jake—mainly Jake—muck up the encounters by a number of meters away from the TARDIS in order to make direct contact, numerous times where they were so close and came up short. Now he was in dire need to find the Time Lord and Rose as soon as possible. There were more stars going out. He was still taken aback after witnessing the remaining ones arrange themselves into saying 'Bad Wolf' in the night sky. Well, it technically was only four in the afternoon, but nowadays it was almost nighttime 24/7. If that wasn't an omen then he didn't know what else was that could further prove that danger was looming over every universe.

He was standing alone at his station when he heard the beeping sound as an alert to let him know that the Cannon was ready to be used. Jake had gone off to track down other signals he's been picking up, carefully examining them to make sure they weren't all in the future or that they weren't alternate timelines rippling back in time. Of course it would be a little difficult for him to tell the difference since he never travelled with the Doctor and Rose, but it was worth a shot. Jackie had left to check up on Tony and Pete back at their home but said that she would come right back as soon as possible. Mickey felt a little guilty after he promised her that he would take her with him if it meant granting her one wish of seeing Rose again, but there was no more time that needed to be wasted. Every opportunity was worth it, and he had to take every chance he could to find the Doctor.

Mickey pressed the button on the Cannon and jumped, the white light encasing him as he teleported. He found himself standing on a dark street at night. The climate was fairly moderate, must have been near springtime. He was in London, but he was near the London Eye. He recalled that this was the place where he and Rose were involved with saving the world from some kind of creature with the Doctor. It had been the previous Doctor with his rugged appearance and leather jacket. But why was he brought here? Why would the Doctor and Rose land back here? It couldn't be for memory lane. Just across the Westminster Bridge, he noticed a massive explosion from a base that was so powerful it shook the ground beneath him. Narrowing his eyes he noticed that it was happening directly under the London Eye itself.

Something didn't sit right. This couldn't be what he was thinking.

Mickey hurried to the location to have a closer look. Usually when danger was on the brink the Doctor was in the center of it in some shape or form with Rose beside him. His legs were burning from the intense running, but he needed to get to the Time Lord as soon as possible. There was a large group of UNIT soldiers standing around and conversing with each other, along with a cloth-covered body being carted out by paramedics and placed into a nearby ambulance. He cursed before continuing to dash towards the scene. He glanced over and saw Rose standing off to the side once the ambulance left, appearing upset. She was walking in his direction and he immediately felt relieved. The closer he got the clearer he could see the tears on her face.

"Rose!" Mickey exclaimed, out of breath. Without thinking he gave her a tight hug. "I finally found you! You're a hard duo to find, could you imagine that?"

"Oh, right, sorry," Rose said, strained as she tried to ease out of his arms. "Mickey, I'm fine. The police and the soldiers took care of everything."

He pulled back with a frown. "What happened? What'd they find?"

"A body. Dunno who it was, but something was just getting my attention."

"How do you mean? Did you know them?" He looked around. "How come you're by yourself? Where's the Doctor?"

Rose dried her face. "The only doctor around here was some bloke that didn't make it out of the wreckage in time. They said he was dead."

Mickey froze. That wasn't possible. The Doctor couldn't be dead. But Rose would be in even _worse_ shape if that was even true.

"Did you know him?" she continued. "Was he someone you met at the mechanics shop? They…they didn't give a name, it…could've been any doctor."

This was wrong. He must have landed in the wrong point in time again, or this might have been an alternate timeline where Rose had never met the Doctor. Damn faulty coordinates. He must have caught a signal from the past, from the early days of when Rose was travelling with the alien. But…she was acting like she had no idea who the Doctor was. Maybe it was a normal doctor, a man of medicine. No, that couldn't be it. It had to be _the Doctor._ The Cannon locked onto this moment for a reason, and it measured the Time Lord's traces. He was here, but something felt wrong. He and Jake have had some mishaps when jumping before, but this felt different from the others. In none of the other points had the Doctor dead, yet apparently he was in this one.

"Mick?" Rose asked, placing a hand to his arm. "You alright?"

"I came so far," he said distractedly. "I was too late. Or…too early."

"What are you on about?"

His eyes snapped back to Rose's as he shook his head. He shouldn't blurt anything important out. "Oh, nothin', sorry."

He noted that she had looked younger. Granted, he's stumbled across Rose in the future—or in their universe's present—and she still looked the same, only a little older. But as he studied her carefully in the dim light of the dark street he could easily see that she appeared younger still. He was _definitely_ in the wrong point in time. Something else had caught his attention, and it was a clicking sound that directed his attention to over her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Rose abruptly asked. "Why are you trying to look at my back?"

"I'm not," Mickey said, averting his eyes.

"Yeah, you are. You're doing it right now, why?" She turned to look over her shoulder. "What is it? Did Shareen put something on my back when I wasn't paying attention? I think mum would've said something though."

"Uh, no, I was just…" He trailed off, the odd sound getting to him again. He shook his head. "I shouldn't be here, this is…it's wrong."

"What d'you mean?" Rose asked.

Mickey placed his hands on her shoulders. "Rose…this world, it's wrong."

She arched a brow. "You grab a pint before you came here?"

"No. This world is _wrong,_ Rose. It just is. I shouldn't be here right now."

Suddenly he ran in the opposite direction down the street, leaving Rose standing with bewilderment. What the hell was that about? She noticed that Mickey had a new jacket and for some reason appeared more mature. Something strange was going on around here. She ran after him, following him down the street in hopes for an explanation, but Mickey was already gone.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

It was possible that Mickey received the wrong coordinates from Jake and they picked up the wrong signals again just like they had with that peculiar image back at the base showing the Doctor with Rose and a young ginger girl that, in a quick glance, may have slightly resembled the two of them. But that could have been an alternate timeline, much like this one he inadvertently landed in. Oddly enough he hadn't found the Doctor but that was the major problem—the Doctor was dead. That was wrong, he wasn't supposed to die in an explosion and before Rose could even _meet_ him. The Cannon was designed to locate his traces, but the point where he ended up was in the wrong timeline. At least the wrong point.

How could it be possible? At first he assumed Rose had brief amnesia but it didn't seem like the case. Something bad was happening to actually do _this._ He ended up in their secondary base location for the time being, just in case Pete came in and began to question him for jumping too frequently. Bad enough the man was constantly on top of Jackie with the whole 'it could be too dangerous' spiel, as he had every right to believe that, but it was better to take precautions and do things more secretly. He needed to get to the bottom of this and why he was getting weird transmissions.

"What the hell just happened?" Jake exclaimed, running into the room with a monitor strapped around his wrist. "The readings are off the chain right now!"

"Yeah, bit of a blunder again," Mickey said, shaking his head. "Actually, it's worse than that."

"Where's the Doctor? I triple checked the coordinates and they seemed spot on this time around."

"They were at first."

Jake narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, Mick? Didn't you find him or Rose?"

Mickey blew out a puff of air past his lips. "Oh, I found Rose alright. But not the right Rose."

"Like a parallel version?"

"More than just that. This is something more, mate. Something so wrong on _so_ many levels."

Jake moved over to the main computer on the side that was flickering on and off. Power seemed to be going out in the building, and the stars were nearly all gone. "Could it have been another slip up?" he asked, retracing the signal. "We've been coming up short all this time, maybe it's happened again and we lost him somehow."

"The Cannon is locked onto the TARDIS, it wouldn't just lose him," Mickey said, his head spinning as he tried to fathom what he just escaped from. "You don't get it, Jake, this was no regular miscalculation. This was a totally _different_ timeline altogether."

"Another alternate one, great," the other man muttered. "Did you see that ginger woman? The loud one?"

"No."

"What about that young ginger girl from earlier? You think you landed in the future?"

Mickey snorted, mirthlessly. "Trust me, this was nowhere _near_ the _future_."

Stopping what he was doing, Jake turned to him with a confused expression. "So…you landed in the past? That's a switch up from our track record."

"Yeah, but this-this wasn't the way the past was meant to be!" Mickey said tersely as he began to pace. "I went back too far and ended up in 2005—the year that Rose and I first met the Doctor. But it wasn't like an ordinary mishap, things changed big time and I don't even know how!"

"How big?"

Mickey took a deep breath. "The Doctor was dead, and Rose didn't even know who he was."

"You said you saw Rose, even though it wasn't the same her. This could've been another alternate universe, as we've concluded. It's like you said, all the universes are collapsing and we could end up anywhere at any time in the Doctor's timeline."

"But the Doctor was never supposed to _die_ in _any_ of the timelines, Jake! Something's wrong, and I mean something _huge._ He wasn't supposed to die that night when Rose first met him, but from what I saw and was told by her she never even knew who the man was being carted away by UNIT. It was the Doctor and he was dead."

"You sure he didn't change his face like that process you told me about?"

"Look, I'm telling you he was stone cold _dead._ No regeneration, no change, just _properly dead._ I know for a fact that that couldn't happen that night since I was there! And I don't mean just now, I mean back then at the time when it happened."

"Damn, time travel can be confusing at times," Jake commented. "So what do you think happened? An interference?"

Mickey stopped pacing and sat on top of a nearby desk. He had been giving the possibilities so much thought, trying to figure out a reasonable explanation why he was brought to that timeline. But then it had occurred to him that, with all the stars going out and the universes hanging onto threads, this wasn't just an ordinary alternate world he had left behind. There was a specific vibe that emitted from Rose, something that had gotten his attention. Something…different. It wasn't residual energy from the rift or anything like that, but it made his skin crawl. Could there have been an extra factor involved that was the primary cause?

"It had to be," he finally said. "Something so powerful to actually alter a person's timeline. If the Doctor never met Rose then everything that would come after would fall apart."

"How so, exactly?" Jake asked. "What did she do?"

"Saved him. There were these…creatures that turned plastic dummies into living objects that shot people, killing them. The Doctor found a way to stop them by confronting them in an underground base that would soon explode. I was there, but Rose was the one who stayed behind and saved him before he blew up from the blast. He almost went with the other aliens."

"But how did the timeline change? What d'you think this is?"

Mickey ran a hand over his head in thought. "I dunno, but it's nothing good. It seems like…Rose was physically pulled out of the present time and brought into another universe, one that never existed."

Jake frowned. "You mean like a 'what if' situation? Isn't that the chaos theory?"

"One decision changes, and then everything falls out of order with a different outcome."

"Shit…"

Mickey pushed himself off the desk and began to pace again. "We need to find a way to make the timeline stay the same as it was and prevent anything more from happening. A world without the Doctor can only be a nightmare waiting to happen."


	63. Chaos Theory

**A/N: I can't stress this enough, thank you guys so much for** **sticking around and being patient with me. You're all stars and I adore you all! ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 60: Chaos Theory**_

 _March 2006_

For the next year Rose had been living the same boring life in London, but from a different viewpoint—from a dinner lady's. She came across an available position that was equally, if not more, lousy than being a shopgirl. Being a dinner lady in a school wasn't something she ever imagined she would become in her life, but then again she thought that years ago before she worked in Henrik's.

A lot had changed. She kept seeing Mickey, but he was…odd. Something was different about him, like he was pulling off some wacky stunt or something. Everytime she would see him leave for the mechanics shop in the morning, he'd show up by the corners wearing different clothes. He appeared older. She originally believed that it was her vision going after being in a dim lunchroom every day, but she didn't buy that. It was almost as if…there were two Mickeys running around London. It sounded barmy to even think of something so ludicrous, but she couldn't shake off the sensation that everything around her was wrong and that this wasn't her life.

She was _not_ meant to be a dinner lady. But it felt…more than just that. Everywhere she went, she noted, people kept turning their heads to look at her as if they'd seen a ghost. It was always irritating, but for the last year it really got on her nerves. Why was everyone doing this to her? There had even been a young ginger girl who believed she was her mother. Seriously? It was like the universe was pranking her. That was the least of her worries when trying to keep her mother and Mickey calmed down after that bizarre yet familiar night when the shop window dummies came alive. Things began to change, and not really for the better.

Still, she felt at peace when she would sleep. Normally she would have spectacular visions of her travelling across the world to see amazing sights, only the dreams she had were more vivid than usual. Similar to remnants of past adventures. No, that was weird. Her imagination had conjured some of the most fantastical imagery that could be compared to lands described in a storybook, but they could appear on television. She wasn't by herself though. There was a man—a remarkable man. _Extraordinary._ He took her with him in a magical machine of teleportation. He was a ruggedly handsome man with short cropped hair and a leather jacket and was very charismatic, enigmatic, electric. In some dreams she was with another man with the same attributes, only the other one had dark spiky hair and a pinstriped suit.

She tried to remember the details, but everything would become fuzzy. The dreams felt so surreal that, in a way, she thought they _actually_ happened. It seemed impossible, but she had an itching feeling in the back of her mind that was unlike anything she ever felt. Beyond the blurring visions and fading dreams she felt a connection to them, to that man. Or…men, rather. But they were _the same,_ her mind would tell her. He changed his face. Still, behind all the fog, there was a fondness for him. A deep one, even though she didn't know who he was. Nights were all good and well, but the days were long and chaotic.

One day after work there were reports of a massive aircraft that appeared to be a UFO crashing into Big Ben in Central London then landing in the Thames River, sending the entire country in an out of control panic attack and declaring a national emergency. Apparently there had been a body in the wreckage of extra-terrestrial origins. Jackie had begun to freak out again at the possibility of aliens, and yet Rose felt like she was reliving past events. She wasn't doubting it was aliens since she knew they were actually real, but why we're they constantly striking Britain? 10 Downing Street had turned into a frenzy and turned upside down.

The Unified Intelligence Taskforce—the organization UNIT, as she looked up—were brought in, being the esteemed experts in alien technology. Through her navigation she tried to access any information of some kind of Doctor bloke, just for the hell of it. How was it possible to feel a connection to him when she had never known him? Or…what if she had met him years ago in a coffee shop or something? It sounded unlikely, but anything was bound to occur. They watched on the news reports as the analysts explained the events. A man by the name of Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, a Brigadier of UNIT, had accessed the location of the alien ship in the North Sea that was transmitting a signal.

The acting Prime Minister made an announcement to declare a matter of national security and request that the UN release activation codes to launch a nuclear strike against a mothership supposedly hanging over London. Sounded fake. The officials soon hacked into the system and took control of a Royal Navy submarine to launch a missile aimed directly at Downing Street. At that point Rose had run outside with Jackie and Mickey to watch the projectile fly through the air past the Powell Estate followed by a massive explosion that rocked the country. Her stomach had twisted from the aftershock. Later on that day a woman by the name of Harriet Jones appeared on the television to address the people and a news reporter said that the man that had logged onto the website to gain the codes, the Brigadier, had unfortunately died from the blast along with some other soldiers and civilians.

That twisting feeling in Rose's gut didn't ease up any. In fact, it was getting worse. Everything felt wrong and out of place. But…why?

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Donna was browsing through some other open shops, finding her way over to the accessories section. The sellers really sold their pitch and deserved every penny for their items. She should have asked the Doctor for a carry bag that was bigger on the inside to bring with her. She wondered where Rose had been. Donna didn't realize that the blonde had gotten further off from their path to browse on her own. Knowing the other woman, she probably trekked back to where her husband was to make sure he wasn't having a hearts attack from their time apart. Even if it had been ten minutes at maximum. Overprotective husbands were one thing, but adding a pregnancy to the mix and that alien was a constant nervous wreck.

Donna swore she felt something weird in the air, something that she couldn't explain. It was strange. Ever since she's started to have those dreams she's been experiencing more skin crawls than usual. It could just be her imagination or even that drink that the Doctor urged them to try that made her loopy. Or maybe she gained a sixth sense. How wizard would that be? Stopping at a young man holding out shiny stone necklaces, she smiled and took three of them. The next time she would pay her mother and grandfather a visit she would bring them some souvenirs. Her mum could never pass up any jewelry, and her gramps couldn't resist alien artefacts.

"Donna!"

Donna whipped around at the sound of the Doctor's voice breaking the sound barrier. They couldn't be leaving already, could they? She couldn't see him in the crowded streets, but every time he kept calling her name she could easily tell he was closing in on her location. She took her newly purchased items and left the stall in search for the pinstriped toothpick. She didn't even turn a corner when he barreled into her, almost knocking her to the ground.

"Oi! Watch it, spaceman!" she cried, noting where his hands were grabbing her around the waist. She smacked his hands away. "What did I tell you about the hands? Only use 'em on your wife!"

"Donna, where's Rose?" the Doctor asked quickly, appearing frantic as he swayed.

"I thought she was with you," she replied. His eyes widened, the color of his face gone as he panted. "Why, what happened?"

"You let her wander _on her own_?" he demanded.

"She got ahead of me!" the redhead fired back. "I thought she went back to find you since you two are practically linked together!"

"Well, clearly you can see that my wife isn't with me!"

"Putting the blame on me isn't helping! Can't you just find her with your mind like always?"

He violently tugged at his wild hair. "That's the problem, I _can't_! Something's interfering with our connection and I can't talk to her or _anything_!" He spun around in a full circle, pressing his palms to his forehead with a groaning sound of pain. "Someone could have her, and could be _doing something_ to her and she can't even alert me! I need to find her NOW!"

Donna felt uneasy, her stomach shaking. She placed her hands on his arms to calm him down, failing instantly. "Doctor, relax. We'll find her. Nothing's gonna happen to her, got it?"

He groaned again and supported himself on the wall, panting heavily. Donna grabbed one of his arms and tugged him down the street in a run, looking through each alleyway and over every person's head to spot a particular blonde. The Doctor wailed in pain and staggered, falling to his knees and taking Donna with him. He shouted something in his home language and growled.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Whatever's got Rose is altering my timeline— _our_ timeline, I can feel it!" he said, shutting his eyes. His voice was strangled, followed by a choking sound. "Aaaaahhh! ROSE!"

"C'mon, then!" she yelled, struggling to get him back to his feet. "Let's go get her back!"

It was like pulling dead weight since the Doctor was struggling to remain upright, growling in pain and screaming for Rose, but that wouldn't stop him from locating his wife. Donna could feel the heat coming off of him. Through his concern and worry for his pregnant wife's safety was hot blooded anger, fury. A level on its own when it came to him. She had seen him wear darkened masks before, but this was the worst she's ever seen him. They had better find Rose soon before her husband unleashed hell on this planet if she was harmed in any way.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

 _September 2006_

Months later things were getting weirder. If shop window dummies coming to life and spaceships crashing into Big Ben weren't enough to prove that aliens existed, then the earthquake in Cardiff certainly continued the almost never-ending chain of strange events. Rose was unsure of what to make of all of this. One side kept tugging at her in the direction of discarding everything as a hoax and that everything was happening as it should be, but her gut never ceased to tell her that her world was wrong and that she had seen these events before, but they were different than what the telly reported. Somewhat.

Not only did a massive earthquake show up in Cardiff that was so forceful it could be felt in London, but a bright column of light shot up into the sky not much longer after. Rose sat on the couch and watched intently. For a short moment she thought she heard a cool whisper coming to her ears, the breath of a phrase of some kind. It was indistinguishable, but it felt powerful as it rippled through her while she kept her eyes on the screen.

"Again?" Jackie gasped, entering the living room with a basket of freshly washed laundry. "You sure you don't have a film on to pull one on me?"

"We don't even have a DVD player in here, mum," Rose replied. "You sold it to that little boy in the park, 'member?"

"Got a good lot of pounds out of that, I did. But I figured you bought a new one since you're making decent pay again."

"Dinner ladies aren't the same as secretaries, though. Not like I'm bringing home big amounts of bacon."

"You're still bringing home money and have a job, that's all that matters." Jackie walked over and offered a small smile. "It's good to see you back on your feet again."

Rose looked back at the television at the mention of an American man who was involved in the earthquake that was killed by the alien before it was taken away. Her heart felt heavy in her chest and her insides shook.

"Turn this off," Jackie said, shaking her head. "I dunno how you watch these things. Too depressing."

"Gotta know what's going on in current events, yeah?" Rose countered.

"The only current event for you is heading down the market to pick us up some food. Now let's go, your work around the house isn't done yet."

Rose let out a long suffering sigh. There came a time when she wished she could have a break. Being confined to a small kitchen to serve children slop on a tray wasn't the most pleasant image, and some relaxation at home was all she wanted. "'m supposed to be meeting Mickey soon," she said.

"He called earlier when his shift was over," Jackie told her. "Said he was joining Jimbo and Steve for a game at the pub. Had you not been so glued to the bloody tv you would've known that. Dinner's gonna be started soon and we need some tomatoes, so c'mon. You can watch Space Invaders later."

"Really, mum? It's real, not fake."

Jackie waved dismissively. "Whatever it is, we shouldn't watch it. Please just be careful. All these alien invasions on the telly, I don't want you following ET home."

Rose snorted before she got up and made her way out the door. "I might get some chips too. My treat."

"Don't waste all your wages."

Walking down the streets, Rose dropped the forced smile she gave her mother and kept her head up, observing the people passing her by. She still wished she could travel, but where could she go? Her mother would barely let her outside with all these alien sightings popping up. The only exceptions were for work or a quick stop at the market. Some excitement. She caught a few people giving her side-eyes and dirty looks. What the hell? She was never one to enjoy lots of attention, and it made her uncomfortable and angry. Making it to the store she picked up what they needed and made a pit stop at a chippy. She had began to walk back home to spend the rest of the night with her mum. She accidentally bumped shoulders with someone.

"Oh, sorry," she quickly said. She looked up and saw a redheaded woman, who looked oddly familiar.

"Rose…" the woman said with wide eyes. "Oh, my God."

"Do I know you?"

"Not in this universe, you don't."

Rose furrowed her brows. "What's your name?"

"How are you doing?" the woman said, smiling and evading the question. "You're looking good. How've you been? Up to anything fun?" Her eyes were falling to her shoulder, completely distracted.

"'Scuse me," Rose said, irritated. "What are lookin' at? And who are you anyway? Why won't you tell me your name? And stop looking behind me, there's nothing there!"

"You need to get out of here," the woman said, clearly not taken aback.

"What?" Rose demanded.

"You need to get out of London as soon as possible. The world is coming to an end." The ginger suddenly ran off in the opposite direction.

Rose wanted to follow, but she was weirded out. Something about that woman made her feel like she knew her well, like she was…an old friend? She shook her head and kept moving on. She nearly had a heart attack when a flash of light appeared to her right up an alleyway, a buzz of electricity sounded. Someone propelled out.

"Blimey!" she exclaimed. "You alright, mate?" She walked toward the person and realized who it was. She frowned. "Mickey? What the hell was that about?"

"I dunno," he said, looking behind him. "I was just walking along, and…weird…"

"Well, some entrance," she chuckled, walking up to him to kiss his cheek. She backed up and noticed he had on that jacket again. "You still never told me where you got that jacket. It suits you good."

Mickey looked confused for a moment. "Huh? Oh right, yeah. It was just something I picked up at a shop, nothin' fancy."

"Thought you were staying with the guys from the garage for your football game."

"I am, I was only going home to get my wallet. I forgot it and it's my turn to pay."

Rose smiled and nudged his shoulder. "You'd probably forget your head, too."

"Yeah, yeah." Mickey looked around them. "Uh, babe, what year is this?"

"How much have you had to drink?" Rose replied, then told him slowly. "It's September 15th, 2006. Remember? You called me earlier when you saw the Cardiff earthquake on telly."

His eyes widened and he ran a hand over the top of his head. "Christmas is next," he said quietly.

Rose narrowed her eyes. "Christmas? That's ages away, Micks. Why are you worried about that?"

"Rose, you've been okay, right?" he asked suddenly. "Like…you've been fine?"

"Yeah…" He didn't smell like alcohol, but he could've been trying to cover it up. "Why are you so obsessed with Christmas all of a sudden?"

"Just…thinking ahead," Mickey replied. "With all the aliens popping up, I figured we could get away, you know?"

"We could never afford that. You know how many dried up peas I'd have to serve in order for that to happen?"

"Yeah, but there's at least a chance for things to be better if they didn't become a disaster. Last year was okay, but you never know."

His eyes involuntarily drifted behind her and it irritated her. She was fed up with everyone looking at her back. "You're doing it again!"

"What?" he said innocently.

"Looking at my back. Everywhere I go all these people are doing that."

"What kind of people?"

"Just people, I don't know. When I get home there's nothing there."

Mickey took a deep breath, looking serious. "Rose, listen to me. I know it's hard for you to understand this, but the world is wrong."

Rose shook her head. "Now you sound like that woman."

"What woman?"

"Some ginger woman bumped into me not too long ago and told me the same thing. I've been attracting gingers for some reason." Mickey's eyes widened. "What's wrong?"

"Everything," he replied with seriousness. "Rose, everything happening around you is wrong. This isn't your world, and I shouldn't be here either."

She shut her eyes when a pain began to form through her head. A buzzing came to her ears but when she opened her eyes she noticed that Mickey was gone, leaving her more bewildered than before.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Mickey rubbed his eyes as the white light around him faded away. He needed to be more cautious with the jumping, but with the universes collapsing he had to do all he could to fix everything that went wrong. Trying to make Rose believe and trust him would be a challenge, especially when she looks at him like he's a nutter. Getting her far away from London, while that seemed to be the way to go, wouldn't do her much good when the entire world would soon turn into a disaster. Without the Doctor in this world the past events were more catastrophic. Now with the earthquake it had cost the lives of those who hadn't died in the real world, but it was trying to overtake everything.

Rose said she had seen a ginger woman that told her the same thing in regards to the fictitious world around her. Who was the woman? Was it that same ginger girl that he saw earlier on the blip or was it someone else? There were too many possibilities, but he couldn't stick with any. Once again he had been distracted by that clicking noise that emitted from Rose, that weird sensation. Now that he recalled the encounter he swore that in the corner of his eye he saw something blurry and black, something that looked like an insect clinging onto her back. That had to be it. He didn't know what it was, but that had to be the creature that was changing things. If the Doctor was here he would be able to handle it easily.

Thinking of a plan on how to stop something he couldn't even see would be tough considering he wasn't an expert with aliens as much as the Doctor or Rose or others. But he wasn't a useless person. He was a top guy at Torchwood and he knew what he was doing. If the Doctor died in this universe, he had to be taken away for safety and security by UNIT. They knew that containing him would be better. Maybe they had the TARDIS. The ship might not be able to recognize him and he might not know how to operate it, but if he found a way to use it he could send Rose back to her point in time. He checked the Cannon and got a reading that the TARDIS was still around.

Glancing around the area, Mickey pressed the button on the Cannon and let the light encase him. He found himself standing in UNIT headquarters, startling a female captain at her desk. "What the hell is this?" the woman exclaimed. "Where did you come from?"

"From far away," Mickey answered. "That's not important right now. Everything around you is wrong and I need to fix it before things get worse."

"Everyone's coming out of the woodwork," she murmured before asking, "What are you doing here?"

"I need help. I'm here about the Doctor."

"I regret to inform you this, Mr…"

"Uh, just call me Ricky," Mickey supplied. With everything falling apart he figured that actual names would be used against him.

The captain arched a brow. "Right. Young man, I'm sorry to tell you this, but the Doctor is dead. Has been for almost two years."

Mickey shook his head. "No, he isn't. I know you might believe that along with everything else that's been going on, but you have to listen to me. This universe, it's wrong. Things that happened weren't supposed to be that way."

"How can I believe you?"

He leaned closer on the desk. "I'm from the future. Kind of. I was there the night that the Doctor 'died'. He wasn't supposed to die that night. There was a woman, Rose Tyler, my old mate. She was the one who saved him from the explosion. Or…he saved her. Same thing, but that's what was meant to happen. She went on to travel across the stars with him, but something is inferring and rewriting the past."

The woman nodded slowly, humming. "Like the chaos theory?"

"Exactly that. Something took Rose out of her point in time and created a different world with her in it where she had never met the Doctor. I know this sounds mad, but it's the truth. I have the readings to prove it. If we don't fix this now then everything will be destroyed."

"Surprisingly what you're saying isn't too shocking to me. When…Sir Alistair was still with us, he was always the one who told us to believe the Doctor no matter what scientific jargin he spewed out. What can we do to help?"

"Do you have the TARDIS?"

"Yes, it's in storage. Sir Alistair made it clear that we needed to contain both the Doctor's body and ship from outsiders. A man with such a reputation and remarkable technology could only be kept under our supervision. But we've never been able to open the ship."

Mickey frowned. "Even with his key?"

"It was lost. Nothing could get inside the ship. He was the only one who could open it."

"Good thing I got a spare." Mickey reached into his pocket and pulled out his key. Luckily he walked around with it in case he ever came across the ship. "Take me to the TARDIS."

"Follow me." The woman stood up but froze momentarily, gesturing at the device at his side. "What's that there?"

"It's a Dimension Cannon, ma'am," Mickey said. "It allows someone to jump across universes and it measures timelines."

"So that's how you were tracking the Doctor."

"Yes. We've had close calls in encountering him and Rose, but it's harder with this world. I need your help."

"You've come to the right place." She paused. "We had one woman come in here not long ago telling us the same thing, about the world being wrong."

"A woman?"

"Some redhead. Is she your partner?"

"No. I have a team, but they're not close by." Redhead. It had to have been one of the mystery women again.

The captain—who introduced herself as Captain Magambo—took him through the base. The TARDIS was standing in the corner of a room, tall and blue. Entering it with his key Mickey was immediately greeted with…coldness. The console room was empty and dark, only lit up by the faint glow of the rotor. He remembered feeling a welcoming hum when he was traveling in the ship, but now it felt like he was walking in a tomb. It used to be lively, now it was in pain. He walked around the console, the eerie sensation following him. It wheezed, sounding hurt.

"Oh," he said. "You recognize me?" Another wheeze. "I'm sorry for your loss. I know this is hurting you, but we'll fix this. We'll get Rose back to her time and the Doctor will be okay. I'm talking to a ship," he finished with a murmur.

He knew that the TARDIS was always fond of Rose back then. On many occasions he would see her talking to the ship whenever the Doctor wasn't around. He never felt envious that Rose would spend more time with the Time Lord or his ship more than with himself. Okay, maybe he _did_ back then, but he's grown a lot from those days. This was the lifestyle that she chose, the life made for her. The Doctor was the one who could give her everything she could ever want. They had a future ahead of them, but this interference was trying to break it apart. He needed to fix it.

"How is it?" Magambo asked as she stood at the doorway.

"It's alive," Mickey said. "Just…mourning."

"You said that this theory centers a Rose Tyler. Just who is she again?"

"The one who saved the Doctor from blowing himself up that night he died in this world. I've seen the future, and they're both alive travelling all over the universe with their companion."

"Have you found Rose?"

"Yeah, I've jumped a few times and came across her. Convincing her that this world is wrong is a little harder, but I know she'll fight through. Until then, we have to figure out what the creature is."

"I see. What do you suggest we do then?"

Mickey scratched his head. "Get everyone working on this. We have to come up with a way to send Rose back in time to fix the turning point and return to her timeline. And it has to be done fast. Christmas is coming up and it can only mean one thing."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Christmas came and it was the same old holiday. Rose exchanged presents with her mother and Mickey with the radio playing tunes and the tv on. They thought about moving away for the holiday for a getaway, but home was the best place for them to spend the festivities. So far it's been relatively quiet with the whole alien invasion routine. A disastrous event, while likely, hasn't occurred yet. They tuned to the tv set later on to see what was going on. The Prime Minister showed up on the screen, talking about how she funded a probe to be sent into space. It sounded like a decent idea, given that they wanted to see just how many species were out there in the world. As long as it didn't prod them to come on a day like this. She shouldn't have spoken so soon.

 _ **"Scientists in charge of Britain's mission to Mars have re-established contact with the Guinevere One space probe,"** _ a reporter said. **_"They're expecting the first transmission from the planet's surface in the next few minutes."_**

A man appeared at a press conference in the next image. **_"We're back on schedule. We've received the signal from Guinevere One. The Mars landing would seem to be an unqualified success."_**

 ** _"But is it true that you completely lost contact earlier tonight?"_**

 _ **"Yes, we had a bit of a scare. Guinevere seemed to fall off the scope, but it, it was just a blip. Only disappeared for a few seconds. She is fine now, absolutely fine. We're getting the first pictures transmitted live any minute now. I'd better get back to it, thanks."**_

Next came some live footage from the probe, but then the picture became distorted, revealing a massive sized object. "Funny sort of rocks," Jackie commented.

Rose narrowed her eyes. "That's not rocks." She inched closer to the screen for a better look, feeling her skin crawl for some reason. Déjà vu again, but why?

The image became clear and revealed a figure with red eyes and a mask resembling that of an animal's skull, hissing viciously. Mickey and Jackie gasped in alarm, but for Rose didn't budge. Almost like she had seen this creature before. Everything went downhill as the entire planet went into panic mode, but the worst of it all was what was broadcasted next, sending chills down everyone's spine. Along with the massive spaceship looming over London, thousands of people under some sort of trance were standing on the edges of rooftops and buildings, premeditated to jump. The aliens, which were identified as the Sycorax, spoke in an unknown language but their words were translated. They demanded that the Earth would surrender under their command or else the hypnotized people would commit suicide.

Rose sat in the living room with her knees up to her chest, watching in disgust at what the world was coming to. This couldn't stand. Her head felt like she was burning up and it bothered her. Something didn't sit right with her.

Soon the Prime Minster came back to the television screen, appearing distressed and hopeless. Even the Queen couldn't get involved in this since she was in as much danger as the others. ** _"Ladies and gentlemen. This crisis is unique, and I'm afraid to say it might get much worse. I would ask you all to remain calm. But I have one request: Doctor. If you're out there…we need you. I don't know what to do, we're at a loss. But if you can hear me, Doctor…please. We need you now more than ever. If anyone knows the Doctor, if anyone can find him…the situation has never been more desperate. Help us, Doctor."_ ** Someone beside her whispered something in her ear, and she looked worse than she already was. _**"Oh. Uh…ladies and gentlemen, it has been brought to my attention that the Doctor is…dead. He's gone. This could be the end of humanity as we know it."**_

Rose had been fighting back tears the entire time, but they began to silently run down her cheeks. Everyone was losing hope, and this man, this Doctor, was the one that could save them. Only he was gone. She stood up and walked out of the room, feeling her heart sink. It was odd when she didn't even know the man. Right? Jackie came over to gently soothe her, calming her down from sobbing. Everything that followed was terrible. The Prime Minister attempted to negotiate with the aliens, but it lead her nowhere. They surrendered. Rose's insides froze. Half of the world would become slaves while the rest would be under hypnosis to look over the others. The planet was about to become a dystopia. And the main thing was that it felt wrong. Morally, obviously, but it felt like it shouldn't happen at all.

"Oh, my God," Jackie whispered, her hands covering her mouth. Suddenly she ran to the tv and shut it, then moved to the hallway. "C'mon, we're leaving."

"What?" Rose choked out.

"Pack up as much as you can, we're leaving."

"Where do you expect us to go?" Mickey asked. "There's gonna be aliens lookin' to pick us up!"

"Not us!" Jackie cried. "I won't let them touch us! We're gonna find a safe spot to stay, far away from those bleedin' monsters!"

"Mum—" Rose tried, but was cut off.

"Rose, sweetheart, there's nothing we can do but hide. I know it's dangerous, but if those things can control people, we won't let them control us. We have to get out fast. Hurry up, shift! We have to go now!"

Rose's heart was racing as she found herself heading to her room to pack a bag with her belongings. She didn't know what her mother was thinking with the hysteria that suddenly came, but there couldn't possibly be any safe place to lay now. She was holding out for a hero, but what if the hero never came? No, she didn't want to lose hope. All she could do was grab what she could and follow her mum. Life on the run.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Months later, Rose was curled up in a ball in her blanket, but preserving warmth was like looking for the needle in a haystack. She wasn't fond of the cold hard ground being her bed, but it was all she had available. The rain had eased up, her dosage of fluids fulfilled for the day. Her mother always told her water was important in an everyday life, and she savored every drop the sky gave her. Her head was laying near a puddle, but she was unsure if it had been from the rain or her own tears. Things had been horrible before, but after her mother and Mickey were taken away she lost all hope.

The underground bunker where they originally settled was the place they called home after that disastrous Christmas. It was nowhere near anything considered to be welcoming or warm, nothing close to what living should be like—becoming people who barely exist, walking around as ghosts. Life as a refugee and in seclusion was rough. Living with a hundred people in a cramped space was nothing deemed of what would feel like home. Facilities were scarce where only a couple of people would sneak out at night to retrieve scraps of food or buckets of water, not that it was clean. Having every dark and grim day away from the sunlight, but outside it was a wasteland.

The Sycroax had taken over Earth, running things their way. Half of the world became slaves, working in the dirty fields and barely surviving while the rest were higher powers under hypnosis, monitoring everyone. There was no need for others to worry about jobs—there wasn't any money to be earned when everything was torched to the ground. If someone disobeyed the rulers, they would be executed right on the spot. From this point of view, it was possible that there were many underground camps containing refugees for safety and shelter. Even if they stayed outside they wouldn't last that long. It was hell everywhere.

Rose didn't know what god she angered to have this kind of karma. She would rather stop living altogether than have to live in this world. She wished that she could go back in time somehow and change whatever mistake she had made to get to this point. It was impossible though. While she may have complained endlessly how dull and boring being a shop girl and dinner lady was, she would take either of those situations in a heartbeat. No one was winning this war. There wasn't anything to look forward to—no goals, no hope, nothing. She and the others had no rights, no voice to be heard, no one to listen to their distressing cries.

What was worse was the one day the base was disclosed to the public and invaded by soldiers. The day she was separated from her mother and boyfriend. A day she didn't want to remember. Most nights she would cry herself to sleep until the dreams of that man came to her, the same connection. Dreaming about a better life, about running far away without any worries. Would there ever be a light at the end of this tunnel? She thought not…until a strange flash of light appeared at the end of the alley, prompting her to look up. She slowly stood up and made her way down towards it. It was familiar, like lightning. Every time she saw it she would see Mickey—a different Mickey. When she reached the end she saw a man wearing an odd mask, but a familiar jacket?

"Mickey?" Rose tried, her voice quiet.

"Hey, Rose," he replied, sympathetically. He took off his mask. "Long time no see. For your end, sorry."

"I should've listened to you and moved away, eh?"

He smiled sadly. "It wouldn't have mattered. Come on, it's time you knew what was going on. You're almost ready."

"For what?"

He didn't answer as he took her by the arm and led her to the other end of the alley, pressing a button that caused that white flash to come over them.

* * *

 **If you leave a review, I'll send you some virtual early birthday cake ;D**


	64. Turn Back

**A/N: Well, I'm alive, for that one viewer who sent me a message asking about that. Yikes, two weeks since last update. Sorry about that guys. Lots of distractions lately: birthdays, family drama, etc.** **As always, thank you lovely viewers for being patient with me and sticking around!**

 **(Note: Long response to guest reviewers at the bottom.)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 61: Turn Back**_

"We were lucky," Mickey said moments after bringing Rose a better change of clothes and a hot mug of tea. They were in a massive underground base with technology. "We managed to pick up on what would happen on Christmas Day and were able to create all of this with as much tech that we could get our hands on. With UNIT being the only ones that were defending the Earth, they had to resort to this."

Rose was looking around distractedly. "That lot deals with aliens, yeah?" He nodded. "Y'know, I never thought aliens were real and would think you were a nutter…but lookin' around proved me wrong long ago."

"None of this was supposed to happen, Rose. Not in the right universe."

She frowned. "You always said that. And how come there were two of ya?"

"Kinda complicated, but all of this is wrong. There was this alien bloke called the Doctor."

"You mean the man who died under the London Eye?" Rose asked after a moment.

Mickey nodded. "He was the one who stopped everything from happening and fixed things. He was supposed to be there in Downing Street when it exploded, near the Cardiff earthquake, and when the Sycorax came to London. Something happened to you and caused time to be rewritten. It's become a universe that _could_ have happened with events that's could have taken place."

She shook her head. "What are you on about?

"I'm sort of from the future, Rose. I've seen the right timeline and where you should be. You travel with the Doctor, you're with him. Properly a couple."

Her eyes widened. "What? What about you and me? I thought…"

Mickey sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You were my girl for a short while, but that was before you met the Doctor." He snorted. "Can't compete with all of time and space at my fingers, right? But the main thing was that you met him that night Henrik's blew up. He saved your life, and then you saved him underneath the London Eye. You were supposed to be there."

Rose gasped when a vision came to her, a memory with the weight of a thousand sledgehammers. She was standing in a cavernous room and grappling a stray chain from the wall. Smoke was everywhere, and she saw herself swinging across a massive gap. The familiar plastic dummies were seizing a man by the arms—a man in a leather jacket. The same man who entered her dreams. She kicked the mannequins, causing a vial to fall into a pit containing a pulsating yellow blob. She landed safely in the man's arms, and saw something in his eyes. Something deep, and empty. He looked ancient. The smile wasn't reaching his eyes at first, but then she realized he seemed relieved the longer she stared. Then they fled.

Her head was aching as she was brought back to reality, wrapping her arms around herself. "What…that man, he's…"

"The Doctor," Mickey told her. "I know he might seem scary at first, but you saw through him. You became more than just a companion to him, and that's why this is all down to you. Something's coming, Rose. Something worse."

"What could be worse than what's out there?" Rose exclaimed indignantly.

His look was serious. "The darkness is coming. Something big. Have you seen the sky lately? The stars are going out, like someone took an eraser and wiped them away. We need the Doctor to help us or else every universe dies. The only way for us to find him is to get you back to where you belong in your time."

"Okay," Rose spoke. "Let's assume that I believe you with that—"

"You do," he cut in. "Deep down you know it's the truth. Everything you've seen is the opposite of what actually happened. You were there Christmas Day with the Doctor, when he changed his face. You helped him stop the Sycorax."

Another memory hit her hard, this time a vision of the other man from her dreams—the tall thin man with wild hair. He was wearing blue and white pinstriped jim-jams as he exited a blue box. He was then wielding a large sword with a dark look in his eyes, later defeating the aliens. She felt another warm feeling, the same connection. She gasped and shook herself, tears stinging her eyes.

"Why is this happening to me?" she cried. "Why are you saying that it's down to me? I can't do anything, I'm nothing special!"

"Rose, you've always been special. On that day you met the Doctor for the first time, you were the most important woman in the whole of creation." Mickey smirked. "And I'm not just sayin' that as your old mate. He had a way of taking ordinary people with him and let them know how important they really were— _are_. It's not even right to speak of him in _past_ tense."

Rose steeled herself. She trusted this other Mickey and knew in her gut that something was wrong. Had she been looking at smoke and mirrors this whole time? She was starting to believe so now. If there was a way for things to get better and to save all of the lives that died then…she could bring them back where they belonged. Not to let them live in hell.

"I could've prevented all this," she breathed out quietly. Mickey nodded. "And there's still a chance I can?"

"There's not much time, but yes."

"How?"

"Come with me. There's something you should see."

They went further into the underground base where various experiences were shown on display. A woman with a uniform and red beret stood by a computer and saluted them. "Sir," she said. "And you must be Rose Tyler,"

Rose nodded. "Yeah."

The woman extended her hand to shake. "Captain Erisa Magambo. Thank you for this."

"I don't even know what I'm doin'."

"How is it?" Mickey asked.

"Seems quiet," Magambo reported. "Ticking over, like it's waiting."

Rose's eyes widened when she noticed the blue police box in the center of the room hooked up to a bundle of cables. Her ears began to burn, her stomach twisting.

"You recognize it," Mickey said.

"That…was in my dreams," she blurted.

"It was a part of your reality. They located it under the wreckage of the London Eye."

He led her inside and she gasped from the coldness that hit her. It felt so empty and sad, for some reason. And it was impossibly big on the inside! She walked up a ramp and saw a faint light beginning to glow from the centerpiece, a humming sound coming to her ears. She placed a hand on the console and warmth spread through her being.

"She's glad to see you again," Mickey told her.

"'She?'"

"The TARDIS, the Doctor's ship. Stands for Time and Relative—"

"Dimension in Space," Rose found herself saying, causing her to gasp quietly to herself. How'd she know that?

Mickey looked amused. "You remember it. That's a good sign. You and him had so many good times in here. I travelled with both of you for a little bit, and saw it with you. You talked endlessly about the worlds you visited, how many times you saw the Beatles, all of the wacky adventures you two had when I wasn't around, all the times you saved lives."

"You said that we were happy. He sounds like the most incredible bloke, so what was he doing with me?"

"Told you, he thought you were brilliant." He smiled. "And you are. It took you travelling with him to fully realize it. I thought the same about myself when we met him. He would always wind me up and say things to me, but he thought I was fantastic too. But you, he saw everything in you."

Rose glanced up at the glowing column. "So me and him were…?"

"Like lovesick teenagers?" Mickey supplied then snorted. "You bet. Still are. It's…been a while since we've seen you, but you two are together and happy." He looked over her shoulder and reached a hand out, drifting it over. "You wanna see it?"

She stared at him, hesitantly. She felt shivers running down her spine. It was frightening to know that something was actually on her back, but maybe she had to get a gander at what it was, especially if it would help her fix things around her. She swallowed hard and nodded.

They exited the TARDIS to stand beside a console set up to the cables. Rose waited as the UNIT soldiers assembled a group of mirrors to form a circle and headlights. She overheard the officers and Mickey speaking some scientific gibberish, but she was able to understand a great deal of it, odd as it may seem. Everything had been madness around her, apparently only revolving around her because she was in the center of it. The people were confident that she was the one who could fix everything in this world. Mickey then informed her that, while he didn't know much about the creature on her back, it was there and was the thing that changed time. He brought her over to stand in the center of the mirrors and lights.

Sure enough, there was a giant black beetle clinging onto her back like a rucksack. It shocked her and made her stomach twist in knots, an unsettling feeling washing over her that made her dizzy for a long moment.

"Get it off me!" she yelled.

"I can't touch it, Rose," Mickey said sadly. "I can't be the one to stop it, you have to be the one to get rid of it. You're the only one who can fix this world and make it disappear. The readings I've been getting are strange. This entire world bent around you, so it has to be you to undo everything."

"How?"

"With a little help from the TARDIS and this," he held up a device. "I was able to look back at your timeline in this universe to see the point where everything was created. It was the night your shop blew up, you'd remember that, but not the simple decision you made. The night of March 5th, 2005. You searched through Henrik's, went through all kinds of rooms—except you hesitated in one of them."

"How do you mean?"

"You entered the basement, but when you went inside one of the rooms you debated whether or not you should stay in it or not. You ended up turning away and leaving."

Rose blinked, furrowing her brows. "And that was it? That's the choice I made?"

"It was the choice you weren't _supposed_ to make," Mickey stressed. "By choosing not to stay in the room you never met the Doctor. But now we're gonna fix all of this."

The lights went off and she shook herself off. She could still sense the beetle on her back, acknowledging its presence despite not seeing or feeling it directly. Absorbing all of the information that Mickey was telling her prepared her more. She couldn't go back out in the hell that became of this world, the wrong one. The one not worth being alive in. In its abstract view it wasn't what her life was meant to be. Something heavier and flexible was out there somewhere, waiting for her. If this was her one opportunity to redo the misstep then she would take it.

Taking a deep breath Rose stepped forward. "What do I have to do?" she asked urgently.

Mickey smirked. "You're about to travel back in time."

He and the UNIT officials began to work, moving around the base and setting cables and other devices up while Rose stood by, impatient. She wanted to fix this as soon as possible. Her actual life was waiting for her, her Doctor was waiting for her. Mickey was checking something on the instrument strapped to his wrist while Captain Magambo handed her a massive trench coat covered in wires and a digital watch.

"Okay, we're almost set," he reported. "The TARDIS picked the point of intervention: the 5th of March, 2005. At exactly 6:32pm, you went down the basement and entered the room filled with plastic dummies. Like I already said, you were meant to stay in that room because the door locked behind you, keeping you there. But this time you left the room before you can get locked in, preventing you from ever meeting the Doctor and changing the world around you."

"Something so small creating all of this," Rose remarked, shaking her head. "Who'd've thought."

"It may have seemed like a simple thing, but every decision we make sets up our future. You have to make sure you get locked in that room."

"How can I do that without creating a paradox?"

"You're smart, Rose," Mickey said gently. "You'll think of something. Do whatever it takes, just as long as you fix the point. At 6:32, remember that."

Rose swallowed hard and nodded. "Got it."

"Keep the jacket on at all times," Magambo instructed. "It will insulate you against temporal feedback. The watch will correspond to local time wherever you land." She handed her a bottle. "And this combats hydration."

"Should I take an extra pair of trousers with me too?" Rose asked, half jokingly.

Mickey chuckled as he walked her to the edge of the circle of mirrors. "This is it. This is where I'll be leaving you for now."

"Don't let me see that thing on my back again," she said to him.

"You won't. The mirrors are incidental and bounce chronon energy back into the center which we control. Then the destination is chosen."

Rose smiled. "A time machine!"

He returned it. "A time machine."

She gave him a quick hug and kissed his cheek. "You're amazing, Mick."

"More than just some mechanic, eh?" he replied. "I know all of this may seem scary to you at the moment, but I'm telling you that you have a fantastic life awaiting you, Rose."

"I should hope so. Can't imagine it being worse than this. But it's all about to blink out of existence once I stop my old self, yeah?"

"We're trying for that, it better."

"And a better life is waiting for me!" She stepped back and stood in the center with a smile. "I'm ready."

"One more thing," Mickey said. "Remember when I said something else was coming?"

Rose frowned. "Yeah, you said something big. But I thought this was it."

"It's a part of it, I guess, but no. Something bigger, the reason why I'm bouncing across the universes."

She gulped, fearing the worst. "Is something…going to happen to me?"

Mickey let out a sigh. "I don't know. All I know is that when you see the Doctor, make sure you tell him Bad Wolf."

Her insides shivered at the words. They seemed so powerful, like worthy of a god. She nodded tightly and closed her eyes. Switches were being turned and soon the lights around her brightened, humming and whirring sounds coming from the TARDIS. But then they suddenly gave out.

"What happened?" Rose asked, alarmed. "Is it alright?"

"It's on its last limb," Mickey said sadly. "It's dying without the Doctor, and the power is going out. I don't…I don't know what to do!"

She wanted to cry. This couldn't be happening. Her one ticket to getting her old life back was beginning to fade away. She balled up her fists. "No!" she cried. "I won't let it!"

A hot burning sensation began to sweep over her entire being, like she was in the center of a supernova. The ground beneath her shook, causing the ceiling of dirt and metal to tremble and quake. Everything inside of her felt like it was about to explode, electricity shooting through her system so strong that she felt like she would fly. She could hear people around her gasping and talking about cables sparking and things catching fire, but it was drowned out by buzzing. Her head began to spin and she felt something hot tricking down her face. Thick wheezing came from the TARDIS, a deep rumbling that shook her insides as she felt herself floating.

"Rose!" Mickey hollered.

"I'm okay!" she told him. It was overwhelming, but she felt so empowered.

"It's powering up!" Magambo said. "Activate!"

"Good luck!" Mickey yelled over the noise. "Remember to tell the Doctor those words!"

A moment later Rose dematerialized.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

 _March 5th, 2006_

"Ow," Rose grumbled as she landed hard on the ground. If that was time travel they could keep it.

Her eyes were still shut as she regained her composure from the rush, her head feeling like it was on fire. When she opened them she noticed that she was outside on the pavement. She had landed on the road where Henrik's was. In fact, the shop was right in front of her. It actually worked. She travelled back in time! If she could she would jump up and holler with joy. She looked at her watch and saw that she had three minutes to head inside and keep her past self from leaving the basement.

Hurrying around she saw that she was close to the fire escape on the east side of the building, which wasn't that far away from the boiler room. She ran, something so accustomed to her nature. This was what her life must have been like in her world, with the Doctor. They must run all over the place where her they go, wherever they travel. She inwardly smiled. Her legs were burning like her mind. The real Rose Tyler in the real world was used to this lifestyle of running. Soon she would be a part of it again. Rose stopped to take a quick breather. Her lungs felt heavy, like a steel band was constricting her. Her heart rate was rapid and slowing fast. She couldn't be passing out soon, could she? She didn't know.

She glanced at her watch. A minute and a half left. She was making decent time. Turning a corner she dashed down the corridor, but skidded to a stop when she caught her past self entering the very room she was meant to be in. Once she was out of sight she made it to the door and was about to shut it, but she froze. There was a two-way lock on the knob. Her past self could easily unlock it and come out again. How could she contain her in the room?

A tickle in her mind brought her attention to her pocket. Her hand dug around and then she felt the cold metal of a specific device—the cylindrical device that belonged to the Doctor. She had taken it that night he died because she felt an impulse to do so. Just as she did now. Maybe she could use it. Looking for a button she slammed the door shut then pressed it. It made a whirring sound as she ran it on the knob, hearing a click. Her brows hit her hairline. Though she kept her grip on the knob she heard her past self trying to unlock it and failing.

It worked!

Rose wanted to laugh and cheer that she fixed the point just in time, but she felt her heart rate slowing. She knelt down and tried to breathe, but it was becoming harder. Was she supposed to die? With the past Rose now following the correct order, she had to be erased from the non-existent world. But she wasn't afraid. She wasn't cold. She felt peace because she was about to return to her world. To her Doctor. She lay down on her back and let her last breaths out, feeling her vision blacken with the words echoing in her ears that Mickey had told her—Bad Wolf. Not only that, but a whisper. Soft and cool like a night's breeze coming to her ears.

 _The darkness is coming…it is only just beginning._ The sound of that voice…was familiar.

She glanced over and faintly saw the young ginger girl again, looking concerned. The girl ran over and knelt to the ground, saying something, but Rose's hearing was gone.

With one last breath her eyes slipped shut…

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Rose screamed when she felt as if her body had plunged into a thousand brick walls, everything rushing back into her being all at once. She was back in Shan Shen, she realized, still in the tent with the strong smell of incense wafting around her. Her mind was pulsing and her heart was racing as she recalled the nightmare she had witnessed. The claws that she felt digging into her back fell away. She was breathing heavily, trying to regain herself as she looked around.

"You are so strong!"

She blinked a few times and saw the fortune teller cowering in the corner of the tent, shaking her head and visibly trembling.

"You wield such power of a goddess, it's impossible! What are you with hair and eyes of gold?" Suddenly the woman ran away in fear.

Rose frowned and continued to pant, bringing a hand up to rub her forehead. She felt so weak and rundown from experiencing what she could only describe as something so horrific and unthinkable. She wasn't prepared for any of this. Something so innocent as walking around a bazaar planet during a festival and she would stumble into a tent with a shady fortune teller. God, now the Doctor would definitely want to keep her in the TARDIS now.

Hold on, the Doctor!

 _"ROSE!"_

As if on cue, Rose felt her husband filling up her mind. His immeasurable amount of worry was so overwhelming she could hear the fierce pounding of his hearts. She tried to send him reassuring waves, and she succeeded, but she was so tired she felt like she could just fall asleep at the drop of a hat. The curtains to the tent plus the door swung open and the Doctor came barreling in with Donna right behind him.

"Rose!" he cried frantically.

"Oh, God, Doctor!" she breathed out, launching herself at him in a tight embrace, kissing him hard. _"You're alive!"_ she thought to him.

It felt like years since they've been apart, an experience too paralleling to the way they had been separated before. It only made their kiss more desperate as they clung onto each other for long moments. Tears began to form behind her eyes, but once they finally broke the kiss she wiped them away.

"Are you okay?" the Doctor asked urgently, his voice soft yet firm as he took over to dry her cheeks. "What's wrong, love? Tell me."

"Feels like I haven't seen you in years," she choked out. "It was horrible!"

He pressed an open palm to the side of her face. "Who did this to you? You know who they were? You sure you're okay?"

"'M okay," she told him quickly in his rapid fire questions. "I don't know who it was, I just…something weird just happened."

"Something that tampered with our _timeline_."

From where she stood, she could confirm that. Her stomach felt like a thousand stones were setting and dragging her to the ground. "I fixed it," she told him. "I changed everything and restored the order of things." She shook her head. "Blimey, that was a nightmare!"

He brought her in his arms again and gently rubbed her back, causing her to shiver slightly. "It's okay, it's okay. It's over now, you're safe. I've got you." He pulled out of the embrace momentarily. She heard him swear and growl under his breath. "Who did this? Where'd they go?"

The Doctor began to move around the tent angrily, his gaze so sharp it could pierce through the curtains. Rose quickly grabbed his arm, stopping him. "It was some woman."

"What woman?"

"A fortune teller. I thought the curry wasn't agreeing with me and she said she had remedies to give me to help." Rose snorted. "Some help she was."

"Do you know where she went?" the Doctor asked.

"Gone, I scared her off. Somehow. But I'm better now, more knowing that you're here."

He regarded her, a hand running through his wild hair. She really worked him out in the worrying department, she could tell. He quickly scanned her entire body with his sonic then read the results. He let out a deep exhale and shut his eyes before striding over to hug her tightly again. He murmured reassuring words in his native language in her ear while simultaneously transferring warm waves through their link. She returned them in an attempt to calm him down. The last thing either of them intended was danger to come their way and pose as a threat to their unborn child. Luckily nothing severe happened. Just…a helter skelter of events that she couldn't even remember.

Donna came over and laid a hand on Rose's back then hugged her next. "Almost made him go into cardiac arrest there," she said half jokingly, but was gentle. "Sure you're doing okay?"

"Yeah," Rose replied, backing away with a nod. "A little queasy, but I'm okay now." The Doctor raised a hand to caress the back of her neck.

The redhead frowned. "Weird. I kinda feel the same."

"Really?"

"Must have been those bleedin' drinks we had earlier in my case."

"Oh," the Doctor commented from the side. "Look what we have here." He released Rose when a huge black insect caught his attention.

"What the hell is that thing?" Donna cried.

"A Time Beetle," the Doctor growled as he picked the insect up and placed it on the table on its back for examination.

Rose gasped and cupped her mouth. It was the first time she's seen the actual beetle before her eyes, at least while not under the spell of the fortune teller. "That's right!" she exclaimed. "When I came in here, that woman took my hand and began to say things. Then it crawled on my back!" She shuddered. Bugs always gave her jitters, but _huge_ bugs? Forget it.

"And you managed to break the spell," the Doctor said quietly. He looked up at her with a soft expression, reaching his hand out for her to grasp. She took it and sat down beside him while Donna took a seat across from them. "Can you remember anything?" he asked gently, squeezing her hand.

"It's…slipping away," Rose answered, bringing a hand up to her temple. "Sort of. I remember some things, but then they drift off."

"That's expected."

"Is it like ripple effects?"

He sighed. "In a sense. The entire experience you had was a changing of the timeline with reversals, but you were under a spell when this little bugger latched onto you. It all feels like a dream, but with the original timeline reasserting itself in place, everything never existed."

Rose rubbed her forehead while he pressed a kiss to her temple. Why were things always happening to her in that way? "So what is it then?"

"One of the Trickster's Brigade," the Doctor replied, poking and prodding it with an instrument he fetched from his pockets. "Changes a life in tiny ways."

"Yeah, it was _really_ small," Rose snorted sarcastically.

"Normally it affects one person when it latches onto them, and the universe just compensates around it." His brows raised. "But you, Rose…it created a whole _parallel universe_ —an alternate timeline."

"Cheery. Why?"

"That's what they do. They feed off of Time energy. But you were able to kill it and keep everything intact."

She wrapped her arms around herself. "But…in that world, I never _met_ you, Doctor," she whispered. "You were dead, I saw your body."

He stopped poking the insect to wrap her in another hug. "It was just a dream," he told her. "That world's gone now. I'm right here and fully alive."

"Didn't you say that parallel worlds were sealed off?" Donna asked.

"Usually, yeah," Rose said, feeling her head throb for a little. The odds of the other universe where her mother was stuck at opening up for travelling were slim, as her husband informed her.

"Strange…" the Doctor mused. "A whole universe created around you though. This has been happening to us a lot."

"How do you mean?" Donna asked.

"Well, first at the Library, a world was centered solely on you, Donna Noble. And then this one around Rose…" He trailed off with furrowed brows, chills setting in the air.

Rose swallowed hard, noting that familiar look. "You think there's a connection?" she asked shakily.

"Dunno. Sometimes I think there's too much coincidence in the world—in ours."

"Like the disappearing bees?" Donna inquired.

"Yeah, what does that even mean?"

Rose's eyes widened. Something was coming for them, she could feel it. Her skin was prickling and she inwardly twitched. She swore that she had heard a warning like that while under the beetle's spell, danger coming fast that required her and the Doctor to help stop it. But what was it? She closed her eyes and tried to think of it, but it was slipping away. There was someone who told her, someone familiar. Then it hit her.

"It was Mickey!" she burst out, gripping her husband's arm.

"What?" the Doctor asked, confused.

"In the dream, I saw Mickey. He was there when I turned back. Everything changed when I was at Henrik's. Instead of getting locked in the basement I left the room and never met you. I turned away, but then I turned back."

"But it's over now, love," he said softly, squeezing her hand again.

Rose shook her head, insistently. "No, 'm telling you that—" She stopped herself when her head began to ache, the heel of her palm pressed against her forehead.

The Doctor kept his hand on the back of her neck, massaging her skin gently. "You okay?" She nodded. "No, you're not. You're looking pale and not yourself, Rose."

"I told you, I'm _fine_."

"C'mon, let's get out of here. Had enough fun and mayhem for one day, I reckon it's time we went home. You're exhausted."

"He's not wrong, blondie," Donna spoke up softly. "You don't look so good, you should rest."

While Rose wanted to keep reassuring her husband and their friend that she was okay, she couldn't deny the fact that she was so tired that she felt like her eyes could slip shut any moment. The dream was still lingering in the back of her mind like a cloud of smoke, but that's what it was—hazy. It was slipping away little by little. She knew the Doctor would want to talk to her about it, and she'd tell him everything, but she agreed with them. A nice rest would do her good.

The trio stood to their feet and made their way back to the TARDIS, leaving behind Shan Shen. The Doctor hauled Rose up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way to make things easier for her. She barely realized them slipping into the ship as her eyes closed and she was fast asleep.

 _ **xxxxxx**_ _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Jenny awoke with a gasp, sitting straight up. She had fallen asleep in her captain's chair after narrowly escaping the fall of the Crowellisoan empire, but what she just experienced was something scarier and more adrenaline rushing. Her head was throbbing and her insides felt cold, like she ran a marathon and fell into a pit of ice water. It burned. She placed a hand on her forehead to regain consciousness and her breathing, trying to recall the nightmare. She had been in another world, one that made her itchy.

Things felt strange, like the world was wrong and shouldn't have existed. Her gut was stretching throughout the entire dream, a steel weight lingering in its place now that she was awake. She saw her mother, and she was trying to get her attention. Something was wrong with her, and she was dying. Tears welled up in her eyes momentarily before she calmed down. It was only a dream. But then she felt something warm pressing against her mind, a vision leaking out. A chill shot through her when she saw it. _Darkness._ Stars were going out. She heard the phrase in her ears again: _Bad Wolf._

It was time for her to find her parents. The moment was upon them.

* * *

 *** _silvay:_ Thank you so much, sweetie! Glad you're enjoying it! :D It's all a complicated and wibbly-wobbly mess, but you could say it was them being unstuck. It all feels like a dream to them.**

 ** _*blue sky_ : I appreciate your honesty. I know it may be boring, especially when I could've made an entire story out of Rose's "Turn Left". I never said Torchwood existed. It couldn't be around at that point anyway. Jack, however, was roaming around Cardiff doing things, maybe fuelling up his ship. Even though he wasn't the same Jack, he helped out and it cost him his life. He was mortal, so he couldn't be brought back. He stopped Blon. The Brigadier died in Downing Street during Blon's first encounter, so he couldn't help. For Christmas, UNIT was still around and doing what they could. But they had no choice but to surrender, thus leading to the Sycorax taking over. I could go into more details to explain better, but this is long enough. Thanks for reviewing. **

**_*newboy:_ I'm so glad you're looking forward to it, thanks a lot! :D Trying to work out the arc is a bit challenging, but I'll work some interesting bits in. The next chapter is a bit of an in betweener, but it plays an important role in TSE/JE. I've been looking up more about Davros (I knew about the 5th Doctor with the gun too), and their history is deep for sure. There's definitely gonna be horror involved, a few ideas racking my brain for the final showdown. I'll try my best to make all those years of history revealed. And yeah, there's gonna be something big ;)**

 _ ***ssmcavoy:**_ **You know I love teasing you guys ;D It was mine on the 15th, thank you!**


	65. For Whom the Bell Tolls

**A/N: Little in between chapter. Dream sequence loosely inspired by "Killing Me Inside" by Crossfade. It was going to be much darker, but I changed my mind. Much love and many thanks to you lovely viewers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 62: For Whom the Bell Tolls**_

 _She was standing alone in the TARDIS console room, blinking rapidly. How she had gotten here was a mystery to her. She didn't recall her feet ever carrying themselves to this location, but she felt herself not giving it another thought. A cold chill was shooting down her spine, keeping her still in her locus almost as if she were standing outside in the middle of a blizzard frozen solid after being drenched with a bucket of ice water. But she was inside the TARDIS, she noted. Strangely, the welcoming hums were silenced as was the warm feeling that could be identified as home. It felt more like a mausoleum._ _Why?_

 _The first thing she recognized was that her head was swimming uncontrollably, soft whispers echoing in her ears, but no offering of reassurance. No clarification or explanation or…anything. It sounded like a voice, she guessed, but it was too indistinguishable to make out. If it were even a voice at all. Maybe it was a breeze from the outside? No, that wasn't it. All she could be certain about was that something was wrong. Very wrong. Even the usual bluish-green glow of the time rotor was dimmed down before dying out completely. Normally the ship was lively, ebullient, vivacious. Normally the Old Girl was enjoying the company of her presence and would be the first one to ease her mind whenever she was by herself with no one else around._

 _Only this time she felt…off. The calm and buoyant attitude had shifted, faded. It wasn't the accustomed sense of a welcoming home that she had grown to know and love. It was empty, in a way. Broken, perhaps? She glanced up at the ceiling, expecting the hums of contentment to caress her mind. She felt nothing. Not even a sliver, not a breath. She surmised that the ship was powered down, but she chucked that thought aside. There was no reason for Her to be so quiet. Even if She had lost power and was taking a nap of some sorts there would still be a guarantee that a slight humming sound would emit from Her powerful being._

 _Confusion lasted for another moment until she finally heard something, but nothing cheery or warm; it was cold, it was depressing. Why was it sad? The poor ship felt broken, like a piece of Her had been taken away from Her. Lost. Gone. The sounds echoed throughout the room, bordering on the sounds of sobs. Wait, what? No, that wasn't right. The coldness in the atmosphere wasn't letting up any, only increasing the discomfort sticking to her skin. She hugged her body close, trying to shake off the chill. It was futile but what else could she do?_

 _A clicking sound came to her attention, the disturbance causing her to whirl around to face the ramp to the doors. Someone was entering. They swung open with a long creak, a hot breeze coming in with it as it blew against her. Her hair whipped against the air, small droplets of water even connecting with the skin of her face, a mist._

 _A shadowed figure stood in the opening, a dark silhouette rigid and still. It appeared that another being of average length was in its arms, also immobile. She narrowed her eyes, unable to get a good look at their features. There was no light casting from behind them except for a faint crimson color in the far distance. Barely a blue came out of them or from the outside, only indistinct whispers from the wind._

 _"Who are you?" she asked shakily. "You okay?"_

 _No reply, not even a budge. They stood frozen in their spot, still carrying the other person in their arms. She dared herself a step closer and managed to catch something from the outline, nothing specific but a quality easily seen. The figure had a lot of hair, sticking straight up and in different directions. A slow smile spread across her face. Of course, who else would she be expecting?_

 _"Oh, Doctor," she said. "I didn't even hear you leave. Becoming quite the ninja, ain't ya?"_

 _Another chill shot through her form. It looked to be the Doctor, in fact she was positive it had been him. She'd recognize that wild hair anywhere when it came to her husband. He looked to be of height too. If only the damn lights illuminated the room to show his face._

 _"Something's wrong," she said. "Can you feel it?" She tried to look at the person in his arms. "What're you doing? Who's that?"_

 _Again, no answer. Her insides began to tremble at the uncomfortable silence. This was the Doctor, wasn't it? In truth, she could easily run down the ramp to aid him and search for confirmation, but for some odd reason she couldn't find the strength to pick her feet up and move. Only one other way to find out. With heedful effort, she attempted to tap into his mind but found herself being pulled out—forced out. She shook her head in disbelief. Something was terribly wrong. She felt static, a cold blanket enveloping her. It was easy to tell it was him but…at the same time it didn't. He was a jumbled mess, it felt like…oh no._

 _"I'm so sorry, Rose," he whispered, his voice torn. "I'm so, so sorry."_

 _"Sorry for what?" she replied. "What happened?"_

 _Hesitation. "I'll never…I can't…I…" His voice broke in an ugly sob. "Rassilon, I'll never forgive myself for letting this happen."_ _His tone was making her heart hurt more._

 _Then the figure began to move out of the shadows, a dimmed glow coming from the rotor appearing to just reveal his face. She gasped, feeling pain in her chest at the sight. It was her Doctor, her husband, but he wasn't…himself. His cheerful chocolate doe eyes were black, swallowing her in his perturbation. Tear tracks stained his cheeks, recreating the dried paths with fresh ones. Lines etched his face to show his ancient age and the pressuring weight of the universe itself crushing down upon him. Dust skirted through his hair while cuts and bruises decorated his face, sickening patterns. Though she couldn't see anything past his collar, she could make out his suit was torn._

 _Her eyes welled up at the painful sight, tears burning her cheeks. He looked defeated. Lost. Hopeless. Before she could rush over to him she froze up again when he slowly dragged himself up the ramp, further into the light. She gasped, her heart stopping. She finally was able to see the figure in the Doctor's arms, something that made her insides churn and her head to spin. It was her. A battered reflection of herself laying motionless in his grasp. Her clothes were torn up as much as his were, dried up blood caked into her blonde hair. It was smeared onto her face as well but the main thing she couldn't stop staring at was the look on her husband's face._

 _She looked dead._

 _She didn't know what to say. She was unsure if she could even find her voice again. The Doctor stopped at the top of the ramp, his mouth trembling. He looked down at her lifeless form, his eyes shutting when a few sobs escaped from him._

 _"Doctor…" she whimpered. "I'm right here. 'M alive, look at me."_

 _He walked, apparently not hearing her. Coming around the console he was making his way to the corridor. She reached out a hand to stop him but her hand went right through him. Next thing she knew his entire form passed through her own. She blinked a few times before looking over at the side where a mirror was placed on the console. Her reflection was absent. The clearness only showed the background behind her—the coral interior, the jump seat, the wall. But not her. How the hell did this happen?_

 _She closed her eyes and held her head, the throbbing ache not easing up as she tried to calm herself down. When she opened them she found herself in the medbay. The Doctor had been sitting on a stool beside the bed where her body was laying. She couldn't catch her breath. Her body was pale, broken, bloodied, lifeless. Her husband was cradling one of her hands close to his face while his other stroked her hair. Nasty sobs escaped from him, broken Gallifreyan phrases spilling from his mouth._

 _"Rose…" he choked out. "I've let you down. I've failed…both of you. What am I supposed to do now? I…"_

 _She moved into the room to stand beside him, watching through watery eyes. He said 'both'._ _"No…" she breathed out. "No!"_

 _His free hand traveled down to her abdomen where a deep slice permeated her through her top, soaked in blood. Her heart fell into her stomach._ _His sobs continued, so heartbreaking. "I broke my promise to save you! To protect both of you!"_

 _Her eyes clamped shut again, the ache pounding in her mind. Again, she opened them and was in a different location. She was outside, on a beach at night. The air was cool but not calming. The Doctor was standing at the edge of the river with his back to her, his shoulders sagging. His arms were brought up, like he had something in his hands. He looked down, sniffling a few times._

 _"I'm so sorry…" was all he kept repeating._

 _She felt like she was trudging through quicksand as she tried to reach him. "Doctor."_

 _"I'm coming for you, Rose. I'll be with you again."_

 _He slowly walked into the water, suit and all, the surface reaching his waist until he stopped. He leaned his head back, his attention to the darkened sky above him. His eyes slipped shut once he took a deep breath. She was concerned by the scene and called his name again, trying to reach him, trying to save him. It was no use. She couldn't stop him as he let gravity take control, the water rising up his body and bringing him closer to the inevitable. With one last sentence in his native tongue, the Doctor fell face down into the river and made no attempts to swim or resurface._

 _"NO!" she cried desperately. "DOCTOR!"_

Rose jolted out of her sleep drenched in a cold sweat, her body shaking as she tried to stifle the cry trying to escape from her throat. She barely succeeded. Her head was throbbing as she felt the nightmare slipping away from her memory, the gut-wrenching pain making her nauseated. Why was it on today's agenda to have dreams so vivid and frightening? Her mind was aching and her heart was racing. Trying to steady her breathing she took deep breaths to calm herself down.

"Rose, what happened?" came the concerned voice of the Doctor, who was quick to rise himself up and keep his arms around her. One of them had been wrapped around her middle like a protective shield, keeping her from falling.

Rose pulled him into a hug, her arms tightening around his neck as she breathed in his scent. "Doctor!" She pulled back and kissed him hard before hugging him again.

"Shhh, it's okay," he said soothingly while rubbing her back. "It's okay, I'm here. You alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," she replied, backing away after a few moments. She made a heaving sound after.

"Wait a second." He pulled open the drawer to the nightstand and grabbed some medicine for her to take, handing them to her followed by a bottle of water. She swished the liquid around her mouth before swallowing the pills, her nausea easing up moments later.

"Ta," she said, placing the bottle on the other table. She pressed an open palm against her forehead, the throbbing beginning to ease up.

"You're in pain?" the Doctor asked, sounding concerned.

Rose shook her head, bringing a hand to her head again. "Just a migraine. It's easing though."

"Hold on, let me check."

The Doctor hurried out of the bed and made his way over to the side where his suit jacket lay, digging through the pockets to retrieve his sonic. He was back beside her in a second, running the screwdriver over her form repeatedly. The bright blue light was blinding her in the darkness of their bedchamber, her eyes too sensitive. She knew he would be on top of the situation if something was beginning to happen to her because of their cross-species child, so there was no use in stopping him.

"Your scans appear fine, both you and the baby are normal," he reported, breathing out a sigh of relief. One of his hands found hers and squeezed. "Your body temperature is still lower than average, but your signs are the same and not below the dangerous level." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead, pulling back with a frown. "And your head's so hot, but you don't have a fever."

"Pregnancy symptoms," she said, shifting to sit up straighter.

"I'd imagine." He looked at her sympathetically, his voice gentle. "But it's more than that. You okay now?"

"Yeah, 'm fine. It was only a bad dream, I guess."

"Another one? Must have been one hell of a dream. Do you want to talk about it?"

Rose felt him caressing her mind soothingly along with the TARDIS sending her calming hums. The pulsating pain in her head was beginning to fade away completely and she felt more at ease. Oddly enough she couldn't even remember what the nightmare was even about. Not that she _wanted_ to.

"Actually…" she drew out. "I can't really remember it."

"Could have been another ripple effect."

"But I haven't had one of those in a while. They can just come back at any time?"

"Depends. When it comes to your unique situation, images from the past that were reversed at an eye of a storm can come back to you, like a revolving door. It may have been a year ago since your last one, but memories can still trigger the slightest effects."

She chewed her bottom lip. "What about…future events?" she said quietly, a sickening feeling washing over her.

The Doctor ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno, maybe. But if you saw something strange that never happened, it could just be a fly away, just a deceiving image in the form of a nightmare. Why? What did you see? Was it about the parallel world?"

"It was…I know it was about us, but…" she trailed off, trying to think.

"What about us?" he asked with a frown, noting how tighter her grip on his hand had become. She was having trouble trying to remember and shook her head. He brushed his thumb over hers. "Do you want me to take a look myself?"

Rose took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It seemed to be the best option for her in order to explain what made her wake up so fast and feel like she was drowning in a river. Wait…

"Oh, my God," she quietly gasped, covering her mouth.

"What, what is it?" he urged.

Her voice was shaking. "You…you walked into a river with your clothes on."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow, considering her thought. "Well, I suppose that would be a nightmare. Salt water on cotton would be a such a ruiner to a stylish suit."

"Doctor, this is serious," she said firmly. Her hand made its way to the side of her head as she shut her eyes, trying to backtrack each event of the dream. "We were on some beach and…you were by yourself."

"You weren't with me?"

Tears stung her eyes. "I was there only…I was like, some sort of ghost just watching from the side and I couldn't do anything."

He sucked in a breath, lowering his head. She must've triggered something unpleasant on his end now. She nudged his mind to calm him down and he recovered instantly. He cleared his throat. "Okay. Do you remember why I chose to walk into the river?"

She waited for the reels to come back to her. It seemed so unbelievably real, but it felt like she had watched a horror movie. A small amount of pain began to form in her chest, but the TARDIS came to her aid and tried to ease it. "Something happened," she said. "Something…bad." He was cradling both of her hands in his now, offering reassuring squeezes. "I can't remember the details, but you were in bad shape. And…something happened to…" She stopped herself, not wanting to say it.

"You can tell me, Rose," he said softly. "If you can remember it—"

"To the baby," she finally said, quick and sad.

His face froze, his eyes wide open without even blinking. For a long moment, he felt a tug at his hearts, one of pain. His poor wife was already having anxiety attacks in the gestation period. Common pregnancy symptom, usually for standard fully human ones, but it could still be a possibility for their case. He would make sure to put that on record along with everything else. It hurt him knowing that this could be an occurrence for the next ten or so months.

"You…you died," she whispered. "And I couldn't even help you! Both dreams, I couldn't do anything!"

"Tell me about the other dream, Rose. What happened?"

So then she told him everything her mind could supply; how she was brought back to the day where she met him, but made a mistake and ended up living in a world where she never knew him, how he died underneath the London Eye and had his leather-clad self be taken away by UNIT, how she could feel deep down that the world around her was wrong and that she could feel the connection between them. Then she went into what happened because of his death, with all the destruction that came after with all the hostile alien threats and how it made her feel like dying herself.

The Doctor could only listen intently and offer her as much comfort as only he could. He held her close and whispered soothing Gallifreyan words in her ear, tracing words of declaration over her back. She was emotional strung, and he could feel most of it transferred into him. The dream world she was trapped in was terrible, something he was grateful never existed. A world where he had never met his Rose was most definitely one he would not want to live in. Time had converged and sealed itself that night when he took her hand and whispered 'run', it was meant to happen. And someone had made his wife suffer through what would have happened if none of what they created to this day occurred. It made his blood boil that he didn't find that damn woman who caused this.

He was unable to label which of the two nightmares Rose had was worse. He was no stranger to having nightmares about those he cared about and especially about those he loved. Too many times did distasteful images permeate his mind that made him feel like a steel band was suffocating him, but when his two precious girls that were his beloved wife and ship come to him he would feel content again. He would always return the favor to ensure his wife's safety. Not only hers, but their child's. He kicked himself for letting this happen. How could he have allowed this to slip by him? If he had kept his mouth shut, Rose wouldn't be feeling with these dreams. Idiot!

"It was only a dream, Rose," he said softly, bringing her closer to rest in his lap, his arms secured around her as he stroked her hair and back. He pressed a kiss to her temple and rocked her gently. "I'm right here. You and the baby are safe. Whatever you saw or felt was just an after effect from a nightmare."

"I know, but…it felt so real…" She sighed. "God, I thought I was past all this."

"Nothing's ever simple with our life," he said. "But I already told you earlier that I won't let anyone or anything tear this apart, everything we have. Nothing's going to hurt either of you or else I'll be smited by Rassilon should anyone lay a finger on you. I won't let anything happen to you, Rose. Not to you, not to our child." He dried her tears with his hands before bringing her close again.

"The more I think about it, the more my head hurts."

"Then don't. Just relax, love. Just because it's a dream doesn't mean it will happen in real life."

"True." She paused and pulled back, her brow arched. "You know, you said that about us before."

"Well, that's on an entirely different level playing field. What we have is more," he lifted her left hand to his face, nuzzling it. His expression changed to a more serious one. "I shouldn't have said anything earlier. I shouldn't have made us step outside."

"Don't you start," Rose warned.

"We shouldn't have landed there, and I shouldn't have made you go wander around on your own."

"What, you want me to ride around on your back then?"

"No, but after what happened today, I can't let you go that way in your condition."

Rose laughed bitterly, then glared at him. "Here we go again. How many times are we gonna have this argument to get it through that head of yours? I'm not hiding in the TARDIS for ten more months!"

"I said nothing about hiding!" the Doctor protested.

"Forget it, I'm not being contained here like some puppy all because you don't want me walking around. You can't keep me locked in here like some glass statue that can break. I'm not like that. I can take care of myself, and I'm not gonna be hidden away."

"I could try," he mumbled, which he immediately regretted after the glare his wife gave him. He wasn't backing down. The sadness that filled her eyes from the nightmares was replaced by anger.

"No, you can't!" Rose snapped. "And you _won't_! We talked about this way before we even realized we could have a baby, how we're in this together and a team, you an' me. I'm pregnant, not a fragile porcelain doll that'll shatter."

He tugged at his hair. "Rose, I didn't want to say anything earlier when you left because I was already regretting that I said nothing would go wrong, especially with our luck. I just…"

He stopped himself. His fears had lessened a smidgen after recovering from the timeline threat and locating Rose, but truthfully he felt worse than earlier. He didn't meant to sound unreasonable, he couldn't help that his anxiety made his gob flap. He didn't want to argue about this again, he just…wished they had an agreement where she would remain in the safe environment of the TARDIS. There wasn't really anything wrong with that, right? All sorts of rooms to occupy herself while he was gone. Okay, that was really bad to say. Kind of selfish, really. He hated making her feel invalid when she wasn't. She was strong. Hell, she preserved their timeline and that required much strength on her part. But this was serious.

The last thing he wanted for his wife to be in danger when he wasn't around. He always said he would be there for her, he swore on that with his blood, but today scared the hell out of him. Not being able to feel her is the worst possible feeling he could have, one he hoped would never happen again. They were a team, and he would die a thousand times if it guaranteed Rose's safety. He knew she would hate him more if he kept insisting that she stay in the TARDIS at all times, but there was a main reason why he would think of that.

"I just want you safe, Rose," he said quietly.

Rose sighed and framed his face in her hands. "I know. I told you I'd be careful 'cause I'm jeopardy friendly, and I probably didn't estimate anything happening that bad." She offered a tiny smile. "No getting rid of me. When something happens, I won't just sit in the back and do nothing. I wanna help any way I can. We're in this together. Partners for life."

"Partners," the Doctor repeated sincerely, scrubbing a hand down his face.

"I can take care of myself, Doctor. You know I won't take any unnecessary chances to help."

"Oh, I know. But, Rose, you're…"

She grinned. "Impossible? We live and see the impossible everyday, Doctor. Like when we met in Henrik's and you blew it up? Or when I didn't burn up from absorbing the Heart of the TARDIS?" She took his hands and placed them on her belly, her voice gentle. "Like our baby?"

His hands found their way under her top to press against her flat abdomen, over their child. He let his fears fade for the moment, and let everything wash over him. He wanted to tug her close to him and breathe in her sweet scent, to feel her completely. He hadn't realized how desperate he was earlier when trying to find her, but he couldn't help himself.

"Yeah."

Without warning, he locked his lips with hers in a gentle kiss, coaxing her open to deepen it, caressing her mind with his and her mouth with his tongue. He just needed this at the moment, to know that she was perfectly fine and to get her mind away from those nightmares and to steer himself away from his. Rose was lost in the moment, but then something had occurred to her in regards to that parallel world. She had been there with Mickey and he warned her.

She broke the kiss. "Wait, Mickey…" she said out loud.

"What?" the Doctor asked with a frown.

"Mickey was there, I told you that, but he said something to me."

"But that world's gone," he said, cradling her hands. "It never existed."

"No, hear me out." She closed her eyes, replaying everything in her head. "It was him, really him. He said that the darkness was coming and the stars were going out. Donna was there too…somewhat. But it wasn't the real her, it was a different version of her. I think. They told me that trouble was coming."

The Doctor straightened up, shaking his head. "Are you sure? It could've been a different Mickey."

"I swear, it was Mickey— _our_ Mickey. He said he was brought universes away to tell us something. He needs our help." She suddenly gasped when another image came to her. Before she woke up, she saw a ginger girl. Not just any girl. "Jenny…" she whispered.

"What?" he said with the same tone, tensing up.

"I saw Jenny. She…she was _alive,_ Doctor!"

"Rose, that world is gone. Jenny…" He paused and shut his eyes, appearing pained. "It was a different reality."

"I'm telling you, I saw Jenny! And-and Mickey, it was our Mickey! He came to warn us! He jumped across the universes to find us!"

"What did he say?"

Rose took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Do I really have to say it?" she whispered.

"I can see it in your eyes," he replied shakily. "Events still play out as they will regardless if you tell me or not."

"But you don't know how big this is until I do. Even the woman could tell."

 _You wield such power of a goddess, it's impossible. What are you with hair and eyes of gold?_

"Pay no mind to that woman," the Doctor said, squeezing her hands. "What did Mickey tell you, Rose?"

She licked her lips nervously before finally saying the two words. "Bad Wolf."

Just as she expected her husband froze up, barely appearing to be breathing. His eyes were wide and he was visibly trembling, the fear palpable. The wind must have been punched out of him, so much that his mind could barely be tapped. His lips moved with no words coming out. No train of thought entered him. Rose shivered again at the words, a chill shooting down her spine. It's been a while since they heard about the entity, and everytime it was mentioned the universe was in more peril than usual. Everything from earlier had been a precursor to something much larger. Something worse. The end of the universe.

"Can't be…" he breathed out.

She frowned when she felt something come out of her jacket pocket. It was a tarot card. She surmised the fortune teller gave it to her. There was an image of someone standing in a fire with what looked like monsters surrounding it, debris and rubble below. There were ancient Chinese lettering written on the side with black ink, but then something began to inscribe itself in the center. She gasped.

"Doctor…" Turning the card to her husband what little color was left in his face was drained completely as he saw the phrase: _Bad Wolf._ "Darkness is coming," she whispered. "Earth needs us."

"Then we're heading there right now," the Doctor choked out roughly.

A sonorous sound filled the room, the deep toll of the Cloister Bell, making them tremble. Something was coming, and it couldn't be good.


	66. The Stolen Earth

**A/N: Here we go! As always, much love and many thanks to you awesome viewers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 63: The Stolen Earth**_

In a flash the Doctor leaped off their bed and hurried out of their bedchamber. Rose was following him, ignoring the echoes in her ears that repeated an ominous mantra. The darkness is coming. They halted when they came to the console room, breathing heavily and horror stricken. What used to be the greenish glow of the time rotor became an eerie crimson. They exchanged a glance before rushing over to the console.

The Doctor was unsure he knew what he was even doing with how fast his mind was racing. Bad Wolf was mentioned again, and that could only mean one thing—inevitable trouble. It went together with them like peanut butter and bananas, and that wasn't a good sign. If what Rose was telling him was the truth—which he was believing—and she had seen the real Mickey, then the walls holding the universes together were falling apart. Travelling between parallel worlds was impossible since the Time Lords died, especially after he sealed every opening shut to prevent any more leakage. If the realities were breaking down then hell could be unleashing itself.

Not only was that, but he felt ill knowing that the entity was mentioned. Was something going to happen to Rose? He dreaded that feeling lingering in his gut whenever he heard that phrase, but no good came out of it when spilled out of another's mouth. Okay, yes, Bad Wolf brought his wife back to him twice when the time was crucial and he almost lost her, for that he was eternally grateful. Did that mean he looked forward to hearing it again? It terrified him to the bone, made him shrink down to a ball, made him witness what a powerful goddess actually looked like. It may have been a part of Rose, but even he could tell she was afraid of Bad Wolf too, as he'd expect. Something so powerful can only strike fear into the hearts of the toughest individuals.

He was never one to believe in the superstition of prognostications, most of it was done for money or attention to fool those gullible enough to believe the falsities. But with the way his nerves were shaking he found himself fearing the worst. Maybe he was denying prophecies over the years because he was afraid they'd be correct. And with Bad Wolf being involved in one can only make things worse for him and Rose. If something terrible was upon them with these warnings, he couldn't run away from them. This could put, not only his wife and their unborn child's lives, in danger, but the entire universe as it was known.

Rose had also mentioned that she had seen Jenny in the other universe a couple of times. His nerves shook all the way to the core. Could it have been true? Was Jenny really alive? He didn't want to get his hopes up and only come to sadness and disappointment if it were a lie, but his wife was serious. If their daughter actually survived…

"What's going on?" Donna asked as she came in the room. "What was that sound? It sounded like church bells."

"Cloister Bell," the Doctor said distractedly. "That was the Cloister Bell."

"Why? Is it for a reminder or something?" She looked around. "And why's it red in here? Mood lighting installation?"

"It's bad news," Rose told her, nervously chewing on her thumbnail.

The redhead looked at her warily. "How bad?"

"Bad Wolf."

"Hold on…" Donna's face twisted in thought. "You've told me about that before. You never really explained what it means."

"It's me," Rose said quietly. "That's who I am."

"It's the end of the universe," the Doctor answered as he ran around the console in frenzy.

Donna's eyes widened. "What?"

"It's about what I saw in that parallel world," Rose told her, trying to get her bearings. "My old mate Mickey—I told you about him before—he was there. And not some copy of him, it was actually him. He told me that he was hopping across the universes trying to find me and the Doctor."

"But aren't they supposed to be closed?" the redhead asked.

"Yeah, apparently they've opened again. But he was trying to find us 'cause he needs our help—the world needs our help. He said that the stars were going out and the darkness was coming."

"Weird…why does that sound familiar?"

Rose arched a brow. "Have you heard something like that? Where?"

Donna shook her head. "I dunno, it just sounds…familiar."

"You were in the other world too, Donna."

"I was?"

"Not _you_ you, another you."

"Kinda hard to follow, but whatever you say. So where are we going?"

"Earth!" the Doctor proclaimed as he flipped the switch, taking them off.

The ride was a bit shaky as the Cloister Bell continued to sound, only making him panic more. The ship was barely grounded for a second before the Doctor bolted for the doors and wrenched them open, prepared to see destruction…and found normality. It was the most ordinary of streets they stepped foot onto, just an average day. A bright sunny day with decent weather with people walking across the pavements and cars driving by.

"Everything looks…normal," Rose noted with a frown. It should be a good thing, but she didn't think it would last.

"It's fine," the Doctor murmured, spinning around in a circle as he took in their surroundings. "Everything's fine, nothing's wrong!" He ran a hand through his hair. "That can't be right!"

"Oi! You _want_ things blowin' up?" Donna said sharply.

"Of course not! But whenever Bad Wolf is said, trouble follows suit. So where is it?"

Rose saw a milkman trundling down the street with a cart and unloading bottles. "Excuse me!" she called to him. "What day is it today? We can't keep track anymore."

"Saturday, miss!" the man replied.

"Saturday," the Doctor repeated with a nod, turning to the women. "That's good, I like Saturdays."

"Why's everything normal?" Rose asked skeptically.

He clutched his hair with one hand as he casted uneasy looks around them. "Why would Mickey say it?"

Suddenly Rose gasped and grabbed the Doctor's arm to get his attention. He turned around to see her pointing at a nearby street pole with 'Bad Wolf' written with black ink. He swallowed hard then noticed that it was even on the TARDIS, replacing 'Police Public Call Box'. Letting out a curse he grabbed his wife's hand and Donna's arm as they dashed back inside the ship, slamming the door behind him as he ran up the ramp, words spilling out rapidly.

"If Mickey can cross from Pete's World to that non-existent alternate timeline in that parallel world centered around Rose then that means the walls of the universe are breaking down, which puts everything in danger."

"Woah, slow down, spaceman," Donna commented. "Your mouth's about to fly off your face."

He barely spared her a glance. "Donna, you don't understand, everything's in danger! Every level of bad, a great big ball of it. Universes colliding and collapsing and being destroyed!" He stopped and shook his head, scratching his head. "But how can it be possible? It's not like the Time Lords are around to allow this to happen, they're all gone. Think…" He paced around the console before stopping and barreling over to Rose. "Your dreams, did you see anything? Did Mickey explain how? Were you glowing?"

"I told you everything I remembered!" she cried. "If there was something else I would've told you already!"

He backed away and raised both hands to his head, making his hair more disarray than usual. "There has to be a connection somewhere, but what?"

"We're gonna figure this out, Doctor," she said gently. "We always do."

He turned to her and noted how much paler she had become, her arm resting over her stomach, raising his concern. "You feel okay?" he immediately asked.

"Fine, just a little queasy," Rose answered shakily. "And I'm a little scared."

The Doctor let out a deep breath and cupped her face, looking deep into her eyes. "Whatever happens, just know that we'll get through this together. I won't let anything happen to you or our child. I promise."

She nodded. "I know."

"If something comes back to you, any memory at all or vision or anything, just let me know."

"I will."

He kissed her forehead before running back around the console. "Scans! I need to run some scans! Rift activity, or—"

The rest of his sentence was cut short when the TARDIS jolted violently, sending every one off balance with surprised screams from an apparent earthquake. The Doctor was quick to wrap an arm around Rose's waist for protection while Donna clung onto the console railing, bracing herself.

"Oi!" the redhead yelled over the ruckus. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" the Doctor answered.

"Feels like we're bein' hijacked!" Rose said.

After another moment the ship shuddered then stilled. The trio remained in their positions and shook their heads clear. "You okay, ladies?" the Doctor asked, still clinging onto his wife.

"Fine-bloody-tastic," Rose muttered, rubbing her temple.

"What the hell was that about?" Donna said, standing.

The Doctor helped Rose to her feet and stared at the console monitor. "I dunno," he replied. "But it came from the outside. We didn't move."

"Let's take a look," Rose said as she headed down the ramp, noting how quick her husband was to be right behind her. Thrusting the doors open they found themselves…staring straight into space. There was nothing but the dark with gases and rocks drifting by. She frowned. "We're in space," she shivered. "How'd that happen? It's…the darkness." The Doctor wrapped an arm around her waist and offered her a squeeze to calm her down.

"You sure you didn't do anything?" Donna asked, joining them.

"I did nothing," the Doctor assured as he ran back to the console to check the monitor. "Oh, but that's…impossible!"

"Not shocking," Rose commented.

"Then where did we go?" Donna put in.

"We didn't go anywhere," the Doctor answered. "We didn't move, the TARDIS is fixed."

The redhead snorted. "Obviously we're not on Earth anymore, so we _had_ to have moved!"

"No, technically…no, it couldn't have." He peered at the screen and rubbed his chin. "What?"

Rose moved past Donna to join him by his side to check the readings, becoming more bemused and worried than before. "Does that mean…" She cupped her mouth, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"What, what is it?" Donna asked fearfully.

"We haven't moved, per se," the Doctor told her, still utterly disconcerted. "We're still in the same spot. The TARDIS is still in the same place, but the Earth is gone. The entire planet…it's just _gone_! Not even under us anymore!"

"Oh, God," Rose breathed out. She placed a hand on her husband's back as he began to type furiously on the keyboard. _"Relax, love, we'll figure this out,"_ she thought to him.

The ginger woman stared at both of them. "But…if the Earth's been moved…they've lost the sun." She gasped. "What about my mum? And granddad? Or your friends Martha and Jack and everyone else? Are they dead?"

The Doctor was too immersed in his work to acknowledge her words, but then spoke fast. "I don't know, Donna, I'm sorry. I just don't know."

Rose moved over and placed a hand on the other woman's arm. "It's okay," she said gently. "We'll work it out, like always."

Realization seemed to dawn on Donna as she moved down the ramp to look outside into the space in front of them. "That's my family," she said. "My whole world."

A Gallifreyan curse coming out of the Doctor's mouth got their attention as he smacked the keyboard in frustration. "There's no readings," he said, scratching his neck, looking stumped before running his hand through his mop. "Nothing at all—no trace, no whisper, nothing. Oh, that is _fearsome_ technology."

"What do we do then?" Rose asked, masking up her worries as best she could.

"We've got to get help."

"Like Torchwood?" Donna asked. "Or what about the other lot you worked for, UNIT?"

"Hold on." Rose took out her phone and dialed Jack's number, frowning when there was no connection. "No signal."

The Doctor shook his head. "With no Earth below us, Rassilon knows where it went, there's only one place we can go to."

Rose arched a brow. "You mean the Shadow Proclamation?"

"Yep!" he exclaimed as he ran around the console in a ball of energy.

"The what?" Donna said, confused.

"Outer space police," Rose told her. "That's just a posh name for them, right Doctor?"

"Spot on," he said quickly, grabbing the lever. "Hold on tight, ladies!"

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Martha Jones was in the UNIT base in New York, living up to the special promotion she had received from her superior back home in England. Not only was it a nice change from the atmosphere she knew too well with the local alien threats—even though most of the invasions threatened the whole world—being in New York for a short while was what she needed after the train wreck that became her relationship with her ex-fiancé Tom. She didn't want it to come to that level, but with everything happening it became the foreseeable future. They were both constantly working, both far away from each other. He would always travel to another country while she remains in London. Long distance relationships never usually lasted that well, and that's what caused them to break up.

Maybe if she had been just a doctor in a hospital and they worked in the same group they could've worked things out. But it was fine. She was getting over it. Life didn't stop just because someone she loved grew further away from her. She still had her job of helping out a major organization with alien threats, something she was really good at. Things changed and she was getting back on track.

And then the world shook around her. She opened her eyes to find herself lying on the ground amidst broken wires sparking and the sounds of alarms blaring and people around her panicking. She didn't know how she ended up this way, but the force of the ground shaking must have knocked her out for a couple of minutes. An alert for emergency power came over the loudspeaker.

"What was that?" she questioned, looking around before pushing herself up. "Some sort of earthquake?" The whole floor of the base was thrown into disarray, various pieces of furniture scattered around. "Is anyone hurt?" she called out to the room in general. "Someone get the lights back on."

A co-worker—Suzanne—ran towards the window and adjusted the blinds, her eyes wide. "Martha!" she cried. "Look at the sky!"

Martha could only imagine what could be outside the window, something important enough to make her sprint over. Navigating through the rubble, she peeked out and gasped, her hand coming to her mouth. "That's impossible," she murmured. There was no way in hell the Doctor and Rose could miss this.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

It was quiet at Torchwood Three in Cardiff. Jack was sitting at the desk in his office, pondering about various things while the rest of his team remained in the computer and lounge area. Now with some extra hands. Having Lois Habiba, the former PA to Home Security, in their group was a handy addition. After losing Owen and Tosh, some more crew members were needed. Though no one could ever replace those two, the Hub could work even better with more worthy recruits. Over a month had passed since the Macra incident, and things went back to normal—the typical acts of saving the world when the Doctor couldn't be here to help. Jack often amused himself with thoughts of how the Time Lord and Rose were managing now that they were expecting a child. He was so happy that his best friends were starting a family.

His own family was working things out as well. It would never be easy since his life was hectic and he was always busy, but Alice wasn't as distant with him like before. Yes, she was adamant to keep a safe distance away from him and his grandson for safety reasons, but every once in a while they would phone each other to check in. He understood it was to protect Steven, and he respected it. He was grateful that she didn't push him away for good.

Suddenly a tremor shot through the Hub, sending Jack out of his chair. "Woah!" he exclaimed, trying to scramble to his feet.

He looked outside to see Ianto, Gwen, and Lois all being thrown into turmoil. Papers were scattering everywhere along with some equipment and rubble from the ceiling. He hurried out of his office to check on his team.

"What happened?" he yelled. "Everyone okay?"

"No broken bones," Ianto reported, untangling himself from the pile of bodies he and the others became. He rubbed his head. "Slight loss of dignity, no change there."

"Could that have been the Rift?" Lois asked, straightening herself up while helping Gwen to her feet.

"The whole city must've felt that!" the Welsh woman exclaimed. "The whole of South Wales!

"I'll go take a look outside," Jack said, running towards the main entrance.

Ianto moved himself over to the monitors with a grunt to display the security cameras. He smiled. Still had a connection. It soon faltered. "Bit bigger than Wales," he remarked.

The women gathered around him to see what was outside, each of them in disbelief. "No way!" Lois said. "That's can't be!"

Meanwhile, Jack hadn't been out for about ten seconds until he froze, watching the sky with a grim look. "That's impossible," he muttered. He hurried back inside. They needed to find the Doctor as soon as possible.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Sarah Jane Smith was sitting on the couch in the attic of her residence, skimming through various papers from her past cases, as well as some newer ones that perked her interest. She came across articles about the 456 incident that happened recently, and the chaos that it caused in the government. She also came across a newspaper clip that included the speech said by Queen Elizabeth where she would honor the Doctor and Torchwood for their work. She knew he would be involved in some way. She wondered who he was travelling with. He should never travel alone, he always deserved to be with someone who was good company. After that day of finding him in that school with Rose, she struggled with the past frustrations and hope that he left her behind with. At first.

She had to admit how hard it was to see her old friend with someone new—and younger—but she buried all of that in the past, and was starting a new life, one where she would use her investigating skills to good use. Her heart broke, however, when she found reports on Canary Wharf a couple years ago. Even still if she came across some mention of it. Seeing Rose Tyler on the list of the dead made her so upset. Rose was a remarkable woman, someone fit for the Doctor's lifestyle and just for him in general, which was a very good thing. It wasn't hard to miss how much they deeply cared for each other, something Sarah Jane had never seen in any of the Doctor's regenerations she's travelled with. It wasn't just affection, it was devotion.

It was terrible that the universe was cruel to someone like the Doctor, to actually take away something—some _one_ —as special as Rose from him. He had lost so much already. She wished he could have the proper happiness. She was in Ealing working as a journalist and investigating with her brilliant son, living a wonderful life with her new family. She wished that the Doctor could have the same.

Suddenly a tremor rocked the place, sending Sarah Jane to the floor. Her son was entering the room, only to crouch in the corner from the force.

"Luke?" she called out, scrambling to her feet as she rushed over towards him, helping him up and embracing him. "Are you alright?" She pulled away and checked for any injuries.

"Felt like some sort of cross-dimensional spatial transferrance," Luke told her.

"But it's night!" She glanced at the window. "It wasn't night, it was eight o'clock in the morning!" She turned to the paneled wall. "Mr. Smith, I need you!" The chimney breast opened up with triumphant introductory music filling the room before the super-computer was revealed. "I wish you'd stop giving me that fanfare and just tell me what happened!"

 ** _"Sarah Jane,"_** the computer said. _**"I think you should look outside. I think you will find the visual evidence most conclusive."**_

She did just that, not believing what she was seeing.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

In Chiswick, Wilfred Mott ran outside with a cricket bat in his hands. After that earthquake, he had a good feeling of what happened. Seeing the sudden blanket of darkness above only confirmed his beliefs. "It's gone dark," he remarked. "It's them aliens, I'll bet my pension! What do you want this time?" he yelled to no one in particular.

"Dad," Sylvia breathed out, standing by the door with her mouth open as she noticed the sky.

"Get back inside, sweetheart, they always want the women!"

"No, Dad, my God! Look at the sky!"

Wilf followed his daughter's skyward gaze and gasped. He knew it was dark for some reason, but he didn't even see any stars in the sky. What he did see was a group of unfamiliar planets looming over them.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Mickey fetched his backpack and strapped the Cannon to his side, ready to locate the Doctor once again. That run-in chaos in that wrong timeline ripped him apart in more ways than one after he got back to Pete's World, but Rose fixed everything and made it revert back to the way it should have been with her and the Doctor being together. Hopefully she gave him the message, because he didn't know how much longer it would be until the rest of the parallel worlds started falling apart.

This time he wasn't just bringing Jake along with him. Jackie kept her promise to go with them during their next jump—and even scolded them for not alerting her when Mickey ran into Rose. He explained everything to her before they took the leap, ready to find the Doctor. The buzzing of electricity and blue light encased them as they ended up on a street somewhere. It took them a moment to adjust to the transport, but once they did they scanned the area.

"Awfully dark," Jackie commented, then she and the others gazed up at the starless sky. "Oh, my God," she breathed.

"It's only beginning," Mickey said, his attention on the swirling colors and planets above. "We need to find the Doctor as quickly as we can."

"Hold on," Jake said, looking around. "The readings said the TARDIS was here." He frowned. "But…it's _still_ here. What the hell?"

"They must've been moved, somehow. Or…something else. Whatever it is, we should try making them come back to us. 'Cause by the looks of things, we won't be runnin' in the blue box yet."

"How do you expect us to find them, then?" Jackie asked, shaking her head. She was trying to mask her fears, but to no avail. "Run around London in circles until he can see us?"

"Maybe you can yell for him again," Jake put in. Jackie turned to him with a nasty look, and he quickly regretted he said anything. "Not literally, just…making a light joke out of this."

"This isn't the time for jokes!" Jackie cried. "We have to find my daughter!"

Mickey placed a hand on her arm. "S'alright, we'll find them. From what I can tell, we're still in London. All we have to do is try to get into contact with the Doctor to locate them."

"Oh, wait a sec." Jackie took out her phone and began to dial a number. "I'll try and call Rose, see if she picks up." Her attempt turned into one of failure when the connection was dead. She cursed. "Bloody useless thing! How am I supposed to call her? How can we find them? Micks, tell me you have an idea!"

The panic in her voice was so evident that Mickey could feel it radiating off of her. He had an idea, and he hoped it would work.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Jenny's ship shook as she prepared for a landing. She probably shouldn't have traveled around a world with five burning suns, it was too damaging. But if she were to find her parents, then she could probably leave the old thing behind. She finally landed with a hard thump on a beach somewhere. She assumed it was London, judging from what her monitor displayed, but it looked nothing like how she imagined. But then again, she wasn't prepared to see several planets hanging in the blackened sky without a single star. Although, no, she was prepared for this. For a while now, she's been hearing whispers in her ears about the incoming darkness, about the moment of truth coming.

She had no idea what it really was, but it was already happening. She could feel it. That, and possibly the faint warm itch at the base of her skull. She felt it when she found herself in that strange world when she saw her mother, but it didn't feel…right, like it was her, but everything around her was fuzzy and wrong. Weird dream experience. Thankfully that sickening feeling passed. Now, though, she needed to find her parents before this darkness took over everything. If that's what its intentions were. She was told that there would be a battle approaching, and she was ready for it. She had the right amount of knowledge to ready herself for a fight, but there was always a choice. Her parents taught her that, and she knew in her heart that was what she had to live by.

All this time she had been roaming around a few different worlds, not as many as she'd like, but she saw so many beautiful sights and met some beautiful people—and some terrible. That aside, she was ready to find her parents and catch up. They would be so shocked to see her after all this time being apart, but she knew it would be worth it. She had some explaining to do, and couldn't wait to see them. She was brought her by her own intuition, so she had to be able to locate them. The nightmare she had experienced shook her up, and she knew it was time for her to get involved in the upcoming battle.

Looking up at the sky, Jenny's eyes widened in wonder when she saw what was hanging just above her. She had never seen anything like it before, and it was…interesting. The colors seemed so familiar to her, as if she's seen them once before in her dreams. There was a pull tugging at her, prompting her to head in a specific direction. She closed her eyes and felt the ground beneath her pulse. Something felt too far away, yet very close by. Whatever it was, she hurried out of her ship and began to run wherever her legs were taking her.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Rose studied the Doctor as he grasped onto the console with a white-knuckle grip, his jaw set tight. His eyes were glued onto the monitor as if he tried to get a good understanding of everything happening around them. She could feel his tension radiating in thick waves and tried to calm him down mentally. He seemed desperate. There was no way for them to contact anyone for assistance, and he was never one to ask for help. Not like this. Working with large corporations was never his things. UNIT, of course, was an exception, as was Torchwood from recent events. But in times like this, anything available would be useful.

She swore she felt something shifting in the air, something itching in the back of her head. She tried to concentrate on it, but the TARDIS hummed in her mind when a brief headache pulsed. She was about to say something to her husband, but brushed it aside as she held his forearm. He was still tense, and it wouldn't ease up until the madness ended. The TARDIS finally landed with a hard thump, and the Doctor wasted no time as he hurried to the coral strut to retrieve his jacket then dashed out the door. Rose and Donna followed before bumping into him.

The Judoon were waiting for them, surrounding them with their guns raised. Presumably the leader, one began to exchange words to them in their language, not being translated by the TARDIS. The Doctor assured the officers that why meant no harm and were looking for help, even speaking in the species' military tongue. The trio were ushered into a large room where the Shadow Architect was. She was a tall humanoid with pale skin, white hair, and red eyes. Once they entered, she stood from her desk and folded her arms over her chest.

"You're the Architect, yes?" the Doctor asked.

"I am," the woman replied. "And who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"Species?"

"Time Lord."

The Architect looked at him skeptically before moving her eyes over all three of them and walking behind her terminal. "Time Lords are the stuff of legend. They belong in the myths and whisperings of the higher species. You cannot possibly exist."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Obviously he _does_ if he's standin' right here," she said, patting her husband's arm. The woman threw her a glare, but it didn't phase her. She'd be a millionaire if she earned a pound for every time someone didn't believe the Doctor existed.

"And who, pray tell, might you be?" the woman asked.

"Rose Tyler, a human. Well, mostly. I'm my own thing, closer to not existing than a Time Lord, but that doesn't matter. This man," she looped her arm through the Doctor's, "is my husband, so I suggest you learn who you're talkin' to before you make snide remarks."

The woman's look was hard, but Rose challenged her with one of her own. "You two make an interesting pair," she commented. "Very fascinating." She turned to Donna, her tone becoming a bit disparaging. "And who is this other female? Another mate?"

"God, no!" the redhead snapped, irritated. "I'm a human too, Donna Noble. Well, I may not be the same brand as Rose over there, and I may not be the stuff of legend like them, but am every bit as important as a Time Lord and human 2.0, thank you."

The Architect didn't reply. Rose grinned at their friend then glanced over at the Doctor, who was also smiling proudly. He dropped it instantly and returned to the issue at hand. "Yeah, we can chat about unique species and brilliance and whatever the hell you want some other day," he cut in briskly, impatiently rocking on the balls of his feet. "More to the reason we're here: I've got a missing _planet_!"

"It seems you're not as wise as the legends tell," the Architect derided.

"You keep being rude to my husband, you'll wish you kept your mouth shut," Rose warned.

The Doctor stopped her, keeping his arm tightly wound through hers. They needed all the help they could get at the moment, which was only the Shadow Proclamation since they couldn't contact UNIT, Torchwood, or their other allies. His wife was feisty, but adding pregnancy hormones to the mix could make her even more dangerous. "If we could please get back to the importance of this case," the Doctor said firmly, his patience wearing thin.

"The picture is far bigger than you imagine," the Architect said. "The whole universe is outraged, Doctor—twenty-four worlds have been taken from the sky."

"How many?" he said incredulously at the same time Rose gasped. "Which ones, show me!"

He bounded over towards the computer terminal and slipped on his glasses as he studied the monitor. The Architect came over and brought up the statistics and images of the stolen planets. Rose stood beside the Doctor, her arms wrapped around herself as a chill shot through her.

"The locations range far and wide," the woman said. "They all disappeared at the exact same moment, leaving no trace. All different sizes—some populated, some not. All unconnected."

"That's impossible," the Doctor murmured as the names flashed across the screen. His brows furrowed. "Callufrax Minor, Jahoo, Shallacatop, Woman Wept, Clom— _Clom's_ gone? Who'd want Clom?"

"Apparently someone," Rose muttered.

"What about Pyrovilia?" Donna asked.

"Pyrovillia is cold case," the Judoon captain said, stepping forward. "Not relevant."

"But way back when we were in Pompeii, that bloke Lucius said it was gone."

Rose snapped her fingers, recalling other similar incidents. "So was the Adipose planet." She turned to the Doctor. "Remember? Miss Foster said it was lost too, but it must've happened a long time ago."

"That's it!" the Doctor exclaimed with a proud smile. "Brilliant, ladies! It's not just space the planets are being taken out of, but time as well!" He then began to type rigorously on the keyboard. "Let's put this into 3D," he said out loud. "If we get a good visual of what's going on…" Holograms of various planets popped up and surrounded the room, their positions shambolic. As he murmured the names of some he typed, they joined the others. "We just add Pyrovilia…Adipose 3…there's others, where else? Lost, lost…"

"The fifth moon of Palagonia!" Rose cried.

His brows raised in realization, recalling a past trip. "Oh! Right! Thanks love." He typed in the aforementioned planet and it appeared in the air with the rest. "Ah!" he yelled.

After another round of furious typing, the planet's rearranged themselves in a more balanced arrangement. He placed his hands in his pockets and walked amongst the holographic display in wonder, shifting them a bit.

"What did you do?" the Architect demanded.

"Nothing," he replied. "The planets rearranged themselves into the optimum pattern." He craned his neck and watched as the fifth moon of Palagonia cycle around one of the other planets, pleasantly surprised by the imagery. "That's…"

"Impossible?" Rose supplied.

"Very. And just so…incredible. Twenty-seven planets in perfect balance." He walked over towards his wife and slung an arm around her shoulders as they gazed at the display. "Isn't it beautiful?"

A shiver passed through Rose again and she instinctively moved closer to him. _"Whatever caused it is makin' me jittery,"_ she thought to him. He squeezed her shoulder, seeming to snap out of his daze.

"Oi!" Donna spoke up. "Don't go all spaceman on us, what does it mean?"

"All of the planets fit together like pieces in an engine," he explained. "It's a powerhouse the size of an entire solar system generating a tremendous amount of energy."

"But why?" Rose asked, frowning. "If it's so powerful, why would they really need it?"

"Who could design such a thing?" the Architect asked.

Something shifted in the Doctor, his tension thickening even more. "Someone tried to move the Earth once before," he murmured. "A long time ago." He paused, deep in thought as he thought back to the last similar incident, freezing up inside. "Can't be…"

Rose noted the distant look in his eyes, the perfect handle to go along with the haunted shadow looming over his face. For a moment she thought he stopped breathing. She didn't have to tap his mind to be able to tell that he was mentally flipping through the possible beings responsible for hijacking planets, but it appeared to be something more. Denial seeped into his features, and that's when the concern swept over her. She reached for his hand and squeezed it, sending him waves of warmth to settle him down. She knew he would be on edge until they solved this mystery and fixed the problem, but she wanted to keep him stable before he began to lose himself.

The Doctor accepted his wife's balance to his trembling nerves, snapping him out of the territory his mind was slipping into. It was nagging him now. Moving a planet required an outrageous amount of energy and technology, the amount of power could become catastrophic. The last time the Earth went through an incident of being near-piloted around space involved a massive drill penetrating the planet's crust in order to blow out the core with an explosive capsule. And it involved one of his biggest adversaries and annoyances to ever burden him. He truly wished that he wouldn't have to face those creatures again, knowing what would happen if he bumped into them now.

Rassilon, don't do this to him.


	67. Pandemonium

**A/N: *sheepishly drops chapter in* I'm so sorry about the hiatus, the muses are being stubborn. Plus life has been getting in the way of things, but no worries. I'm getting the chapters done, just a little sluggish. Thanks for your patience! You guys are stars!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 64: Pandemonium**_

"Tracking two-hundred objects, Earthbound trajectory," one of the UNIT generals announced as he strode into the busy control room. "Geneva is calling a Code Red. Everyone to battle positions! Doctor Jones, if you're not too busy?"

Martha had been standing off to the side with her phone pressed against her ear. She had tried to contact the Doctor and Rose, first by calling the blonde's number and then the TARDIS'. Neither came through. "I'm trying to call the Doctor, sir, but there's no signal. That number can be picked up anywhere and anywhen in the universe. It never breaks down. They must be blocking it." She glanced up at the large screen that displayed several planets and a red light moving towards Earth. "Whoever 'they' are."

"We're about to find out," the general told her. "They're coming into orbit now."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Jack paced around the Hub with his phone anxiously tapping against his chin. He had tried to call both the Doctor and Rose countless times, but something was blocking the signal. His team were moving around the computer stations checking for any activity. They had called their loved ones to warn them and make sure they'd stay safe. Jack even called his daughter to do the same thing. He almost lost them with the Macra, and he wasn't losing them to whatever was causing this.

"Has anyone found something?" Jack asked, hurrying over to the computer station.

"Nothing," Ianto reported flatly. "No sign of the Doctor or the TARDIS, but one thing I can tell you is that whoever did this wants the human race alive. There's a plus."

Jack stood beside the Welsh man and watched a 3D diagrammatic representation of the Earth pop up on screen along with twenty-six other planets surrounding them. "Someone's established an artificial atmospheric shell keeping the air and holding in the heat."

"But that's good, isn't it?" Lois asked. "Whoever moved the Earth wants us all alive for some reason."

Jack kept his eyes on the screen in front of him. He doubted that. Moving a planet just out of boredom or whatever reason had to have some explanation. Humanity wouldn't be spared, it couldn't be. A flashing red spot of light became visible amongst the planet, moving steadily.

"That can't be a planet," Gwen said, almost agitated. "What is it?" Then it became clear that it wasn't a _planet,_ but massive spaceships looming in the sky. "Three-thousand miles and closing. But who are they?!"

Jack's phone finally rang and he almost dropped it from the shock. He checked the caller ID, hoping it was the Doctor or Rose, but the person was equally as important. He answered it. "Martha Jones, voice of a nightingale! Tell me you put something in my drink."

 ** _"No such luck,"_ ** Martha replied. ** _"Have you heard from the Doctor?"_**

Jack's lips thinned. "Not a word. Where are you?"

 ** _"New York."_**

"Nice for some."

 _ **"I've been promoted—Medical Director in charge of project Indigo."**_

Jack's brows raised. He heard about that once before. "Did you get that thing working yet?"

 _ **"Indigo is top secret,"**_ Martha protested. **_"No one's supposed to know about it. How do you—"_**

"Met a soldier in a bar," Jack said with a tiny smile. "Long story."

"When was that?" Ianto asked with a frown, suspicious.

He reached over and grabbed the Welsh man's hand, giving a reassuring squeeze. "Strictly professional," he whispered.

"Fifteen hundred miles, boys, and accelerating," Gwen cut in. "They're almost here."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

On the streets of London was total anarchy—people running around the streets, screaming, looting, smashing cars and shop windows, shouting incoherently. Many of them had cans of beer and were talking with slurred speeches about the apocalypse. Mickey, Jake, and Jackie carefully strode through the crowd, the men displaying their weapons to assure the looters that they weren't to be messed with. The cold violence needed to be controlled, and more violence wouldn't be the answer. So they walked with confidence and made sure to break up any conflicts nearby.

Even though Jackie was unarmed, she would cast glares at the drunks who would jump at them to spit out random words in regards to the end of the world. That was one of the Tyler woman's greatest weapon, Mickey noted—hard glares, fiery comebacks, and dangerous slaps. But both he and Jake made sure to clear away the looters before they came close. They needed to get as much information as soon as possible. They were passing by a computer shop where two juvenile delinquents were stealing items and raiding the cash register. Mickey, Jake, and Jackie burst inside.

"Oi!" Mickey yelled, getting their attention. "Like our guns, mate?" His voice was convivial, then turned serious. "You have a choice—either load up with the goods, or run for your life." The young men stared at them wide-eyed.

"Go on, shift!" Jackie berated. "Go home!"

That made the looters run away without any of the items. "You'd make an excellent member of Torchwood," Jake remarked.

Jackie scoffed. "Not in a million years. So what are we gonna do, Micks?"

"I'm gonna hack into the UNIT files and see if I can get the information," Mickey answered, taking a seat at one of the tables. He brought his rucksack up and took out his laptop. "The Doctor gave me the password a few years back."

"What about the other Torchwood?" Jake asked. "Is there a way we can contact them or get into their files?"

"I doubt they'd have the same passwords or security protocols. We can barely get a phone signal anywhere, and we're nowhere near a base."

"Why can't I get through to Rose though?" Jackie asked with a frown. Mickey turned to see her with her phone pressed against her ear again. "It still isn't working!"

"There's something blocking the signal," Mickey told her as images popped up on the screen, showing the planets. "Whoever did this must be preventing anyone from making calls." He placed a hand on her arm. "We'll find her, Jackie."

"I know, Micks," she said softly. "I just hope she's okay."

Mickey nodded. This day was so topsy-turvy already, but hopefully they could find the Doctor soon. As he worked on the computer to hack into the UNIT databases, the screen warped and began to scramble. Mickey slammed his fist on the table, aggravating his bandaged wrist.

"What happened?" Jake asked, hurrying back over from the door. "Did you find something?"

"No, I _lost_ something " Mickey snapped, running a hand over his head. "It shut me out, like something's overriding the system. Whatever's doing this has to be—"

His sentence was cut off by a familiar cry pouring out from the computer's speakers, a signal from another transmission. It was fierce and droning, and only belonged to one race.

 _ **"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"**_

 _Daleks._

Mickey swore under his breath, his hands on his head in shock. He hasn't seen those aliens since Canary Wharf, but he thought they were all gone. They must have been the cockroaches of the universe—even after being destroyed, they came back. This wasn't good.

"Shit…" Jake murmured from the side.

Jackie had been quiet, her hands over her mouth in fear. "Those voices," she said quietly. "It's those aliens…"

Mickey could tell how afraid the woman was. These were the very aliens that were responsible for splitting her and Rose apart, the ones no one would ever want to see again. If he could guess, he imagined their plans were worse than Canary Wharf if every universe is collapsing. He stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We can't stay here," Mickey said. "We need more cover."

"Where do you expect us to go?" Jake asked. "It's not like we can find a safe house or anything."

"No, but we can find a _safe house._ Something not too far from here."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Sarah Jane and Luke watched as Mr. Smith tracked the spaceships moving towards Earth. It was unnerving. Whatever or whoever moved the planet wants the human race to be alive. But why move a planet?

 ** _"I am receiving communication from the Earthbound ships, Sarah Jane,"_ ** the supercomputer said. ** _"A message for the human race."_**

Sarah Jane regarded that apprehensively. "Put it through," she said firmly. "Let's hear it." Luke stood beside her, seeming a little tense. What came baring out of the speakers was something she wasn't prepared for.

 _ **"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"**_

She gasped in horror, feeling frozen in place as she brought a hand up to her mouth, visibly shaking. Tears welled up in her eyes as the sounds echoed in the attic. It was impossible. "No…" she whispered.

"Mum?" Luke asked gently. "What's the matter? What is it?"

Sarah Jane turned to see his confused expression. She let her tears fall down her cheeks as she clutched him. "Oh, God," she sobbed. "You're too young!"

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Jack was still on the phone with Martha, about to further continue the conversation with a lightened tone, but then everything went downhill when the deep mechanical voice echoed through the Hub. His eyes widened in horror, his mouth falling open. No, this couldn't be happening. Not Daleks. He felt himself trembling at the sound, recalling what it felt like to be killed by one on Satellite 5, to be in the presence of one in general. It made his skin crawl.

"No…" he whispered. "No, no, no."

"Jack?" Gwen asked, sliding concerned. "What is it?

"Do you know what that is?" Lois asked.

Jack briefly glanced over to see Ianto's eyed also wide with alarm. He also recognized that mechanical voice and must have been taken back to when he was in Canary Wharf trying to find his then love, Lisa, in the midst of the chaos with the Daleks and the Cybermen. The captain shook his head, feeling at a loss. He couldn't get into contact with the Doctor or Rose, couldn't come up with a plan, or even think properly. He moved to each member of his team and pressed a quick kiss to each of their foreheads.

"I'm sorry," he said flatly. "There's nothing I can do. It's Daleks."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Martha placed a hand over her mouth, feeling disgust rise inside of her at the shrill of the Daleks coming over the speakers in the Headquarters. It's been a long time since she's seen one of those aliens, not that she even wanted to. They were merciless beings who disregarded lives and would destroy someone without giving another thought. There was a big problem in all of this, not just the fact that they couldn't find the Doctor, but that the weapons supplied by UNIT wouldn't scratch the monsters. No solar flares, no guns, nothing could stop them. What were they supposed to do?

"Battle stations!" the general yelled over the fray if panicked workers and alarms. "Geneva is declaring Code Red! We are at war!"

The world shook violently around them, hearing sounds raging outside from destinations. Martha staggered over towards the window and saw a flurry of Dalek saucers gliding through the Manhattan skyline, firing lasers leading to more thunderous explosions. She watched in horror, knowing she had to steady herself for preparations. Her general continued to bellow orders from the side, including one for her.

"Doctor Jones, come with me," he said. "Project Indigo is being activated. Quick march!"

"Yes, sir!" Martha replied, hurrying over to follow him down the twisting corridors.

 ** _"Martha, get out of there!"_** Jack shouted over her mobile, reminding her that she left it on. _**"The Daleks are targeting military bases! They've taken down the Valiant and the South African air force, yours is next!"**_

Martha swallowed hard. "I can't Jack," she told him quietly as she continued to follow her superior. "I've got a job to do."

Jack attempted to get out more hasty warnings, but she ignored them. She transferred from using her phone to bringing a headset, still hearing the captain and his team reporting places where the Daleks were laying waste to the land. There was nothing else they could do. If Torchwood wasn't able to help and the Doctor was missing, UNIT were the last ones to stop the war. The sickening feeling came over her again, but she steeled herself up as they walked.

"But sir," she got out, her nervousness coming through. "Project Indigo hasn't even been tested to know if it even works."

General Sanchez dismissed her words. Though they were far into the bowels of the building, Martha knew that the Daleks were forcing their way inside and hurting people. She closed her eyes and mourned for those who have already died. She wished she could help them all, but they had to go with this plan first if it meant saving humanity. They came to a stop at a storage locker at the end of the corridor. The man pulled out a black pack completely covered with wires and a digital display.

"Put it on," Sanchez instructed. "Fast as you can."

"Sir, I don't think Indigo is ready though," Martha protested as she hesitantly took the pack.

 _ **"Don't, Martha!"** _ Jack pleaded through her headset, loud enough for the general to hear. ** _"It's not safe!"_**

"You take orders from UNIT, Doctor Jones, not Torchwood," the general reminded. "You are our best hope of getting in contact with the Doctor." He paused. "But failing in that, then with the authority vested in me by the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, I authorize you to take the Osterhagen key."

Martha had obediently slipped on the pack over her shoulders, but she eyed the small electronic disk he held out to her warily. She shook her head in shock. "I can't take that, sir," she whispered.

"For the sake of the human race, you have to," he told her as he came forward and urgently pressed it into her hands. Before Martha could retort, an explosion at the end of the corridor got their attention. Daleks were coming for them. The general offered a quick salute. "Good luck, Doctor Jones." She returned the salute. "Go!"

 _ **"Martha, don't do it!"**_ Jack cried.

Martha shut her eyes at the droning commands of the Daleks echoing in the hall. There was nothing else she could do but follow her superior's orders. She was kept hidden by the general and two soldiers as her heart raced. Finding the Doctor was top priority along with saving the human race. She had to leave.

"Bye Jack," she said softly before disconnecting the headset and slowly reaching her hands up to pull at the dangling chords attached to the straps with a deep breath. In a flash, she was gone.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The Hub had become quiet at the last words of Martha Jones before she vanished and blew out their connection. Jack threw his phone across the room until it hit the wall then slammed his fists on the computer desk, silent and furious. His team had watched him carefully before reaching out to him.

"What happened?" Gwen asked. "What's Project Indigo?"

"An experimental teleport that was salvaged from the Sontarans," Jack ground out. His jaw was set tight, feeling sick. "But they don't have any coordinates or stabilization."

Ianto swallowed hard. "But that would mean…" he trailed off with wide eyes.

"What?" Lois asked. "Where's your friend?"

"Scattered into atoms," Jack answered flatly, hanging his head. "She's gone. Martha's down."

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Rose was sitting on the lounge chair provided in the room with Donna while the Doctor remained by the computer with the Shadow Architect, trying to decipher how the planets were moved. He figured they would get themselves settled while he tried to piece things together. He looked to be at a loss and kept frustrating himself. Rose had watched him carefully, noting how he kept himself locked up. He was tense, his moves still desperate. Whatever was going through his mind earlier must have been returning, but he wouldn't let her see what it was. Still, she would send him waves of warmth to ease him up a little.

As she studied him, she could feel her insides tremoring again. In all the excitement the baby must have been reacting to it as much as them, so she tried to calm herself down. The very last thing she would want is for something to happen to it. More than once her husband checked on her, sensing the same sensations. He would mentally ask her if she was okay before reminding her to tell him if anything different would happen. He would comfort her before murmuring to himself in his native tongue, his face twisted in dissatisfaction and running a hand through his hair.

A warmness spread through Rose, like a memory of something from the parallel world. She tried to remember it, but it was fuzzy and out of focus. She actually saw Mickey, but what if he wasn't the only one coming through from the other world? What if her mum was finding her way through the walls? It's been so long since she's seen her, and she would love to see her and tell her she loved her and give her a hug, but what would happen after that? One thing she would have to tell her mother was that she and the Doctor were expecting a baby, her grandchild. How would she take that news? There was so much to catch up on if they had the opportunity, but Rose didn't even know how much time had passed since Canary Wharf in Pete's World.

She inhaled a deep breath to stifle herself. _One thing at a time_ , she thought. So much was already happening around them. They had to find out where Earth was along with the other planets. For a moment, she felt herself zoning out. A distant muffled sound came to her ears, strangely the rhythm of a double heartbeat—like the Doctor's. It caused a small burning feeling on her forehead, and she blinked a few times to ease it up. She flinched when she heard Donna sniffling beside her, then sat up to place a hand on her wrist.

"How're you holding up?" she asked her friend gently.

"Fine," Donna replied, wiping a tear away. "Just worried about my mum and gramps."

"They're gonna be alright, Donna," Rose told her, rubbing her arm. "We'll fix this, we always do."

"The whole _planet's_ gone. How is something like that even possible?"

"This whole time you've been travelling with us, and you're still shocked about this?" Rose inquired with a small smile. Donna shrugged. "If it's any consolation, this is new for me too. And I've dealt with a _lot_ over the years."

"Topsy-turvy alien adventures. You should write a book, it'd be a best-seller." Rose chuckled at that. "What about you? You feeling okay? You seem a little pale."

"'M good." She lied. Well, partially. She was just a little jittery. She placed a hand over her abdomen, chuckling quietly. "Little one seems a bit restless."

The redhead snorted. "Then it really takes after its father. How's it feel? It hasn't fully sunken in yet, has it? I know it's been weeks, but still."

"It's just…amazing," Rose said with a smile. "Still unbelievable, but all the same. We're lookin' forward to the experience." Her brows raised. "The very _long_ experience."

"You'll manage. You've stuck it out with _that_ one for years," Donna nodded over towards the Doctor at the desk, "you can handle childbirth."

That was true. Although that was still about ten months away. It was all worth it though, she wouldn't have it any other way. She shook her head when her vision blurred momentarily, the heartsbeat coming back to her ears.

"Rose?" Donna asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You alright?"

"Just trying to remember things, and nothing's coming through," Rose answered, getting her bearings back.

"Don't force yourself, blondie. Don't want you to cause a head explosion, and let that worrywart of a husband of yours have a meltdown. Bad enough he was on the brink of one earlier."

Rose sighed and scratched her eyebrow. She hated having to be reminded about her husband's perturbation when their timeline was being affected. "That was all my fault," she said quietly. "I shouldn't have went up to that creepy fortune teller knowing how much trouble bumps into us."

"Don't blame yourself," Donna said softly. "They're pretty enticing, you have to admit. I would've done the same thing. But you fixed everything, and that alien mate of yours has got color back in his face again. He may be dealing with missing planets, but if you're okay then he's a little better, right?"

"Yeah, but he hates not knowing things. He may say he loves that most of the time, but there's exceptions."

One of the albino servants came over to them with a tray holding a cup and a saucer. "You both need sustenance," she said kindly. "Take the water, it purifies. It should help with the memories and headaches." Both Rose and Donna took the drinks and said their thanks, the former inwardly shuddering after taking a sip. "There was something on your back."

Rose looked up in alarm, another shiver shooting through her. "How'd you know?"

"You are something different, something impossible yet _powerful_."

"Been told that before."

"And you," the servant turned to Donna. "You are something else."

"Not me," Donna said with a head shake. "I'm just a temp—short-hand, filing, a hundred words per minute. Fat lot of good that is now. I'm no use to anyone."

"You know that's not true," Rose chimed in. "Donna Noble, you're so important. You've done so many brilliant things, so many that I can't even list them right now, it's so long. You're never just a temp, you shouldn't define yourself just for what you did as a job. You're so much more than that and have so much to offer." The redhead turned to her with a smile.

"There is something inside of you," the servant said, facing Rose again. "Something strong yet to come."

"Yeah, have a little one on the way," Rose said, her hand resting on her womb. "But we won't be seeing the baby for at least ten more months."

The servant leaned forward to whisper, as though imparting secret. "I meant the storm that is approaching."

Rose stared wide-eyed at the woman, a sickening feeling washing over her. "What?" she said quietly, fearful.

"The Oracle will be fulfilled once the storm passes and the ashes settle. Then the song will be reborn. May the gods be with you."

What the bloody hell was _that_ supposed to mean? Before Rose could say anything as a response, the servant walked away. An unnerving feeling came over her after hearing the eerie prognostication. She recalled being called the Oracle a while back in Pompeii, and it was as unsettling then as it was now. Actually, _more_ now. A storm was coming, and that was never something good. Hearing Bad Wolf was enough to make her and the Doctor worry, but now a storm was approaching. She hoped to God nothing would happen to their unborn child and harm it. She'd be damned to let that happen. Her husband was just starting to ease up and have less worries about becoming a father again. If the opportunity was suddenly ripped away from them…

 _No,_ she couldn't bear the thought. Nothing was going to come between them. They were going to brave through this storm without a scratch. The universe was kind enough to bless them with a child, so it had better take a step back if it had intentions to take it away. She glanced over to see the Doctor shaking his head in annoyance at the computer before he walked over in their direction. She tried to calm herself down so he wouldn't pick up on any waves of anxiety.

"Any luck?" she asked.

"Nothing I can find or trace," he said flatly. His brows were knitted as he rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. "I was trying to locate any suspicious activity on Earth to see if a trail was being left behind, but there's nothing."

"Could it be something with a perception filter? Something we wouldn't be able to see?"

"Possibly, but the amount of energy to remove planets is so outrageously off-scale that there would still be a blip." He leaned on a nearby banister, scratching his sideburn. "There must've been some sort of warning back on Earth—something unusual and out of the ordinary as a derivative factor. Even something one would consider subsidiary."

"Like what, a snowstorm in the middle of July?" Donna asked.

The Doctor nodded. "That could work. Donna, think. Was there anything happening back in your day like that—electrical storms, freak weather, patterns in the sky, things bleeding into the ground, or—"

"How would I know?" Donna replied tersely. "It's been a long time since I was on Earth in the _present_ day."

He sighed. "Right, that's true. Okay, never mind." He turned his attention to his wife, who was chewing on her thumbnail. One of his hands moved to gently stroke her hair. "Feeling okay?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, fine," she assured, all too quickly. "Just…a little uneasy."

"Same symptoms, I can tell. What about any visions or memories?"

"None. I can't…" She brought a hand up and rubbed her temple. "They're fuzzy."

The Doctor gently eased her hand down, brushing his thumb over her fingers. "Don't worry about it then, love. Just let me know if you do."

"The bees…" Donna breathed out slowly.

"What?" he said with a frown.

Rose gasped. "The bees disappearing!"

Realization dawned on the Doctor, his brows slowly rising. "Oh!" He practically yelled. "The _bees_ disappearing!" He darted back to the computer and began to type rigorously.

"Excuse me, how is that significant?" the Architect asked.

"Bugs on Earth," Rose supplied as she and Donna hurried over on either side of the Doctor.

"Some people said the reason why the bees were disappearing was pollution or mobile phone signals," Donna informed.

"Or…they were going back home," the Doctor said, his eyes on the screen.

The redhead stared at him, confused. "Back home where?"

"The planet Melissa Majoria."

"Are you saying bees are _aliens_?"

"Well, that giant wasp was," Rose pointed out, slipping on her specs as well.

Donna nodded. "Guess you're right."

"Not _all_ bees are alien, Donna," the Doctor put in. "But if the migrant bees felt something, some sort of danger, and escaped…" He slammed the keys harder then cried triumphantly. "Tandocca!"

"The Tandocca Scale," the Architect said, beginning to understand.

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"A series of wavelengths used as carrier signals by migrant bees," he explained quickly. "Infinitely small, no wonder we didn't see it. It's like looking for a speck of cinnamon in the Sahara. But look!" He pointed at the screen enthusiastically, where a trail of blue light showed up. "There it is, the Tandocca trail! The transmat that moved the planets was using the same wavelength!"

"So we can follow it straight to Earth!" Rose said hopefully.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Donna exclaimed, throwing her arms out. "Stop talking and do it!"

The trio dashed back to the TARDIS, the Doctor taking the lead as he burst through the doors, ignoring the Old Girl's annoyed hums from the force before he rounded the console. He twisted some dials and brought the monitor up. "We're a bit late. The signal's scattered, but it's a start!"

"Somethin's better than nothin'!" Rose said.

The Doctor ran back to the doors where the Architect and Judoon were waiting for him. He poked his head out. "I've got a blip! It's just a blip, but it's definitely a blip."

"Then according to the strictures of the Shadow Proclamation, I will have to seize your transport and your technology," the Architect told him with authority.

"What for?" he asked, taken aback.

"The planets were stolen with hostile intent. We are declaring war, Doctor! Right across the universe! And you will lead us into battle!"

That was definitely _not_ what he had in mind, not by a long-shot. He most certainly wasn't becoming a soldier. He slowly nodded, putting on an act. "Of course," he said slowly. "Just…let me go and get you a key."

He slid back into the TARDIS with absolutely no intention of coming back out. Locking the doors, he ran back up the ramp and tossed his trenchcoat over a coral strut, joining the women at the console. He threw them a wink and waggled his eyebrows then grabbed the lever and pulled it.

"C'mon ladies, we've got planets to find!"

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Mickey, Jake, and Jackie were carefully roaming the streets being as surreptitious as possible, moving behind bushes and cars while they witnessed the carnage around them. Daleks were enslaving London, ordering people to leave their homes. Groups were surrendering meekly, holding their hands on their heads in defeat as they were taken away. Those who disobeyed were brutally incinerated on the spot. The trio winced in horror. No survivors.

Finding a clear path where no Daleks were seen, they hurried to find a safe house. Even if it was for a few minutes for them to regroup. Mickey and Jake had their guns prepared for any surprise attacks from the aliens. They ran up one of the residential streets that seemed pretty calm at the moment. It wasn't until they turned around a corner that they heard the shrieks of a nearby Dalek ready to fire at innocent lives.

 **"HOSTILITY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!"** it bellowed. **"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"**

Coming out of the shadows, Mickey and Jake wasted no time in unloading their guns and firing at it. The whole top half of the metal exterior blew off with an explosion, leaving it a wreck in smoldering flames. On the other side of the Dalek was a frightened woman and an elderly man with a paintball gun.

"D'you want to swap?" the man asked with a tiny smile.

"Can you help us out with something?" Mickey asked as he, Jake and Jackie walked around the Dalek remains. "We need to find someone. Actually, there's a few people we're looking for, and we need somewhere to take cover for a little bit."

"We can protect you," Jake added.

"It's not safe out here," Jackie put in, looking around.

"Oh, well, I suppose it's appropriate since you've saved me and my daughter. Who might you be looking for?"

"Some friends of ours, and a woman named Donna," Mickey said.

The old man and woman gasped. "My granddaughter is Donna. Donna Noble," he told.

"Red hair, really loud?" Jake asked.

"That's her!" the man exclaimed.

"How do you know Donna?" the woman demanded.

"We don't really _know_ her," Mickey answered. "We've seen her a few times before, but that's it."

"She's not here though," the old man said. "She's out there with those two lovely people—the Doctor and Rose."

"Well, I'm Jackie Tyler—Rose's mum—and I need to find out where the hell she is," Jackie spoke, stepping forward. "My daughter's out there with that bloody alien, and I need to find her now."

Mickey shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder. He knew she was anxious to make sure Rose was doing okay, but they had to ease into these things easy. "I'm Mickey Smith," he introduced. "Friends with the Doctor and Rose. That's Jake Simmonds, friend and co-worker."

"Aye," the aforementioned man said.

"We need your help, can we go inside?"

"Any friends and family of those two remarkable people are more than welcome to come here," the old man said, gesturing at them to enter. "Wilfred Mott, by the way, and this is my daughter, Sylvia. Hurry in, c'mon."

Mickey, Jackie, and Jake followed them in the house, relieved that they found a safe residence to lay low for a little bit. Thankfully they found Donna Noble's family, a good key to locating the Doctor and Rose. Wilf offered the trio to sit on the sofa while Sylvia lingered in the kitchen.

"Have you spoken to Donna recently?" Mickey asked. "Like today?"

"I've tried calling her, yeah, but there's no signal," Wilfred said with a frown, bringing out his mobile. "She told me that Doctor had fixed her phone that could make her call from anywhere. Last time she called she was on some planet called Kaata…something—Flo Ko, that's right, with coral reefs made out of diamonds!"

"What the hell are you on about?" Sylvia finally spoke up as she entered the room with some mugs of tea for them.

"She's out there, sweetheart!" he told his daughter. "Your daughter! She's travelling the stars with the Doctor and Rose, she always has been. She's seen so many planets and saved so many lives!"

Sylvia scoffed. "You sound mad."

"Oh, come on, open your eyes!" Wilf replied. "Look at the sky—look at the Daleks! You can't start denying things now!"

"Don't be ridiculous, dad!"

"Look here," Jackie spoke up, moving to stand in front of the other woman. "I know what it's like to be in your position—to think it would be better to imagine your daughter's in another country instead of a different bleedin' planet. Trying to take it as something that's unreal and that you trick yourself into believing she's not runnin' around with aliens doesn't work. Once the alien stuff starts, you can't deny it. You have to believe it. You can't keep lying to yourself, it's happening!"

Sylvia arched a brow. "And just who do you think you are passing judgement onto me in my own home?" she asked snarkily. Mickey almost felt bad for the woman for raising a challenging tone to Jackie Tyler.

"'Cause I've been in your shoes before, and I have more experience in this than you've got!" Jackie fired back. "No one is prepared for any of this! Out of the blue, your daughter comes home with some alien bloke who calls himself the Doctor who takes her out there and they're off runnin' on alien soil or flying around a sun, all while you're home worried sick when they don't call to let you know if they're okay. It's hard to imagine, but it took me some time to actually get used to it. I hated the idea of having my only daughter run off with some alien, but I accepted it for her sake, not just for mine. Because I saw that she was happy. Every mother wants their child to be happy in their life, and that's what matters the most."

The house was silent, Sylvia regarding Jackie's words while Mickey watched carefully. He had been around Jackie in the early days of when the Doctor first took Rose with him on the TARDIS. She had been gone for an entire year in Earth time, and Jackie had been a mess. He would comfort her while worrying about Rose's well-being, even though the older woman accused him of kidnapping her daughter and murdering her. As he studied her, the hopeless look was too palpable. He stood up and placed a hand on her arm.

"We'll find her, Jackie," he told her quietly. "We have to focus on contacting them first."

She sighed. "I know, Micks."

If anyone had experience in having their daughter go off with an alien in a box, it was Jackie Tyler.

* * *

 **Bad cutoff, sorry =/ So much is coming that organization is making my muses all disarray.**

 ** _Guest:_ Thanks a lot! Yeah, a small one's coming up. It's the Doctor, of course he's gonna argue. Glad you're enjoying it!**

 ** _newboy:_ Yup, his reaction to Davros is next. You'll see how different it is than just from Daleks.**

 ** _Silvay:_ I'm glad you're enjoying it, thank you so much! **


	68. Lost and Found

**A/N: Sorry for the late update. Much love and many thanks to you lovely viewers! ;)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 65: Lost and Found**_

It was a bumpy ride in the TARDIS, the time rotor rising and falling heavily with thick wheezes. The trio were hot on the trail until the ship shook violently. "No no no, come on!" the Doctor said, staring at the monitor with wide eyes. He smacked the screen a few times. "Bollocks!"

Rose moved closer to him and placed a hand on his back, feeling his muscles tense up. She glanced at the monitor to have a peek at what he was frustrated with, but he didn't need to say anything else. A moment later the ship jolted to a stop, but they didn't make a landing.

The Doctor blinked a few times, his brows knitted. "It's stopped…" he breathed out quietly.

"What do you mean?" Donna asked. "Is that good or bad? Where are we?"

He was observing the monitor closely, swallowing hard with a soft voice. "The Medusa Cascade."

Rose exchanged a look with Donna before the former slowly headed down the ramp towards the doors, the redhead following. She paused and looked back at him at the console. "It's safe, yeah?" she asked gently.

He nodded tightly. She could feel all sorts of waves through their bond as she opened the doors. They were met with the very place where they ended up drifting through. It was a breathtaking scenery. Vibrant hues of pink, turquoise, and gold commingling together in the mystic beauty of the galaxy's region. Rose shivered slightly, feeling a haunting yet comfortable chill about the place. The name had a familiar ring to it, and seeing the swirls of color before her brought her back to when she had seen the sight in her husband's mind. It was a part of his childhood, as she recalled, a place of solace. Behind the stars were something truly powerful. His name.

The Doctor had made his way to stand beside Rose, his arm wrapping around her waist as he gazed out at the sight with them. "I came here when I was just a kid," he said reminiscently. "Ninety years old. It was the center of a rift in time and space…"

"'S beautiful," Rose breathed.

She looked up at him with soft eyes to see that wonted melancholic cowl he bore all too well. Through their bond, she felt his frustration and hopelessness twisting together. It had been a long time since she's seen that look, just before they found out they were excepting their child. He had been anxious all this time, but he was loosening up and they were having good days—beautiful, peaceful days. And today was getting more and more stressful, first starting at Shan Shen. She hated seeing his spirits lower themselves. She rested her head on his chest and sent him waves of warmth.

"So…where are the twenty-seven planets?" Donna asked.

"Nowhere," the Doctor said with a hollow voice. "The Tandocca Trail stops dead, nothing else." He pressed a kiss to the crown of his wife's head. "End of the line." He gently pulled himself away from her embrace and walked back up the ramp to stand by the monitor again.

Rose silently shut the doors and lightly brushed Donna's arm before joining him. He was carelessly fiddling with buttons, his eyes lost. It couldn't end like this, there had to be something they could do. She placed a hand on his arm, causing him to stop. He reached out for her and she took his hand in hers, squeezing it.

"What do we do, Doctor?" Donna asked shakily as she came up to the console. He didn't answer her. He merely looked down at his feet. The redhead became desperate, her eyes welling up. "Tell me there's something we can do, please!"

"Donna…" he said quietly. "I'm sorry, there's just…there's nothing I can do."

"You can't just give up!" He remained silent, his head still lowered.

"Hey," Rose said softly, bringing her hands up to cup his face. "Don't go there, Doctor. Don't you give up, you never give up."

He shook his head, looking defeated. "Rose…"

"We don't give up, you hear me? There's thousands of people counting on us, they're still out there. We can't give in and not do anything, there has to be something we can do. We never just _give up,_ you know we get through things and fix them. Please, Doctor, don't do this. Don't shut it out."

She brought him down to kiss his forehead, then felt his arms wrap around her. He placed her head under his chin and let out a deep exhale, trying to get a grip on their current situation. Rose knew she had to remain strong and make sure he kept his hopes up so they could come up with a plan to find the planet's and restore Earth. They couldn't just stay as sitting ducks as they drifted through a galaxy. She mentally comforted him, doing all she could to be his strength.

As they stood, she felt another itch in the back of her mind along with the TARDIS' hums echoing around them. But there was something more, something deeper. For a split second she swore she heard the Old Girl telling her something, but it was so soft and quiet she couldn't tell what She was saying. It felt like a tug, like a warm wrap. It had been a while since she felt the song like that, as comfortable as it felt, while at the same time a bit chilling. Something was coming.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

"There's a reason why you haven't gotten in touch with Donna," Mickey told Wilf as he retrieved his laptop from his rucksack. "And it's why we haven't been able to contact the Doctor and Rose. The Daleks are inferring."

"Can't it be unblocked?" Wilf asked. "It's not like solar flares, is it?"

A beeping sound came through the laptop, getting everyone's attention. **_"Can anyone hear me?"_** a familiar voice asked.

"Hold on," Mickey said. "Is that…?"

 _ **"The subwave network is open, you should be able to hear my voice. Is there anyone there?"**_

"Harriet Jones!" Jackie cried.

Mickey began to type quickly, but the screen darkened and faded out. He swore and slammed his fist down on it. "Shit! The charge is almost gone, the last jump must've fried the battery."

"You have a laptop we can borrow?" Jake asked their hosts.

"Right over there," Wilf said, pointing at theirs on a side desk.

Mickey jumped up and hurried over, trying to get into contact. "Where the bloody hell…" he muttered.

 _ **"Captain Jack Harkness, shame on you!"** _ Harriet reprimanded as her image appeared on the screen. _ **"Now, stand to attention, sir! Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister."**_

 ** _"Yeah, I know who you are,"_ ** Jack answered as his image popped up next to hers.

Harriet then called for Sarah Jane Smith, who immediately made her presence known. _**"Now, let's see if we can talk to each other,"** _ the former Prime Minister said. The screen split into four sections with Sarah Jane appearing in the third with a teenage boy—the fourth one emitting static. **_"The fourth contact seems to be having some trouble getting through. I'll just boost the signal."_**

"That's probably us!" Mickey said as he tried typing. He frowned when nothing came through.

"Can't they hear us or not?" Jake asked.

Mickey noticed something important, but a disadvantage. He looked over at Wilf. "You don't have a webcam installed."

"She wouldn't let me," Wilf answered, gesturing at his daughter. "She said they're too naughty." Sylvia elbowed him gently.

 ** _"Hello?"_** Another woman appeared in the fourth square. Mickey didn't recognize her, but he wouldn't mind being introduced to her.

Jack laughed delightedly. ** _"Martha Jones! Where the hell are you?"_**

 ** _"I guess Project Indigo was more clever than we thought,"_ ** the woman—Martha—replied. ** _"One second I was in Manhattan Next second—home."_** Another woman came to sit beside her, most likely her mother. **_"Maybe Indigo tapped into my mind because I ended up in the one place that I wanted to be. But all of a sudden, it's like…the laptop turned itself on."_**

Mickey inwardly kicked himself. Back in Pete's World they had tried developing a similar Project Indigo, the rough blueprints being the original mode of teleportation before the Dimension Cannon. Problem was that it couldn't measure timelines or bounce between universes, so they scrapped it and came up with something more effective. It was a shame they were always so close to finding the Doctor and Rose with the Cannon but fell back because of some mishaps.

 ** _"This, ladies and gentlemen, is a subwave network,"_** Harriet explained. _**"A sentient piece of software programmed to seek out anyone and everyone who can help to contact the Doctor. Combined forces—his secret army."**_

 _ **"What if the Daleks can hear us?"** _ Martha asked nervously.

 ** _"No, that's the beauty of the subwave. It's undetectable!"_**

 ** _"You invented it?"_** Sarah Jane concluded, impressed.

 ** _"I developed it."_** Harriet moved aside to reveal a wide-shot of her room and a massive sized PC. _ **"It was created by the Mr. Copper Foundation."**_

 ** _"Yeah, but what we need right now is a weapon,"_ ** Jack cut in. **_"Martha, back there at UNIT, what did they give you? What was that key thing?"_**

Martha took a deep breath and held up an electronic disk attached to a chain around her neck. ** _"The Osterhagen Key,"_ ** she replied evenly.

 ** _"That key is not to be used, Doctor Jones,"_** Harriet warned with an authoritative voice. **_"Not under any circumstances."_**

"A doctor?" Mickey blurted out. "I've never seen a doctor that young and pretty before."

Jackie smacked the back of his head. "Focus," she chastised.

 _ **"But what's an Osterhagen Key?"** _ Jack asked.

 ** _"Forget about the key!"_ ** Harriet commanded. **_"And that's an order. All we need is the Doctor."_**

 ** _"Oh, excuse me, Harriet,"_** Sarah Jane said gently, looking apologetic, **_"but well, the thing is…if you're looking for the Doctor, didn't he depose you?"_**

Harriet sighed. **_"He did. And I've wondered about that for a long time, whether I was wrong. But I stand by my actions to this day because I knew—I knew that one day, the Earth would be in danger and the Doctor would fail to appear. I told him so myself, and he didn't listen."_**

 ** _"He was here three weeks ago,"_ ** Jack informed. **_"The world was in danger after the Macra came and tried to take away all of Earth's children. Him, Rose, and their friend, Donna Noble."_ ** He paused for a moment. ** _"It was partly my fault, that incident, but he came at the first call I sent to Rose, and they were the biggest help."_**

 ** _"That's right!"_** Martha said. **_"Didn't the Queen say something about them being knighted?"_**

"Knighted?" Jackie parroted. "As if he needed a bigger ego. But she's still with him! My Rose is with him somewhere!" They already figured that, but Jackie needed as much confirmation and reassurance as possible.

"See!" Wilf exclaimed, grabbing his daughter's arm. "That's our Donna! She helped stopped them aliens!"

 ** _"That was three weeks ago, Captain,"_** Harriet spoke up. ** _"We need the Doctor right now. Have you tried to contact him?"_**

 ** _"Yes, ma'am,"_ ** Jack said quickly with a sheepish look. **_"But any and all communication attempts to him and Rose and the TARDIS itself proved to be failures. It's unlikely that they're on Earth, though. They couldn't have been pulled along with us, but…it seems impossible, like they could be out of range."_ ** His eyes widened, as if an idea dawned on him. **_"Wait, we can boost the signal! We transmit the TARDIS' number through Torchwood itself, using all the power of the rift…"_**

 _ **"And we've got Mr Smith!"**_ the teenage boy with Sarah Jane exclaimed. **_"He can link up with every telephone exchange on the Earth. He can get the whole world to call the same number, all at the same time. Billions of phones calling out, all at once!"_**

Jack was beaming. _**"Brilliant! Who's the kid?"**_

 _ **"That's my son!"** _ Sarah Jane said proudly, putting an arm around the boy.

The captain chuckled. _**"You definitely have to catch up with the Doctor."**_

From behind him in Torchwood, a well-dressed man in a suit shuffled to the front of the screw. **_"Excuse me, sorry,"_** he said to Jack before addressing the others with seriousness. _**"Hello. Ianto Jones,"** _ the Welshman introduced. ** _"Um, if we start transmitting, then the subwave network is going to become… visible. I mean, to the Daleks."_**

Something crossed Harriet's face, but it wasn't fear. **_"Yes, and they'll trace it back to me. But my life doesn't matter. Not if it saves the Earth."_**

Mickey rubbed his forehead. While the woman had been shady back then, she was doing all she could to help everyone out to find the Doctor, even fully prepared to sacrifice herself.

Jack stood to attention and saluted her. **_"Ma'am."_**

 ** _"Thank you, Captain,"_** Harriet said evenly. _ **"Now, enough words. Let's begin!"**_

"Jake!" Mickey cried. My bag!" The other man tossed over the bag, and Mickey rummaged through to find his phone. He came to the TARDIS phone number and dialled. He looked up at Jackie. "Get out your—"

"Already doin' it!" Jackie replied.

 ** _"Captain,"_** Harriet said. _ **"One more thing. I'm transferring the subwave network to Torchwood once this goes through. You'll be in charge after…"**_ She paused, steeling herself. **_"And tell the Doctor from me that he chose his companions well."_**

Jack nodded with a sad smile. _**"Thank you, ma'am,"** _ he said before giving orders to his crew.

Mickey and Jackie exchanged a glance before holding their phones up in the air, praying the subwave network would get through to the Doctor. There wasn't anything else they could do but hope.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The silence in the TARDIS was soon disrupted by the sound of something ringing. The Doctor's head snapped up in surprise as he looked at Rose with wide eyes. "Phone!" they chorused.

They couldn't tell which phone it was coming from, but someone was finally able to contact them. At least they hoped. They needed anything at this point. Rose rounded the console where her phone was resting and hurriedly picked it up.

"Hello? Jack? Martha?" There was only beeping in her ear, but it wasn't a disconnection. She grinned and whirled around, putting it on speaker. "Special phone call!"

The doleful expression fell from the Doctor's face, replaced with a brightening one with a manic smile. "It's a signal!" he chirped happily, taking it from her hand.

"Can you follow it?" Donna asked, hopeful.

"Oh, just you watch me!"

Just hearing the vigor entering his tone again made Rose grin even wider as she hooked her phone into the TARDIS circuitry and tracked the sounds. The Doctor began to rattle a bunch of coordinates, to which she quickly typed them in and pulled the lever. A shudder rocked the ship as they took off, clinging on with everything they had.

"Hold on!" the Doctor said as he gripped onto the console. "Locking on, the signal's pulling us through!"

The TARDIS continued to quake dangerously, the whole room plunging into an eerie red light. Underneath the central grid were small flames of fire as well as sparking, causing Rose to move away from her spot to be closer to her husband. Around them, the Old Girl sounded pained. She reached a hand out and stroked the rotor.

"You can do it, Girl!" Rose encouraged loudly over the noise.

"What's happening?" Donna gasped.

"We're travelling through time!" the Doctor yelled. "One second in the future! The phone call's pulling us through! The TARDIS is fighting hard!"

"We're gonna make it!" Rose cried triumphantly.

"Here we go! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

It seemed like they were riding the most violent rollercoaster in the universe with the way the ship lurched, but the occupants held on for dear life as lights flickered and the console continued to spark. The Doctor sent his apologies to his beloved ship for putting her through so much pain, as well as checked on his wife to make sure the flames hadn't touched her. Soon everything calmed, the lights returning to normal while the flames died down. Rose quickly tapped the Doctor's arm when something caught her attention on the monitor. He came around with Donna, the three of them beginning to smile and cheer with joy.

"We found the twenty-seven planets!" Rose cried happily, throwing her arms around her husband as he laughed.

"And there's Earth!" Donna added happily, pointing at the screen. "But how come we didn't see it before?"

"Not only that, but we didn't really move physically. We're still in the Cascade."

"The entire Medusa Cascade has been put a second out of sync with the rest of the universe," the Doctor explained with a triumphant grin. "Perfect hiding place, tiny little pocket of time. But we found them! Ha!"

Rose embraced Donna before turning back to hug her husband, kissing him on the cheek. She had told him that they weren't the type to just give up. Not when they were strong and had brilliant friends. A whirring sound broke the moment, causing the trio to frown.

"What's that?" Rose asked. "The signal?"

"Hold on, let's have a look…" the Doctor replied curiously. He moved over to the monitor and twisted a knob, peering at the screen. The picture was blurry, but something was trying to transmit. "Some sort of…subwave network."

They watched as a grid formed on the screen, four squares of static. With another quick adjustment to the console, three of them were filled with some familiar faces while the fourth one was occupied by them in the TARDIS. Rose's hand made her way to her mouth in amazement.

Jack had been laughing in relief before turning serious. _**"Where the hell have you guys been?! We've been ringing you for ages! Good to finally see you!"**_

"Captain!" the Doctor said, beaming. "And Torchwood again, you lovely people. Seems like only yesterday we were discussing pizza toppings and shaking hands with the Queen!"

"Your team's gotten bigger since the last time we saw you," Rose said with a smile, noting Lois Habiba standing with them. "Good to see you again!"

Ianto, Gwen, and Lois each waved. **_"Haven't aged a day since,"_ ** the Welsh woman remarked.

 ** _"They never do,"_** the Welsh man pointed out.

Jack shook his head, amused at first, but turning serious. **_"Time and place, guys."_**

 ** _"Is that you, Rose?"_ ** Sarah Jane asked with wide eyes. **_"You're alive?"_**

"Hello Sarah Jane!" the blonde exclaimed. "Long time, no see."

"Sarah Jane!" the Doctor said excitedly before frowning when he noticed a teenage boy standing beside her. "Who's that boy?"

She smiled a little. ** _"That's my son."_**

Both he and Rose exchanged a look, the former blinking a few times in surprise while the latter grinned. "Must be family season," she joked lightly.

The Doctor laughed and turned back to the screen. "Martha!" She waved at them enthusiastically. "Oh, look at you, you clever people! You're all so brilliant!"

"Blimey, it's an outer space Facebook," Donna commented lightly.

 ** _"We'll chat later,"_ ** Martha said urgently. **_"We've finally got communication!"_**

 ** _"Doctor, it's the Daleks!"_** Jack informed. **_"They're still alive!"_**

 ** _"They're taking people away somewhere, on a spaceship!"_** Sarah Jane put in.

 ** _"No one's even allowed on the streets without being picked up or shot!_** " Martha added.

"Oh, my God," Rose whispered. Bloody Daleks again. Will there ever be a time when they wouldn't get involved in something and be their ruthless selves?

Suddenly the screen faded and became white static. "We've lost them!" Donna stated angrily.

"No, no, no!" the Doctor said, turning a knob again. "We didn't lose them, something else is coming through the transmission."

"Another signal?" Rose mused.

He nodded tightly. "There's someone else out there trying to come through?"

"Could it be Mickey?"

"Maybe, maybe not, I dunno." The Doctor bashed the top of the monitor impatiently. "Hello? Can you hear us out there?"

 ** _"Your voice is different,"_** a decrepit voice came through the speakers, sounding electronically distorted. ** _"And yet, the arrogance remains unchanged."_**

The Doctor froze, his eyes widening in horror at the familiar sound—the garbled sound of a being who should not even be alive. His entire body stiffened, the sound of his hearts hammering in his chest when silence followed and a chill settled in the air. It was impossible, it had to be! Earlier when he first learned about the planets being moved, the Earth especially, he recalled what creatures were responsible for it back then in his first incarnation. He had a sickening feeling it would be the Daleks again, but…he had no idea that he would be encountering this man again. He wasn't supposed to exist after the War, he _couldn't_ have. How could this man always survive when staring down death? He saw it happen with his own eyes.

"No," he whispered to himself. "Can't be…"

"Doctor?" Rose gently eased her way into his mind, concerned for his sudden stillness.

In all her years of travelling with him, she had never seem him appear so genuinely terrified of another person. It was worse than when a certain crazed Time Lord was mentioned. A shiver shot down her spine at the thought of the Master, but for some reason this mysterious man coming through the monitor was making her skin crawl even more. The Doctor reached over and gripped her hand tightly for a support system, squeezing it.

On the screen, the four webcams completely disappeared and the static faded out, being replaced by a different location surrounded by shadows. Whirring sounds similar to a machine's filled the console room before the figure came into the light—a revolting sight that made Rose clasp a hand over her mouth in disgust and Donna to flinch.

A humanoid with horribly discolored wrinkled skin came into view, his eyes empty holes with rotted skin over them. A blue orb—like a cybernetic eye to replace the missing ones—was mounted on his forehead. He wore a black tunic, one of his arms appearing immobile while his opposite had a metallic claw-like glove. The lower half of his body was absent, like he was crippled, but he moved around in an operating chair with a design bearing a resemblance to a Dalek cage, a control panel with switches gracing the surface.

 _ **"Welcome to my new Empire, Doctor,"** _ the creature spoke with a twisted smile. **_"It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph of Davros: Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race."_**

Rose inwardly gasped at the revelation, feeling her insides shudder. She's met many a Daleks—the Emperor, the Cult of Skaro, fleets of the pepper pots—but this was the creator of the Daleks. The idea alone was frightening enough. The name sounded familiar to her as she recalled seeing the withered face of Davros when she bonded with the Doctor. She also remembered the waves of rage and fear her husband emanated with every encounter—much like now. He was physically shaking, his grip on her hand so tight it was becoming painful. It didn't bother her though, she wanted him to know she was right beside him.

 _ **"Have you nothing to say?"** _ Davros taunted.

The Doctor felt numb the longer he stared at the screen. He truly wished his eyes and ears were deceiving him, but he couldn't deny the fact that Davros—bloody Davros—was alive and looking at him. His mind supplied him with the events of their last encounter during the War, an unpleasant replay that made his blood simultaneously boil and turn into ice.

"But you were destroyed," he managed to get out, his voice sharpening. "In the very first year of the Time War, at the Gates of Elysium. I saw your command ship flying into the jaws of the Nightmare Child." He swallowed hard. "I tried to save you."

 ** _"But it took one stronger than you,"_** Davros said. _**"Dalek Caan himself."**_

 _ **"I flew into the wild and fire,"** _ came a childlike voice, a sing-song tone in the background. **_"I danced and died a thousand times!"_**

 ** _"Emergency temporal shift took him back into the Time War itself,"_** Davros explained.

"But that's impossible, the entire War is _time-locked_!" the Doctor snapped in disbelief, his grip on the console and his wife's hand tightening.

 _ **"And yet, he succeeded,"** _ the creator derided. _ **"Oh, it cost him his mind, but imagine—a single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations?"**_

"And you made a new race of Daleks," the Doctor said flatly. It wouldn't be the first time the creator of the most unforgiving race made a new generation.

 ** _"I gave myself to them, quite literally. Each one grown from a cell of my own body."_ ** They watched as Davros brought up his metal-clad hand to pull open his tunic, revealing a sight that made Rose ill and Donna to turn away. Beneath his shirt was what was left of his gaunt form, a skeletal appearance that made his ribs and heart visible. _ **"New Daleks. True Daleks. I have my children, Doctor. What do you have, now?"**_

Rose felt her unoccupied hand ball up into a tight fist. She hated when old enemies of her husband's taunted him. Just when she was about to unleash her disgust out on the haggard man, but her husband came to her mind to stop her.

 _"Don't,"_ he said mentally.

 _"Doctor—"_

 _"Rose, please, just don't."_

His eyes were still glued onto the monitor. Rose wanted to say something, but she held it in. When the confrontation would occur—which he was dreading as much as her—she would give this creator a piece of her mind. A muscle worked in the Doctor's jaw.

"After all this time…" he began. "Everything we saw, everything we lost…I have only one thing to say to you." He sucked in a breath, his numbness reverting into manic energy. "Bye!"

Releasing Rose's hand, he pulled the lever and sent them off, the ship nearly sending them onto the floor. Rose managed to get feeling back into her hand after the heat and pressure given off from her husband's grasp, but she couldn't blame him for his anxiety. Her stomach hadn't stopped shaking and she felt like she would wretch at any moment. And it wasn't pregnancy symptoms, it was revulsion as an effect of what that creature was.

"So…" she spoke quietly, biting her lip. "Creator of the Daleks." She studied the Doctor carefully when he nodded imperceptibly. "Lovely."

"What's a Dalek?" Donna wondered.

"A heartless, ruthless creature devoid of any other emotion except for hate," Rose replied with bitterness, her lip curling up and her fists tightening. "They'll destroy anything in its path that isn't one of them, even if you're not doing anything but breathing."

Donna's eyes widened. "Blimey. Old friends of yours, then. You've dealt with them a lot?"

"Too many times. Remember when I told you about Canary Wharf? When…me and the Doctor were almost separated?" The redhead nodded. "That's them, the bloody pepper pots."

"Coming back again," the Doctor suddenly ground out from the side, his hands gripping the console. His face was set hard, ancient lines crossing his skin. "They always manage to come back, no matter what extremes they go through. He was _destroyed_ —he literally fell into a wall of fire, and he _survived_! How does he always come out alive? Just to put me through more hell than usual, I guess. But how did any of this happen? It's impossible!"

"Hey, hey," Rose soothed, coming over to stand beside him. She placed a comforting hand on his arm. Heat radiated off of him, and she didn't have to tap his mind to feel more of his anger. "Doctor, look at me." His jaw was tight and his eyes shut, his breathing uneven. She smoothed out his lapels. "We'll be okay, he won't do anything to us."

"Rose, you don't know what we're really dealing with here," he said with a head shake, his voice serious. "This isn't just a cohort to the Daleks, it's Davros—the actual _maker._ He's made generations of Daleks over the years, each more callous than the last, if even possible. There's just no limits for him, he'll do all he can to destroy lives for his own gain. He would use a virus to wipe out the entire universe if given the option."

"That's why we're gonna stop him," Rose said firmly. She raised her hands to either side of his face, reassuring him. "Whatever happened in the past, whatever you've been through with him, don't let it get to you. You've defeated him before, you'll do it again. We've dealt with bloody Daleks enough, but we'll be fine. We'll fix this. Everything's gonna be okay, alright?"

The Doctor inhaled a shaky breath, steeling himself. He was just so furious that these beings always found a way out and back into his life to be ruthless pests and take him to breaking points. That was one thing he dreaded. Those damn Daleks always drove him to the point where rational thoughts flew out the door. He wished he wasn't right with the belief earlier, but now that he knew what he was facing he would come up with a plan to find out their intentions for hauling twenty-seven planets out of time. But that fear lingering in his gut kept pressuring him.

Davros was on a whole other level with megalomaniacal tendencies, practically shaking hands with…the Master. Both were out to get blood and take over innocent lives, but the Dalek creator made an entire race of beings bred to kill anything in its way to get what they wanted. It was frightening, to be honest. Daleks always took things away from him—especially the people he cared for and loved. He almost lost Rose to them, and it burned inside of him. He lost family before, and he would be damned if they tried it again.

He leaned forward to give his wife a lingering kiss before pulling himself away to pilot the TARDIS. "C'mon," he said roughly.

"What are we supposed to do?" Donna asked. "If they're keeping humans alive, that doesn't mean they'll kill them later, right?"

"These are Daleks," the Doctor replied. "Their level of humane treatment begins low with slavery and only gets worse. Never second guess them, they're up to something bad."

"D'you think they'll convert them into half Daleks again like before?" Rose asked, rounding the console with him.

"I don't know, could be. With Davros involved, it has to be more than just that. There's still missing pieces in this I need to figure out."

"You said they moved the Earth before, yeah? Why'd they do it before?"

The Doctor held her gaze for a moment. "The Daleks tried to drill through the Earth's crust so that they can blow out its core with a penetrative explosive capsule, and then attempted to use a guidance system to pilot the planet around space. But it was only Earth, not twenty-six planets included. No…it's much bigger, meaning a bigger bang."

"Earthbound?" Rose inquired.

He nodded as he took control once more. Earth was the place to go for a starting point.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Mickey stood to his feet and handed the laptop back to Wilf while Jackie and Jake anxiously awaited their departure—the former the most to see her daughter again. "Right then," he proclaimed. "It's time we were off." He checked the Dimension Cannon. "I've measured the coordinates for the TARDIS, so we should land closer."

"Alright, let's go," Jackie said, barely suppressing her jittering.

He turned to their hosts. "Thanks a lot, you helped us big time. We couldn't have done it without you two."

"Oh, no, thank you!" Wilf said gratefully. "If it weren't for you, we'd've been dead!"

"You sure it's fully charged?" Jackie asked Mickey.

He nodded. "Twenty minutes passed. Tosh managed to re-wire the circuitry to shorten the required time for taking jumps." He smiled. "She's just that good."

"I hope you find your daughter," Sylvia spoke up, eyeing Jackie.

"You go find them!" Wilf said happily.

Jackie offered a tight nod and a smile. "Thank you."

"Wish us luck," Mickey said as he brought up his Cannon and allowed the others to place their hands on top.

The blue light encased them as they exited their hosts' house and found themselves back on the streets. They landed with a heavy settling feeling in their gut, a common reaction to jumping. Taking in their surroundings, Mickey frowned when he didn't see any sign of the TARDIS around. He cursed under his breath. He thought he had the right wavelengths.

"Where are they?" Jackie asked worriedly. "They're close by, yeah?"

"Bloody thing," Mickey muttered as he tapped the Cannon. "Must've relayed and took us off course. But we shouldn't be too far away."

"Shhh," Jake interrupted. "What was that noise?"

They each listened when they heard what sounded like whirring in the short distance, followed by the screeching of tires and Daleks yelling. Someone was about to be killed. The trio quickly hurried to the source of the disturbance. Two Daleks were blocking a car stopped in the middle of a road—occupied by Sarah Jane Smith. Mickey and Jake quickly fired their weapons at the aliens, destroying them. Sarah Jane stumbled out of her car in shock.

"Oh my God, Mickey!" she exclaimed, coming over to give him a hug.

"Good to see you again, Sarah Jane," Mickey said, pulling back with a tiny smile. "Us Smiths gotta stick together."

"Who are you?" she asked Jackie.

"Jackie, Rose Tyler's mum," she answered. "I'm trying to find my daughter and that skinny alien."

"Welcome to the club," Sarah Jane said. "I just saw them through my computer connection in the TARDIS for a minute."

"Well, we can't stand around here if those bloody things are wandering the streets."

"Hold on," Jake spoke up, his eyes on his own Cannon. "Getting another lock on the TARDIS."

"How close?" Mickey asked quickly.

"Pretty close by, should be about ten minutes away by running."

"C'mon then!" Jackie said.

Mickey took the lead, observing the directions and taking off with the others following. They could use Jake's Cannon, but while their second one charged they needed to preserve it in case they needed to use it. A burst of light from the side road got their attention, a familiar figure standing with a large gun and grin.

"Just my luck," Jack said with a sigh. "Dodging Daleks and landing in a deserted street to find you here."

"Watch yourself, Captain Cheesecake," Mickey warned.

"No chance, Mickey Mouse."

They let the seriousness fall before laughing and enveloping each other in a hug, not so manly. "And that's enough hugging," Mickey said, pulling back.

Jack saluted Sarah Jane. "Miss, good to meet you. You look even more stunning in person." She laughed in surprise, flattered by his compliment. He saw Jake and grinned, his blatant charm coming out. "Captain Jack Harkness."

"Jake Simmonds," the other man said.

"Not now, Jack," Mickey told him.

"It's the end of the world, and you're flirtin' with people!" Jackie said irritably.

Jack turned to her with his hands on his hips, studying her with the same smile. "You must be Rose's mother," he assumed, moving closer to give her a hug. "I've wanted to meet you for a long time."

"Just how do you know my daughter?" Jackie asked.

"We go way back, we're good friends. I travelled with her and the Doctor when he was Northern and ears."

"Do you know where they are?"

"Locked on some coordinates, but might have been off slightly."

"We measured the TARDIS' trail," Mickey informed. "We shouldn't be too far away from them."

Jack looked at him curiously. "With what? That's quite a bit of tech you've got."

"Our own Torchwood developed it—the Dimension Cannon. It leads us to the Doctor, but landing can be tricky. It burns up too much energy, so it has to charge."

"Well, we ain't gonna find them standing around!" Jackie cried.

Jack grinned. "Mrs. Tyler, I like you."


	69. Old Friends, Older Enemies

**A/N: Apologies for the later updates. As always, much love and many thanks! ;)**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 66: Old Friends, Older Enemies_**

The Doctor flew down the ramp and thrust the door open once they landed. Rose and Donna followed him outside onto the street, the former shivering at the sight. Up in the sky were no stars, just planets. The silence was eerie, settling in the nippy air. Broken down cars and rubbish littered the street, no sign of humans or Daleks.

"S a ghost town," Rose murmured, shifting uneasily.

"Like the apocalypse came," Donna remarked.

"Sarah Jane and Martha said they were taking the people," the Doctor replied, running a hand through his hair. "But for what?" He walked a few feet ahead, looking around cautiously before turning back and hurrying over to his wife. "Rose, you saw Mickey in that fractured timeline. Did he say anything else that you can remember?"

"Just that…darkness was coming," Rose replied, shaking her head as she tried to remember. "He said the stars were going out and that all the universes were collapsing."

"Nothing about Daleks or…anything? Like maybe a hint?"

Closing her eyes, she brought a hand up to her temple. She knew there had to be something else in the back of her mind, something important relevant to the current situation. She felt her husband placing a gentle hand to her arm.

"Don't force yourself," he said softly. "If you can't think of anything else you saw or heard—"

Rose gasped, her eyes widening when she felt something tickling her mind. Something familiar, something small but recognizable, young and blooming. Her hand cupped her mouth, her heart beating rapidly. The Doctor looked at her with furrowed brows, concerned. Before he could ask her what was wrong, his own eyes bulged in incredulity.

"What is it?" Donna asked curiously. "What's the matter?"

The Doctor and Rose didn't answer. Instead, they both turned their attention behind them. There was an alleyway just up the road, and the feeling in their minds increased slowly. It was a speck, but they managed to identify the presence. They looked like they saw a ghost, almost unable to believe what they were seeing— _who_ , rather.

"Jenny?" the Doctor breathed quietly. He blinked a few times, hoping he wasn't hallucinating.

"Oh, my God, Jenny!" Rose choked out.

Sure as their eyesight supplied, they saw the figure sprinting towards them. They both gasped again when they realized it was, in fact, their daughter. She was smiling widely at them, a weapon attached to her hip, her eyes the brightest light in the dark area. The Doctor and Rose found their legs carrying them the rest of the way, filled with awe as they ran over to the young girl. He couldn't believe it, but it was true. He could feel her. Jenny was alive!

"Mum! Dad!" the girl said jubilantly. "Hello!"

Rose had approached her first with a breathless laugh and hugged her fiercely. She was right the whole time! "Jenny!" she cried. "You're alive! We had a feeling, we-we…oh my God, you're here!"

"You would've loved the places I went to!" the girl chirped. "I saw all kinds of new worlds, it was amazing! I heard so many stories from people all over, ones about a tall bloke in pinstripes and a blonde woman in a blue box. I had a feeling it was you. You're the stuff of legends!"

Rose laughed again, holding her daughter tight. She had a few dreams of what their Jenny could be doing had she survived. But it turned out that those dreams were reality, and she ran across universes. It was in her blood after all. "That's great, sweetheart. We're so sorry! We should've stayed with you longer, we waited for you and there wasn't a sign—"

"It's okay, mum," Jenny said, pulling back. "I'm fine, everything's fine." Rose held the girl's face in her hands, laughing happily.

The Doctor just stared in amazement, feeling his insides fluttering at the sight before him. His daughter was here in the living flesh, and he couldn't believe it. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure it wasn't a dream, but feeling both his wife's and their daughter's prescience in his mind was more than enough reassurance that this _was_ real.

"B-but…" he sputtered out. "How? We…we couldn't feel you! We waited all that time for a glimmer of anything, and nothing happened! We would've known you were alive sooner, and then picked you up!"

"I guess it took me a little longer to heal myself," Jenny said, looking apologetic. "I tried to get used to this regeneration thing and rapid healing, and this…tickle in my mind. I saw mum come to me in a dream, telling me to wait until the time was right to find you. There were fixed points, I had to let things happen before I could find you and mum."

A soft chuckle escaped from the Doctor as he exchanged a look with Rose, whose eyes were shining with unshed tears. "Listen to you, talking about timelines and fixed points," he said proudly.

The girl shrugged. "Don't know too much about them, just…they're there and I felt some things. Knew a bit about them."

His prepared wide smile spread across his face as he swooped her up in a hug, laughing. "You're alive! Jenny, you're alive and brilliant! You've grown up a lot since the last time." He set her down. "I'm so sorry, we waited—"

"Told you, dad, it's how it was supposed to happen."

"How long's it been for you?"

Jenny shrugged sheepishly. "Really haven't kept track that good. Trying to be a Time Lady and all that, I need some more practice."

"Oh, you have all the time in the world," he said fondly. "All of us, we have so much time in the universe. You're here, you're alive, you're ginger—" That caught his attention and he frowned. "Wait, you're ginger! When did you become ginger?"

"I thought you said you regenerated," Rose pointed out.

"Special kind," Jenny said with a smile. "I found a way to heal myself without changing my whole body. Except my hair changed color."

"Wait, that can happen?"

"B-but that-that's _impossible_!" the Doctor cried. "That would take _centuries_ of intense concentration on something as gambling as regeneration!"

Rose grinned and looped and arm through Jenny's. "Never say impossible."

"Nine hundred years of being alive and regenerating nine times, and I've never been ginger," he huffed at the girl. "You get it on your first try. Not fair."

"Oh, buck up, old man," Rose said with an eye roll while Jenny giggled.

"Don't suppose I can cut in here in this family reunion," Donna finally spoke up with a smile. Jenny went over and gave the ginger woman a hug of her own. "Good to see you again! Makes me wonder, did I influence your hair color?" They both chuckled.

The Doctor reveled in the added presence in his mind. It was tiny, still growing. Jenny was still technically a child, so she had a lot of practice to adapt to telepathy and her physiology. But he and Rose were her parents, so they'd teach her everything she needed to know. They had a lot of time to make up for.

His wife slid an arm around his waist and grinned up at him. "You're not jealous, are you?"

He returned it, his hearts warming up. "Nah. It's just…only a small handful of Time Lords and Ladies had managed to retain the same body through regeneration, and now our own daughter had accomplished something so unthinkable."

"More experienced than you." He snorted at that.

"Where did you even come from?" Donna asked.

"I landed on a beach," Jenny answered. "My ship was damaged, so I picked the closest spot to park. It's only wreckage now, but I ran the rest of the way." She turned to her parents, smiling. "Love the running."

The Doctor made a happy hum, then frowned. "Wait, your ship? What ship?"

"I borrowed a ship on Messaline."

"Borrowed or _stole_?" Rose asked.

Jenny bit her lip. "Uh…"

"Like father, like daughter."

"You weren't hurt, were you?" the Doctor piped up, concerned and ready to pull out his sonic.

"Dad, I'm fine," the girl stressed. "I escaped from a war torn civilization, but my ship took some damage from gunfire. I managed to flee without a scratch, can't say that for my motor."

"So you just knew…where we were?" Rose asked.

"I just went with my instincts, like…this feeling in my head. On some worlds, I heard about this blue and green planet with some of the oldest humans from their time, and I just saw it in my mind and went along with this feeling."

"Chain bond," the Doctor explained. "Being related to us immediately forms a telepathic bond, allowing you to feel and locate us. It's a little sloppy right now and in need of structuring, but we can smooth out those edges."

Jenny's eyes shined. "Wow, that's amazing. But I've been having dreams about…things."

The Doctor frowned. "What kind of things?"

"Just…darkness. I kept hearing voices and seeing images, like watching a screen. After I left Messaline, I wandered around for a while—exploring, checking with locals, and all—but when I would go to sleep, I'd hear voices and have incredible dreams. One of them had me trying to save you, mum," she added, gesturing at Rose. "Battles were the main ones, though, and I knew I had to be ready. So I waited until the time was right to find you. I knew I'd find my way back to help with these…creatures I've heard about."

Rose inwardly shivered, and she could feel the Doctor doing the same. Having their daughter back with them had them flying over the moon with happiness, and knowing that she had been experiencing similar things as Rose was a bit edgy. They hoped that she wouldn't hurt herself now that they were dealing with Daleks.

The Doctor sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What's the Daleks' motive?" he muttered. "Why are they taking people off the streets?"

"Maybe that man knows," Jenny suggested, pointing down the road.

Whipping around, the gang noticed a figure running towards them. "Jack!" Rose cried, giving him a hug.

"Can't start the party without," he responded, moving onto the Doctor. "Good to see you guys again." Then he noticed Jenny. "Sorry, we haven't met. Captain Jack—ow!" He rubbed his arm where Rose had punched him.

"Jack!" she and the Doctor chorused.

"I was saying hello!" Jack complained.

"Behave yourself, this is our daughter!" Rose told him.

"If you so much as try to flirt with her again," the Doctor warned.

The captain's brows raised. "You're kidding me! _This_ is your daughter?"

"I'm Jenny," the girl said with a smile.

Jack looked between the Doctor and Rose, grinning. "Good genes." He gave the girl a hug. "It's about time we met, we're practically family! I'm your Uncle Jack." The girl giggled when they pulled apart. "You bear a strong resemblance to your parents, bet you're just as brilliant."

"Working on it," Jenny said.

"Oh, this is amazing! Look at you, Doc, getting a family gathering!"

"You can hug me too, if you want," Donna piped up with a smile. Jack did just that, causing the Doctor to roll his eyes.

"The band's getting back together," Jack said after. "The others should be coming right about—"

Rose gasped. "Mickey!" she cried, crushing him in a hug.

"Now," Jack finished.

"Good to see you again," Mickey told her.

"Mick-mickety-mick-mickey!" the Doctor crowed with a smile. "Nice meeting you again!"

"And you, boss." Mickey pulled back to bump his fist then jerked his head behind him. "I've got a few more friends with me."

Sarah Jane and Jake came out next. "Doctor!" the former exclaimed.

"Sarah Jane!" the Doctor said. "Jake! Blimey, you all move fast. It's a gathering. Who else is joining us, the Queen?"

Mickey snorted. "Just you wait."

It was them one more figure exited the alley, one with a familiar tracksuit and blonde hair pulled up in a small ponytail. Rose's heart stopped and her hands covered her mouth in surprise. She never thought she would ever see her again, and it made her eyes well up more. "M-mum?" she breathed.

"Jackie?" the Doctor said, narrowing his eyes.

The woman froze in shock. "Rose!"

That was more than enough confirmation as she ran at the sound of her name towards her mother. It didn't seem real, but she didn't care. She hasn't seen her in years, and now she was finally able to hug her in person. She let the tears run freely down her face, noting the mirror image of her mother doing the same. They met each other halfway, crushing each other in tight hugs. Rose let out a sob as her mother rubbed her back, doing the same.

"Rose, sweetheart, I've missed you," Jackie said.

"I missed you too, mum," Rose managed. "It's been a while."

"Dunno about your end, but you don't look like you've aged a day. How old are you?"

"Twenty-four…ish."

"Not that much time. But it's felt like an eternity."

Rose agreed with that. She felt like she hadn't seen her mother for longer than a couple years, but then again it was hard to keep track while time travelling. They stayed that way for a few long moments before Jackie pulled out and smoothed back Rose's hair, smiling through her tears.

"How have you been?" Jackie asked. "Been in trouble with that one, I take it." She nodded at the Doctor, who was standing behind Rose and staring at the older woman in surprise. "Seems to follow you two everywhere."

"Yeah…" Rose looked over at her husband. They knew they had to break the news to Jackie that they were married and expecting a child. Although, he might not be thrilled to be dealing with Daleks and a hysterical Jackie Tyler. "We've been…busy."

"Please, I can imagine what you've been up to," Jackie said, arching a brow.

"I _seriously_ hope you can't," the Doctor murmured, clearing his throat and ignoring Jack's snickering. "Good to see you again, Jackie."

"And I seriously hope you've been taking care of my daughter all this time." The firmness in her voice was reminiscent to the old days. The days when she would slap him.

"I always have and always will," he replied quickly. "Your daughter has always been my top priority." Jackie let her seriousness fall before wrapping him in a hug, even kissing his cheek much to his disapproval before pulling away. "Oh, c'mon!" he whined.

"Shut it, you."

"So you're my grandmother?" Jenny piped up from the back.

"WHAT?!" Jackie screeched, giving him a fierce look. The Doctor audibly gulped, casting a worried look at his wife. The beast was awakened, her voice rising with every word. "What the bloody hell is _going on_ here?"

"Hello grandmother!" Jenny said happily, giving her a brief hug.

"Who are you?" Jackie asked, puzzled.

"Jenny. We have the same ears, how about that!"

When the girl pulled away, Jackie turned to the Doctor, the fiery look returning. " _What did you do_ to my daughter?"

"Mum—" Rose attempted, but there was no stopping her mother.

"I'm gone for a few years, thinking I left her in good hands knowing you promised you'd take care of my daughter, and you do this!" Jackie slowly advanced on the Doctor, who instinctively backed away with his hands up in a sign of peace. "Oh, it's been a whole lot _longer_ than a _few_ years if you've gotten her knocked up and have a _full grown child_!"

"Now, now, Jackie," the Doctor interjected. "Let me explain—"

"I should've known you two have been frisky all along!" Jackie accused. "Doin' things in your…bloody box. It's been going on longer than I can even think! When I would be at home, it would be days after you would visit, but it could've been _ten years_ and I wouldn't know. That day you told me you were finally acknowledging yourselves as a couple, you didn't wanna tell me that you've been doing freaky alien things to my daughter all along! Probably since you were Northern!"

"Mum, listen, it's more than that," Rose cut in, trying to stop her mother from killing her husband.

"It hasn't been all along!" the Doctor protested. "Just…well…for the last three years. Relatively speaking, three years."

"Zip it, you," Jackie warned him. "I don't wanna hear the details of you sleeping with my daughter. God, you and your tentacles couldn't restrain themselves, I bet!"

He was exasperated. "For the umpteenth time, _I don't have tentacles_ , Jackie!"

"How would I know?" She looked back at Rose, who was blushing violently. "But I suppose Rose would be able to confirm or deny that."

The Doctor was flustered. He didn't want to discuss his and his wife's intimate life with…his _mother-in-law_ …but if he didn't clear the air and explain himself, he would regenerate on the spot. He shuddered a bit, but tried to regain his composure.

"Mum," Rose spoke up gently. "Jenny _is_ our daughter, but I didn't _give birth_ to her. It's…complicated, but she's ours."

Jackie studied the girl standing off to the side. "What about other children? Have you got more of them runnin' about?"

At that, both the Doctor and Rose exchanged a look. This probably wasn't the best time to break the news, but the ice was already being broken. "Weeeell…" he drawled, rubbing his neck. "We've, um, we're…we are…"

Jackie's eyes widened, her gaze flitting between the two. "What?"

Rose bit her lip before smiling softly. "I'm pregnant."

The others, save for Jack and Donna, gasped at the revelation. Jackie's mouth hung open, remaining silent. She turned back to the Doctor as he smiled warmly at his wife. "Woah," Mickey spoke first.

"Oh, my God," Sarah Jane said in awe.

"I'm gonna have a sibling, brilliant!" Jenny exclaimed.

Soon, the Doctor's smile faltered when Jackie advanced on him again. He found himself pressed against the TARDIS, his hands back up. "Now, Jackie, listen," he rushed. "Whatever you're thinking about me and Rose's relationship, it's far more than you can imagine."

"Obviously!" she snorted. "You _did_ knock up my daughter after all!"

"Mum, listen!" Rose cut in. "You know what me and the Doctor have between us is so much more. This hasn't been going on all along, but in recent years we've been the happiest we've ever been." Her eyes twinkled. "We're bonded."

"That's one way to call it," Jackie said, her voice high. "You two are practically joined at the hip!"

"Actually, we're joined in our minds," the Doctor clarified. He swallowed hard and straightened himself. "Rose and I are bonded telepathically, Jackie. On my planet, it's the equivalent to what you consider marriage, but it's deeper than that. It's a _full_ commitment to last _lifetimes_ , so if you're thinking that what we have is casual, you should know that my feelings for your daughter are infinite without question. Also, if it helps any, we wed first prior to engaging in…ehm, well…copulation."

He scratched the back of his neck, feeling the awkward heat pouring over his skin in the chilly air. The silence hung in the air again with Jackie seeming to be processing everything. Rose moved over to stand beside the Doctor and took his hand, then displayed their ring fingers. Jackie looked like she would lose consciousness with the new information dropped on her, and the Doctor wouldn't appreciate that. The woman was basically family now, and he knew he would be in for a hard slap some time later.

"I need a cuppa," the older woman managed. "A _really big_ cuppa."

"Think we could all use one after dealing with the Daleks," Mickey remarked.

"Let's continue the reunion on the TARDIS," Jack suggested. "This place is crawling with Daleks, and we need a plan."

"Right then," the Doctor said, exhaling deeply after catching Jackie up briefly on current personal events. "Reunions are lovely, but we have work to do."

He led the way and darted up the ramp, heading around the console. He heard Jenny gasping about the enormity of the TARDIS interior. "It's…"

"Bigger on the inside," Rose finished with a smile.

"But…you're okay?" Jackie asked Rose, a bit alarmed. "Is everything good?"

Rose nodded. "Everything's perfect. I can't tell you how happy I've been." She smiled up at her husband. "How _we've_ been."

"What about the baby, then? Am I gonna have a grandchild with tentacles or something?"

The Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jackie, _I_ don't have tentacles, therefore our child wouldn't."

"Again, I wouldn't know! But is this _safe_ with you bein' an alien?"

He blew a puff of air. It would take far too long for him to go into detail about this impossible cross-species pregnancy. "By usual circumstances…we wouldn't be able to _have_ children, even with Rose's biological changes." He winked at his wife. "But the universe enjoys proving me wrong, it seems."

"Changes?" Jackie questioned.

"Remember that time you and Mickey helped me go back to the Doctor?" Rose spoke up. "I did something—I looked into the Heart of the TARDIS and absorbed the Time Vortex, this…powerful energy that changed me. I'm still human, just mostly. I'm still me, just…more advanced."

Jackie didn't know what to say. "Okay…so you're not hurt or anything? And the baby?"

"Mum, the Doctor's been doing all he can to make sure the baby's safe," Rose assured. "And as for me, I'm fine."

The older woman smiled widely before crashing into her with another hug. "Oh, sweetheart, congratulations! How far along are you? When did you find out?"

"Seven weeks into the gestation period," the Doctor answered. "And we found out three weeks ago. Although the signs were obvious earlier on and completely went by us," he added, murmuring.

"You didn't plan this?"

"Well…no. Already established that it was unimaginable." Jackie slowly stepped out of her daughter's embrace and turned to him. "Jackie, I know this wasn't planned, but I give you my word that Rose and I will do all we can to protect our child and be there for them. That goes for Jenny, too. You needn't second guess that."

He swallowed hard, preparing for a slap, but what came was worse. Jackie kissed him again, followed by another hug. "Oh, you big lug!"

"Look at you," Donna teased. "Getting along with your mother-in-law!"

He groaned. "Please, not now."

Then the TARDIS lights flickered off, and caused the Doctor's head to snap up. "What's happening?" Rose asked.

The Doctor shuffled around, pressing buttons and flipping levers, but nothing worked. He swore and tugged on his hair. "They've got us. The power's gone, like some kind of chronon loop."

"English, spaceman!" Donna said irritably.

"We're stuck—trapped. They've cut the TARDIS' power and fuel sources off from everything."

The ship lurched violently, sending the occupants off balance momentarily. The Doctor wrapped a protective arm around Rose's midsection while they felt themselves ascend. "Thought you said we couldn't move," Jenny said.

"That's not us," Rose told her.

"There's a massive Dalek ship at the center of the planets," Jack informed. "They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination."

"You said these planets were like an engine," Donna reminded, facing the Doctor. "But what for?"

"The Daleks once tried to place a drive system into the center of the Earth decades ago so that they could pilot the planet," he recalled. "But this is bigger than that. Mickey! Jake! Jackie!" He whirled around to face them. "Your world was running ahead of this universe—you've seen the future, what was it?"

"Nothin' like this," Jake answered.

"There was darkness," Mickey added. "Stars going out one by one in the sky, they were just dying. At first, we knew it was strange, maybe some kind of storm coming. Then things became darker, so we looked into it."

"Pete was big on this from day one," Jackie put in. "Said it could pose as a threat for the world, you know he's all for that too. That's when things got worse, and they started making the Dimension Cannon to look for you."

Mickey brought up the device for display. "Once it started working, we jumped across and missed you lot a few times. But we noticed that the other dimensions were collapsing, and things were getting worse. That's why we made this, we need your help, Doctor."

"One thing I can never pass up," the Doctor said firmly.

Rose had been standing by his side chewing on her thumbnail, trying to stifle herself. She briefly zoned out when she heard the pained hums from the TARDIS entering her mind, a distant double beat coming to her ears again. She shivered. The feel of her husband coming to her and keeping an arm around her waist kept her secure, sending her calming waves. She knew he was trembling on th inside and kept his fears masked up like always. This Davros was a dangerous individual, and dealing with a whole Dalek empire again only lead to agony and trigger the Oncoming Storm. She just hoped her husband wouldn't go over the edge too much. She would be damned if anyone was hurt.

The monitor beeped, causing the Doctor to step away from his wife to check the screen. He swallowed hard. "The Dalek Crucible," he said quietly. "All aboard."

He glanced up, his eyes scanning every single person occupying the room—eight, including his wife and companion. His chest felt heavy. Daleks knew how much he cared for his friends and family, and would do all they could to try and take them away from him, to destroy their lives. The very last thing he wanted was for anyone to be harmed by those heartless creatures. What worried him the most was Rose. If they found out that she was carrying his unborn child, they could use it against him as collateral damage. Jackie and company jumped universes, leaving behind loved ones. And now Jenny, their beautiful daughter, returned to them. They've brought their daughter along to the slaughter.

No, that was too morbid. But this was a vicious Dalek fleet unlike others, and anything was possible.

Rose slid her hand into his, offering a gentle squeeze and soothing his mind. While he wasn't enjoying this predicament in the least, having his wife by his side was enough to keep him grounded. The TARDIS landed unceremoniously with a hard thud, sending the occupants to the floor before helping themselves up.

 **"DOCTOR,"** a deep mechanical command from a Dalek ordered from outside the ship. **"YOU WILL STEP FORTH OR DIE."**

"Can we request a third option?" Rose murmured, half jokingly.

The Doctor stared hard at the doors. There was nothing else he could do. His beloved ship was powered down, so any means of escape were thrown away. He turned to the others, noting how they watched him expectantly as if he had a plan. "We'll have to go out," he told them. "Cause if we don't, they'll get in."

"You told me nothing could get through those doors," Rose said quietly. He lightly shook his head.

"You've got extrapolator shielding," Jack protested.

"Last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers and hybrids and mad," the Doctor said, his voice even and his face serious. "But this is a fully fledged Dalek Empire at the height of its power. Experts at fighting TARDISes, they can do anything. The Old Girl can't fight in a battle." He squeezed Rose's hand again. "Right now, that wooden door's just wood."

"What about your hopper?" Jack asked, turning to Mickey.

"Still has to charge," the other man said. "Takes twenty minutes to regain power. What about yours?"

"Can't use mine, it went down when the power did."

"Mine is still active," Jake spoke up, bringing up his Cannon. "It might be dodgy, but I've been preserving its energy."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "How many people can you take?"

"Three at maximum."

He looked around the room, debating on who would be going. Back-up was a good thing to have, and having secret weapons against Daleks would be beneficial. He stopped on Rose, his free hand coming to press against her cheek. "You should go," he said softly.

She snorted incredulously. "That's not happening. I'm not leaving you alone with _bloody Daleks,_ I'm staying with you."

"Rose, please—"

"I'm staying," she said, more firm. "Don't bother arguing, you won't win. I'm not gonna leave you."

The Doctor sighed and lowered his head. He desperately wished there was a safe spot for her to hide. If the TARDIS' fuel engines were active, then he'd suggest his original idea of having her remain in the safety of their home—even though she'd reject that immediately. "Rose, you're—"

"Don't you dare use _that_ as an excuse," she warned. "We're a team, so we face them as a team."

He inhaled a deep breath. Further arguments were futile, so he nodded tightly. He promised to protect her with all his lives, and he always would. "Alright then. Jenny, you go with—"

"No way!" Jenny objected, crossing her arms. "Not when I've finally found you and mum!"

The Doctor surprisingly fought the urge to make a frustrated noise. The girl really took after her mother. He rubbed his eyes. "Fine. Mickey, you and Jake take Jackie and—"

"I ain't leaving," the older woman said firmly. "I'm staying right here with you lot."

"Fine! I don't wanna keep arguing. Donna and Sarah Jane, go with them."

"What?" the redhead cried at the same time the other woman said, "Pardon?"

"Just because I'm not as young as the majority of you—" Sarah Jane added, but the Doctor was quick to explain his plan.

"It's nothing to do with that," he pacified, his hands raised. "If we all go out there, there's a higher chance of us being held prisoner. You four will be our back-up. I can stall them as long as I can, but… in case something happens, I'll need you to find a way to stop them. Okay?"

"What'll you do?" Donna asked.

"Put my gob to good use. In the meantime just keep yourselves low and hidden."

"Good luck," Mickey said, moving next to Jake. "Put your hands on the Cannon, ladies. We'll see you soon, Doctor." Donna and Sarah Jane did as instructed, and a moment later the four people disappeared.

"Looks like it's the old team," Jack remarked with a smile, then nodded at Jackie and Jenny. "Plus two."

"All together, yeah?" Rose said, holding the Doctor's hand.

He nodded tightly. "Together."

 **"SURRENDER, DOCTOR,"** a Dalek commanded. **"FACE YOUR DALEK MASTERS."**

Rose chuckled, but without humor. "Daleks. Lovely."

"Oh, God," Jack laughed, then sighed.

"Should be fun," Jenny said with a tiny smile, coming closer.

The Doctor turned around to see the others watching him with confidence. He knew they were all counting on him, and that would be enough motivation for him to do whatever it takes to save the universe. He may have still been shaking inside, but he kept his bravery up and made himself sound much stronger and less afraid than what he really was.

"We've been through a lot, all of us," he blurted out. "And now…this." He snorted. "Blimey, it's madness, isn't it?" He had to say things, just in case. He hated thinking negatively, but it was a habit. He turned to them with grins. "You've all been brilliant, with everything you've done." He turned to Jack, who waved him off.

"Don't need to tell me twice," the captain said, immodest.

The Doctor clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You're a good friend, Jack." He gave him a hug and then turned to Jackie. "Seeing you again, Jackie, has been great. I'm sorry you had to come at this time."

"You make it sound like we're about to die," the older woman said shakily.

"He always does," Rose murmured from the side.

He sighed and gave her a quick hug next then turned to his daughter, smiling sadly. "I'm so sorry you've been brought into this mess too, Jenny."

"It's okay, dad," the girl told him. "As long as I'm with you and mum, I'm fine." She gave him a tight hug before giving one to Rose.

The Doctor turned to the last person, his beloved wife, smiling warmly at her as he took her hands in his before bringing one up to gently hold her chin. "You know how I feel about you at this point, I hope," he joked.

"If I didn't, spending forever with you would be a nightmare," Rose replied with a tongue-touched grin. "No matter what happens when we step outside those doors, I'm not leaving your side. I'll always be here. Partners for life."

He grinned widely, feeling her essence through their bond flood through him. "Partners," he repeated softly.

He proceeded by dipping down to kiss her sweetly, wrapping an arm around her waist while she ran a hand through his hair, properly snogging him deeply. Waves of love filled up both ends, but there was a smidgen of regret laced in through the Doctor's transference. Given their current dicey situation, he hated that he dragged his pregnant wife, family and their friends along in this mess. He was putting everyone in the worst possible danger known to man, but there wasn't anything else he could do. Rose continued to soothe his mind, and it made him feel more secure. He never knew how she did it, but he was grateful for it. One thing he was certain was that, no matter what the Daleks had in store for them, he wouldn't let them take away his family again.

Breaking the kiss, the Doctor rested his forehead on Rose's as they regained their breaths. Their minds still sent calming waves until she tapped it. _"We'll be alright. We always make it out. Together?"_

 _"Together."_ He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you," he murmured out loud.

"Always, Doctor."

He reached for her hand, then turned to the others with a deep breath. "Right then. Allons-y." With that, he braced himself as he led the way towards the doors, resigned.

The Crucible was massive with tiers filled with hundreds, possibly thousands, of Daleks chanting. A sharp chill shot through Rose as she moved her eyes over the enormous ship, feeling another tickle in her mind from the TARDIS. It was weak, but felt important. She tried to listen to the Old Girl, but was met with painful hums followed by the Doctor entering her mind as means of calmness. Most of the Daleks had gold cages, but a larger one sat perched on a high level in red. Rose's heart pounded in her chest as she took a deep breath, feeling her husband do the same.

 **"BEHOLD, DOCTOR,"** the red Dalek taunted. **"BEHOLD THE MIGHT OF THE TRUE DALEK RACE."**

The Doctor moved his eyes over the rows of Daleks, feeling his insides churn. He looked over his shoulder where the others were, making sure everyone was close by. "What a pleasure we have," he muttered under his breath. He turned back to stare at the Dalek, nearly expecting the creator to pop out.

What no one expected was the TARDIS doors slamming shut on their own accord. "What the hell?" Rose exclaimed. "What's She doing?"

"I didn't do anything!" the Doctor protested, whipping around to test the handle. Locked. He fiercely glanced back at the red Dalek. "What did you do?"

 **"THIS IS NOT OF DALEK ORIGIN,"** the Dalek replied.

"Stop it!" he ground out. "It's harmless and wasn't doing a thing!"

 **"THIS IS TIME LORD TREACHERY! THE TARDIS IS A WEAPON AND WILL BE DESTROYED!"**

In a flash, a trapdoor opened beneath the Old Girl, and She shot down through it, the Doctor watching in horror. The deep drop made Rose gasp as she felt like she had fallen through herself. She whirled around and stomped towards the Dalek. "What're you doing?" she yelled. "Bring it back right now!"

The Doctor quickly caught her with an arm around her waist to bring her away from the creature. The situation was bad enough, and just got worse. "What've you done?" he demanded. "Where's it going?"

 **"THE CRUCIBLE HAS A HEART OF Z-NEUTRINO ENERGY,"** the Dalek explained **. "THE TARDIS WILL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE CORE."**

His eyes widened and his voice rose with every word. "But you can't, you've taken the defenses down! It'll be torn apart!"

"She's a living thing, you'll kill Her!" Rose piped up, wanting to tear through the pepper pot's cage. Strangely, as she felt the Old Girl slipping away, she heard the ship's gentle hum and song coming to her ears. It felt content, but something seemed to be pulling at her, like something she was supposed to do.

 **"THE TARDIS WILL PERISH!"** the Dalek thundered. **"THE LAST CHILD OF GALLIFREY WILL BE POWERLESS. OBSERVE."**

A holographic screen appeared above them, showing the TARDIS bobbing in a glowing river of energy. The Doctor approached it, his chest heavy as he tried to breathe. He's lost his ship numerous times, but She could be meeting her permanent demise, the last part of his home. His _only_ home where he and his wife belonged, where their friends came and went, where they had so many memories. He felt the ship's pain as he watched through gritted teeth.

"Please stop this!" he bellowed. "It meant no harm to you, just bring it back!"

 **"YOU ARE CONNECTED TO THE TARDIS, NOW FEEL IT DIE!"**

Rose was sick and shut her eyes when the TARDIS hummed in her mind again. She briefly looked over at her husband to see if he felt the same, but he appeared too distressed to hear it. Unless maybe it was only her? She noticed Jenny blinking and shaking her head a few times as if she heard something too. There was reassurance coming from the TARDIS, as well as instructions. Rose moved over to grab the Doctor's hand, squeezing it as they watched the TARDIS on the screen falling into the energy. The Daleks were counting down its destruction, making the Doctor seethe.

Jack had moved to stand behind them, his hands on both of their shoulders. Jenny came to the Doctor's side, Jackie on Rose's. The Doctor was tightening his grip on Rose's hand, but she soothed him.

 _"She'll be fine,"_ Rose thought to her husband.

 _"Her power is down,"_ he replied bluntly. _"There's no way She can get out of there!"_

That's what he thought. Rose let her eyes slip shut, hearing the Old Girl's instructions.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The TARDIS felt the heavy strain as She pulled further away from Her Thief and Wolf. Fortunately there wasn't another soul onboard, otherwise things would appear worse. There was a fixed point approaching, a shift in the air that struck Her Heart. It had to be done in order for time to continue weaving, thus containing the universe's stability. She could sense the barest sensation from the Thief, but it was faint given the distance. Instead of reaching out to him, She sought out the Wolf. Their connection was also thinning, but when combined they could work well. While Her power was low and She felt pained, there was an alternative way for Her to return. Her Wolf was cautious, but the TARDIS assured the Wolf that everything would be okay. An aureate glow emitted around the rotor. She needed to take some time and wait for the appropriate moment of arrival and gain as much energy as possible for the point to remain in place.


	70. Children of Time

**A/N: Sorry for the long waits! Been distracted by a lot of personal things. Thanks for sticking around, lovely viewers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 67: Children of Time**_

A warmness spread across Rose's forehead as she concentrated. She knew the moment was coming, and she had to be prepared for it. She trusted the TARDIS and tried her best to aid Her. The Doctor kept his eyes on the screen, but then noticed her mental shift and immediately showed concern and curiosity.

 _"Rose, love, are you alright?"_ he thought to her, squeezing her hand.

 _"The TARDIS should be okay,"_ she told him gently.

He wanted to say more, but the countdown ended. Watching the footage of the TARDIS in the energy, his eyes widened in shock when his ship disappeared. He couldn't feel Her in his mind, which he expected, but She wasn't tarnished. How?

Rose sent the Doctor calming waves of reassurance, ignoring the slight dizziness coming over her. She didn't really know what she did, but the TARDIS' faint hum in her mind was confirmation enough that She wasn't harmed.

 _"Did you…have something to do with that?"_ he asked, fearing if it harmed his wife in some way.

 _"I don't know,"_ she answered. _"I just…felt Her, and She let me know that She would be alright."_ He narrowed his eyes.

 **"THE TARDIS HAS BEEN DESTROYED,"** the red Dalek boomed. **"TELL ME, DOCTOR…WHAT DO YOU FEEL? ANGER? SORROW? DESPAIR?"**

The Doctor let out a slow exhale, his brows furrowed as his mind tried to figure out how his ship escaped with no power and no one onboard to operate the controls. "Yeah…" he finally lied.

He felt none of those things— _confused_ , mainly, but he was a bit troubled by how paler Rose had become. She may have been connected to the TARDIS, but what if the Old Girl's disappearance had something to do with Rose in some way? What if it would be too much for her to handle? He hoped nothing was wrong, but she kept assuring him of her safety. He felt nothing coming from his ship, yet…it was slightly there, just too distant. Nothing heavy came from Rose's end, he could've easily picked up something. He was keeping a close eye on her for any behavior shifts.

 **"THEN IF EMOTIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT, SURELY WE HAVE ENHANCED YOU,"** the Dalek derided. Rose whirled around again, but the Doctor kept his grip on her hand tight and quickly sent mental warnings.

"Yeah?" Jack spoke up. "Feel this!" He spun around with his pistol out and began to fire at the red Dalek, the bullets bouncing off ineffectually.

 **"EXTERMINATE!"**

The Supreme Dalek shot at him and caused the immortal man to scream in pain before falling to the floor, dead. Jackie and Jenny gasped while the Doctor eased them back behind him. Rose cupped her mouth. Even though Jack couldn't permanently die, it didn't make watching him die in front of them any less sickening.

"Uncle Jack!" Jenny cried in shock, bending down to check on him. Rose and the Doctor knelt beside her, their hands on her shoulders.

"Leave him, Jenny," he told her gently.

"But I could try to help—"

"He'll be fine, sweetheart," Rose assured softly, inwardly shaking as she placed a hand on the girl's cheek. She wanted to be by their friend when he woke up, but the Doctor sent her what he thought. "He's…just resting," she whispered, rubbing her arm.

Jenny looked confused before the Doctor placed a hand on the back of Jack's head. "I'm so sorry," he said sadly. At that, Jack opened one of his eyes and winked. Jenny gasped, but hid it under a cough. "Come on, there's nothing we can do." He pulled them both to their feet, their eyes still locked on Jack's still form. He was awake, just playing possum.

 **"ESCORT THEM TO THE VAULT,"** the red Dalek ordered. **"THEY ARE THE PLAYTHINGS OF DAVROS NOW."**

A small group of Daleks rounded them, prepared to usher them into another section of the Crucible. The Doctor kept Rose close to him, holding her hand tight. Jenny stayed by his opposite side and Jackie bringing up the back. Rose looked over her shoulder across the floor where Jack was laying, catching another wink before Daleks surrounded him.

 _"He's said he's had a lot of painful deaths,"_ she thought to her husband. _"Can only guess how much getting hit by a Dalek would hurt."_

 _"Immeasurable amounts of pain,"_ the Doctor replied, staring hard ahead. _"Thing about Jack is that **his** survival expectancy is imminent. Can't say that about someone else."_ His tone hardened. _"Although, given the track record…I shouldn't be surprised."_

Rose bit her lip, feeling how tense he was becoming as they were ushered to the Vault. She brushed her thumb over his in attempts to calm him down a notch. Luckily, neither the Daleks nor this Davros—that she thought—seemed aware of Jack's Lazarus effect or the others. Which was good, but she had no idea what this plan would be. If the rest of the gang was on one part of the station, then Jack could meet up with them and work on a back-up plan. She wasn't too pleased with having to be held prisoner by Daleks, but she and the Doctor could be good enough distractions.

She wished her mother and Jenny would have been able to go somewhere else to avoid this encounter, but there was no way either of them would accept that. It wasn't that Rose didn't trust them or believe they were weak, because they weren't. She just knew she'd tear apart Daleks with her bare hands if they came close to them or her husband. The TARDIS hummed in her mind, reminding her that she needed to be ready for the moment. It made her shiver, but she knew what would happen when the time came. She just hoped it would go well without going pear-shaped.

The Vault was a darkened section, cold and desolate. The room was cavernous with a massive block of technology in the corner and dimmed red lights illuminating the hexagonal patterned walls. They had made it to the center, the Daleks spacing out Jenny and Jackie a bit but not making them too far away from the Doctor and Rose. He kept her hand firmly in his, tightening his grip when he saw a figure in the shadows. He stopped walking, locking his vision on Davros. Though he could barely see him, the outline of his features were still prominent. Davros was tapping his metallic finger against his chair console, the panging eerie in the silence.

"The last child of Gallifrey," he spoke. "And his band of personal help." He chortled. "Very personal indeed. Seperate those two."

One of the Daleks rounded Rose, and she wasn't having any of it. She let go of her husband's hand and stood up to the alien, staring right into the eyestalk. "Don't even try it," she warned.

 **"THE FEMALE WILL STEP AWAY FROM THE DOCTOR!"** it yelled.

"Look me up, mate, and watch your step!"

"Get away from her," the Doctor ground out. His insides turned to stone and his blood turned into ice as he lightly pushed her behind him with a protective arm.

"Release her and no harm will come to any of you," Davros told him.

"Like we'd actually believe you," Jenny piped up.

He turned to the Doctor, smiling. "You wouldn't pass up that option, Doctor. Not when it comes to your lover." The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the man. "You thought I wouldn't be aware of that? The prophecies declared that you and your mate would be witnesses to my ascension."

"That machine hooked onto you too tight, there?" Rose snorted.

"She's an interesting species of human, I must say. I never believed you would be so close and intimate with one of your assistants and then turn her into something so nonessential than most."

"Stop it," the Doctor warned, his voice dangerously low. "Don't you _dare_ speak about her that way."

"So defensive. You've never changed your attitude; still imperious and overly compassionate. How pitiful. If you don't step away from her, you'll only be putting her and the others in more harm."

"You can do what you want with me, but not to anyone else here."

"That would be a tasteless series of events. You have no power here. I could destroy you all in a second, starting with your precious mate. You wouldn't want that now, would you? More guilt? Haven't you got too much already?"

The Doctor tightened his hand around Rose's. He didn't trust anything that came out of the man's mouth, and Daleks weren't ones for negotiations. Rose soothed his mind, but it wouldn't ease his tension like usual. Staring into the face of one of the most callous beings in the universe was wringing him tight. He wanted Rose safe, and he would be damned if any of the pests touched her. He also noticed how Jenny had assumed a soldier stance, a part of her she couldn't resist. He didn't want her using a weapon, and she knew her lesson from last time, but he would keep an eye on her as well. Letting out a deep sigh, he stood a couple of steps away from his wife, still within arm's reach, and kept his eyes trained on Davros.

"Not too hard to let go now, is it, Doctor?" the man sneered.

White spotlights suddenly appeared over the four of them. "What the bloody hell is that?" Jackie asked, confused.

"Holding cells," the Doctor realized, eyeing the light around each of them. He lightly touched the edge which created small blue ripples. "Energy based by a hundred and fifty percent."

"What's that mean?" Jenny asked, lightly flicking hers.

"Don't do that," Rose warned. "Could be dangerous, yeah?"

"Nobody hit the surface too hard," the Doctor informed. "The shocks would be nasty." He turned back to stare at Davros as he came into the light.

His form was more grotesque up close than on screen, Rose noted. The sight made her feel ill, but she composed herself. The TARDIS hummed again, and she felt a little calmer.

"Even when powerless, a Time Lord is best contained," Davros remarked as he rolled towards the Doctor.

"Still scared of me, then?" the Doctor replied, arching a brow.

"It is time we talked, Doctor, after so very long—"

"No no no no no, we're not doing the nostalgia tour," the Doctor interrupted brusquely. "I wanna know what's happening right here, right now. 'Cause the Supreme Dalek said 'vault', yeah?" He took in the surroundings. "As in 'dungeon.' 'Cellar'. 'Prison.'" His brows raised, his face savage. "You're not in charge of the Daleks anymore, are you? They've got you locked away down here in the basement like, what, a servant? Slave? Court jester?"

"Circus monkey?" Rose added with a smirk.

"Ooh, nice one. How 'bout it then? Are you merely following the orders of your puppetmaster? Hmm?"

Davros wasn't amused by their taunts. "We have…an arrangement," he replied meekly.

The Doctor laughed mockingly, his voice low before rising triumphantly. "No, I've got the word. You're the Dalek's _pet_!" His jeering mood fell away the second he saw the man rolling towards Rose, causing him to tense up.

"So very full of fire, is he not?" Davros remarked. "But then again, the same can be said for _you_ , Valiant Child. Such an interesting creature you've become. And to think you've rewritten Time itself just to spend an eternity with him as his mate. As his own pet wolf."

"Leave her alone," the Doctor warned, his voice cold and angry.

"She is mine, to do as I please."

"If you know who I am, then you should be afraid," Rose challenged, crossing her arms, not backing down. "You know what I did to the Emperor in the past, then I'd watch your step if I were you."

"Oh, I've heard the stories," Davros said with a twisted grin. "Strange that a little girl like yourself could become something so powerful. Like some immortal goddess. It matters not what you did before because you no longer have such power here."

She snorted. "That so? Then why are we contained? Scared your precious children will turn into dust again?" The Doctor sent her a mental note to be careful, knowing how sinister the man was in reputation.

"Very fiery," Davros remarked, studying her carefully. She couldn't help but shiver, seeings how the man had no eyes in his sockets. "It seems that this is something you and your mate have failed to see."

Rose exchanged a look with the Doctor, noting his confused one turning into concern. "What's that?"

"It was foretold that you would be here," Davros explained, briefly glancing over at Jenny and Jackie. "You, and your pitiful faction. Even the Supreme Dalek would not dare to contradict the prophesies of Dalek Caan."

He pressed a button on his control panel, causing a light to shine on something on the corner. A pulsating pink slimy creature with tentacles and a single eye sat inside a broken Dalek suit. "So cold, and so dark," it sing-songed. "So much fire."

"Caan…?" Rose asked. "What happened to him? He wasn't like that last time."

"Remember when he escaped from Manhattan?" the Doctor reminded, recalling the events in New York. "That shift brought him back into the Time War, but he was unprotected."

"He saw _Time_ ," Davros clarified. "Its infinite complexity and majesty raging through his mind. He saw both of you. All of you."

"This I have foreseen in the wild and the wind," Caan spoke, sounding off. "Fire is coming, many flames. Howling wolves and raging storm clouds approaching, burning with the Vortex like the Sun. The Doctor will be here as witness at the end of everything—him and his precious Children of Time." The creature giggled. "And one of them will fall amongst the ashes in death!"

The Doctor balled his fists up, barely containing his rage. He wanted to burst through the energy field around him, but knew he couldn't. "Enough!" he hollered. "You've lost your sanity after taking damage, that's all. You're just sputtering out false prognostications. You've killed innocent people, and you will be stopped."

"That's it!" Davros said delightedly. "The end, the fire, the rage of a Time Lord who butchered millions. Who are you to pass judgment?"

"And what d'you call everything _you've_ ever done?" Rose spat. "A Dalek's only purpose is to destroy lives. How many people have you lot slaughtered over the years? If it wasn't for the Doctor ending the War, more lives would've been taken. He did what he had to do to save the universe. You can't say the same 'cause you're sick and don't care for others." She felt the Doctor's pointed stare, but she wasn't letting him feel guilty for that again.

"So quick to defend him," Davros derided, his empty eye sockets boreing into her. "With your fire and your strength. That must be the reason why he mated with you—you've seen him for how he truly is as a weak man."

"He's far from being weak," Rose snapped. "For every action he's done, he's shown signs of strength. He does all he can to stop homicidal maniacs like you from destroying everything around them and innocent lives because he knows what's right and makes sure things are set as they should be."

"Fiery _and_ sanctimonious." The man turned to the Doctor, who was breathing hard and glaring at him. "Turned her into a mirror image of yourself as well, I see. I expected nothing less." He turned back to Rose, smirking. "I have plans for you, Miss Tyler. When this universe is mine and your precious Doctor is dead, then we'll see how strong you'd be by my side as my pet."

"You won't touch her!" the Doctor snarled, looking to charge through the cell. He moved a bit closer, restless in his spot. "Don't even think about it."

"Why ever not?" Davros questioned. "You're in my possession to do what I like. I could have easily have had you executed in front of her right now if I wanted to."

"And you haven't just because of a faulty prophecy?" the Doctor said with a deriding snort. "That doesn't sound like the Davros I know. Although…" He tilted his head. "You've never won in the end, so I suppose nothing's changed that much. Still a pest."

"I beg to differ, Time Lord. We will wait and watch for the end together before your ultimate demise. And who knows… I could turn your precious daughter and unborn child into my minions once my empire reigns."

The Doctor's eyes bulged, his form rigid with a stare so fierce it could probably shoot lasers if possible. Rose felt her husband's fury increasing and tried calming him down while stifling herself.

"That was in the prophecy as well," Davros mocked. "Must be a pleasure having a family again, isn't it, Doctor? Having your family witness their dearest Doctor in all his glory, to see him fail them like he has to others in the past." The Doctor's fists were shaking at his sides, not of fear but anger. "You've taken away so many of my children over the years, it's only fair that I return the favor and claim _yours_."

"Over my dead body!" Jenny suddenly spoke up, earning a look from her parents.

"Collateral damage at best," Davros droned. "Just you wait, little girl. You've come so far to reunite with them again, and soon you'll join them in death, if you're fortunate enough."

"Like bloody hell that's happening!" Rose snapped.

He raised his metallic hand and lightly tapped Rose's cell, the gesture making her sick. "Better yet…you could become my pet, and your children will become my slaves."

"You won't lay a _finger_ on her or anyone here," the Doctor ground out, his voice so deep and dangerous that it made her shiver along with him pressing his fist onto the cell's surface. "You'd have to kill me over and over again first, and even then you wouldn't come within arm's reach of anyone."

 _"Doctor,"_ Rose thought to him, shakily.

Davros chuckled. "Even Time Lords have their limits when it comes to their mortality. I could have one of my children shoot you down within minutes and then again after you change your face once more."

The Doctor kept his glare sharp. "I've stopped you before, Davros, I'll do it again."

"I doubt that greatly, Doctor," Davros replied. "Because the ending approaches, and the testing begins."

"Testing of what?" Rose asked.

Davros turned around with a wide smile. "The Reality Bomb." He pressed a button on his panel, bringing up a holographic live camera shot of a corridor where humans were being taken away. "Behold…the apotheosis of my genius!"

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"So where are we?" Sarah Jane asked, taking in their surroundings as the group materialized in a dark corridor.

"Storage chamber, it looks like," Jake replied.

"Always the cupboards," Donna mumbled, straightening herself out.

"We have to stay quiet," Mickey said. He stared at his own Cannon, checking its battery life. "Still have a little while until this thing can work again."

"So we just stand here and wait?" Donna asked. "How do we know when to find the Doctor?"

"Guess it all comes in a matter of time."

"Like I haven't heard that said before." She noticed the closest door to them and slowly moved towards it. The window was just above her eye level, but she stretched herself up to properly look outside. She gasped at the sight. "Oh, God!"

"What's the matter?" Sarah Jane asked, coming over.

"There's Daleks out there," the redhead reported. She shook her head. "They've got people held hostage!"

"For what?" Mickey asked.

"They're all herded together," Sarah Jane said. "Everyone be quiet, we might be able to hear what's going on."

The group remained silent as they listened. Daleks lined up the humans as prisoners, positioning them in the center beneath a machine of sorts. It was a test for something, a project called the Reality Bomb. The shop began to hum around them as a green light shine from above the prisoners' heads. Moments later, the people were gone. Almost like vaporized, their forms turning into scattering clouds of dust to be blown into the air. Nothing was left. The group reacted immediately by forcing their eyes away.

"They killed them," Donna whispered, feeling ill. "They just…they disintegrated!"

Sarah Jane was pale. "That's nothing short of Dalek behavior."

"We have to move out," Mickey said. "My Cannon's still recharging, but the closer we are to the Daleks, the better."

Just as they were about to leave, a rattling in the walls stopped them. Mickey and Jake quickly grabbed their guns when a metal panel burst open and out rolled Jack. "Just my luck," he grumbled. "I had to climb through two miles of ventilation shafts to find you. Couldn't you have tried to land a little closer?"

"What did you expect, an actual pinpoint location?" Mickey replied. "How'd you manage to escape?"

He smiled. "How else? Worked my charm into the picture." The group stared at him, not convinced. He rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Okay, fine. I antagonized the Supreme Dalek and he shot me."

"And you survived?" Sarah Jane said incredulously. "No one can survive being shot by a Dalek!"

"Not until little ol' me, there hasn't. Long story, we can talk about it over some tea back at my base. Nice place for you to check out."

"Oi! You're flirting while the world is in trouble!" Donna chastised.

Jack sighed. "You really sound like the Doctor and Rose, they're rubbing off on you."

"Did you see what happened with the testing?" Mickey asked, bringing them back to the problem.

The captain nodded grimly, staring at the ground for a moment. "More than I needed to from my front row seat. The Doctor expects us to have a back-up plan. Though I'm not even sure he's got one for himself yet."

"Where is he?" Sarah Jane asked. "The rest of you confronted the Daleks."

Jack looked to the side, tilting his head. He didn't need to give an answer.

"In prison again," Donna concluded, nodding. "Never a dull moment with those two, always ending up in a cell."

"But something happened to the TARDIS too," Jack informed. "I don't really know what, but the Daleks tried to destroy it. They sent it down a shoot into energy, but it just…disappeared."

"Like the humans during the testing?" Jake asked.

"Totally different. Those people were disintegrated— _murdered_. The TARDIS didn't tarnish, it just… _vanished_. It dematerialized."

The group looked puzzled. "How could it just do that?" Mickey asked. "No one stayed on-board to control it."

Jack snorted. "It's all a mystery to me, Mickey Mouse. Without the TARDIS, I don't know what else we can do against an entire Dalek fleet."

"There is something we can do," Sarah Jane spoke up, stepping forward. "You've got to understand—I have a son down there on Earth, and he's only fourteen years old. So I brought this." She pulled out what appeared to be a diamond necklace from her pocket, but at the bottom of the chain was a semiopaque crystal. "It was given to me by a Verron Soothsayer," she explained. "He said it was for 'the end of days'."

Jack's eyes shone when she gave him the item, his mouth slightly open. "Is this a _warp star_?" he asked. Sarah Jane nodded in response.

"Gonna tell us what it really is?" Mickey wondered.

"A warpfold conjugation trapped in a carbonised shell," Jack answered, still in awe.

"You're sounding like that bloody alien," Donna remarked. "In English?"

"It's an explosion waiting to happen."

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Martha was toying with the Osterhagen key in her hands, awaiting for the stations to get into contact. She had landed in Germany where the base had been and needed to make sure others were online. She wasn't keen with this operation, but her superior told her to go for it. She kept thinking about how the Doctor was going to stop all of this from happening. Knowing him and wars, he wouldn't take this plan lightly. She hated it herself. But threatening a destructive race was all they had to make them surrender. If it's even possible.

A Chinese soldier appeared on the screen before her, letting her know they were set. That made three active stations—Germany, China, and Liberia. That was all they needed to go forth. The other soldiers appeared nervous, and Martha couldn't agree more. She felt sick, but she had to fight past her fears.

 _ **"What happens now?"** _ the Chinese soldier—Anna—wondered. **_"Do we do it?"_**

"No, not yet," Martha replied.

 _ **"UNIT instructions say that once three Osterhagen stations are active—"**_

"I've got a higher authority, way above UNIT," Martha cut in. "And there's one more thing the Doctor would do."

He would give them the option to stop, even in the most dangerous of situations. If she learned something from traveling with the Time Lord and his mostly human wife, it was that every one deserved a chance to do the right thing—even the enemy. It was a badge he kept to him, and she had to give the enemies a choice.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The Doctor, Rose, Jenny, and Jackie stared at the screen in horror when they saw the group of people suddenly disintegrate beneath the machine. All of them were dead, nothing left. It was nauseating. Rose could feel her husband's mind racing and wished she could hold his hand to settle him down. The amount of power used to operate it was inconceivable, and if it did so much damage to a herd of humans, then imagining what it could do to the universe was nothing difficult. And Davros was loving every second. She recalled how the Master had been when trying to take over the world, but this madman was beating him in every aspect as homicidal maniac.

"What was that?" she asked the Doctor shakily.

"Z-Neutrino Energy flattened by the alignment of the planets into a single stream," he replied grimly.

"Electrical energy, Miss Tyler," Davros explained gleefully. "Every atom in existence is bound by an electrical field. The Reality Bomb cancels it out. Structure falls apart. Think of what you did to my children, only less selfishly. That test was focused on the prisoners alone. Full transmission will dissolve every form of matter."

Rose glared at the madman, feeling the Old Girl whispering again in her mind.

"And the twenty-seven planets act as one great big transmitter," the Doctor said grimly. "Blasting that wavelength across the _entire universe_."

"Never stopping, never faltering, never fading," Davros added with a wide smile. "People and planets and stars will become dust, and the dust will become atoms, and the atoms will become nothing. And the wavelength will continue, breaking through the rift at the heart of the Medusa Cascade into every universe, every parallel, every corner of creation. This is my ultimate victory, Doctor—the destruction of reality itself!"

"You're _mad_ ," Rose said quietly, shaking her head. The man clearly lost his mind. "You're a homicidal maniac in way over his head."

"Oh, but you must have seen it too, haven't you, Wolf Girl? You must have known that destruction was upon you. I would imagine a Goddess of Time would be aware of the events around her."

"The Wolf Girl is the Oracle!" Caan sing-songed from the side. "She is a vital role in the prophecy!"

"Rose?" Jackie spoke up for the first time from the side, sounding fearful.

"That will be your greatest downfall," Davros mocked. "Knowing how you've failed everyone just like your husband has."

"Stop this!" the Doctor ordered, hitting the cell surface. He was zapped from the force, but he ignored the pain. "Davros, this is your last warning, just stop what you're doing _right now_. You can't win!"

 **"INCOMING TRANSMISSION,"** a Dalek announced. A hologram screen popped up displaying Martha's face.

 _ **"My name is Martha Jones and I represent the United Intelligence Task Force on behalf of planet Earth,"**_ she stated. _ **"I'm calling the Dalek Crucible, can you hear me?"**_

"Put me through!" the Doctor demanded.

"It begins," Davros said pleasantly. "As Dalek Caan foretold."

"The Children of Time will gather," Caan giggled. "And one of them will fall amongst the ashes in death."

"Stop saying that!" the Doctor snapped. "Put me through!"

Rose shivered, trying to make out what they could do to escape. The TARDIS was still faintly humming in her mind, telling her to wait. She glanced over at Jenny, noticing her eyes closing.

 _ **"Doctor! Rose!"** _ Martha exclaimed, her relieved smile faltering. _ **"I'm sorry."**_

"Oh, but the Doctor is powerless," Davros replied. "He is my prisoner. State your intent."

She held up what appeared to be a thick black data chip. Her voice was challenging. _**"I've got the Osterhagen Key. Leave this planet and its people alone or I'll use it."**_

"A what key?" Rose asked, looking at her husband to see if he knew of its origins.

"Osterhagen key?" the Doctor asked, bemused.

 _ **"There's a chain of twenty-five nuclear warheads placed in strategic points beneath the Earth's crust,"** _ Martha explained voice level. ** _"If I use the key, they detonate and the Earth gets ripped apart."_**

The Doctor was appalled. " _What_?" he shouted, chorusing Rose. "Who invented that?" he added. "Well, someone called Osterhagen, I suppose, but Martha, are you insane?!"

 ** _"The Osterhagen key is to be used if the suffering of the human race is so great, so without hope that this becomes the final option."_**

"You can't actually believe that, Martha!" Rose cried, trying to steel her voice. "Of all of the things we've done together, all the stories we've shared with you, you can't believe for one second that this is an option. It's _never_ an option!"

 ** _"But there's always the bigger picture, isn't there, you two?"_ ** Martha cut in abruptly. _ **"Isn't that how we always saw things? 'Cause I reckon the Daleks need these twenty-seven planets for something, but what if it becomes twenty-six? What happens then, Daleks? Would you risk it?"**_

"She's good," Jenny remarked, earning a hard stare from he parents. She shrugged. "What, she is."

 _ **"Hold on,"**_ Martha said, her seriousness fading. _ **"Is that…"**_

"It's me, Jenny."

A small smile of awe appeared on her face. _**"Oh my God, you're alive! They found you!"**_

"More like I found _them_!" Jenny beamed.

Rose could feel her husband's nerves trembling. The thought of a planet being consumed in flames was bringing back images of his home burning. She tried to mentally soothe him, wishing she could hold his hand and remind him that they would get out of this without anything being destroyed.

"I would not celebrate that, Miss Jones," Davros droned. "The Doctor's children won't be surviving for very much longer while I have him and his family held prisoner."

 ** _"Wait…what was that?"_ ** Martha asked, shocked. _**"Did he just say…children?"** _ The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look. **_"You have another child?!"_**

"They _will_ have," the madman said with a warped grin. "And it will either perish or become my slave once it's born. Whatever the outcome will be on my final decision with what I do with my playthings."

 _ **"That's not happening,"**_ Martha said firmly, holding the key tight.

 **"SECOND TRANSMISSION INTERNAL,"** another Dalek declared.

The screen divided, a second image coming through. _**"Captain Jack Harkness calling all Dalek girls and boys!"**_ Jack began with his usual bravado, holding a chain. Beside him were Mickey, Donna, Sarah Jane, and Jake. _**"You receiving me? Don't send in your goons or I set this this baby off."**_

"Jack, what's that?" Rose asked warily, inwardly twitching.

 ** _"I've got a warp star wired into the mainframe. One wrong move and I'll break this shell—this entire Crucible goes up."_**

"A _warp star_?!" the Doctor cried, his voice rising high. Rose's eyes widened. "Where the hell did you get a warp star?"

 _ **"From me,"** _ Sarah Jane replied, pushing her way forward. ** _"We had no choice, Doctor, we saw what happened to the prisoners."_**

"Impossible," Davros murmured. "That face… after all these years."

 _ **"Davros,"**_ she whispered, before shifting to a serious tone. _ **"It's been quite a while. Sarah Jane Smith, remember?"**_

"Oh, this was meant to be; the circle of time is closing," the madman said gleefully. "You were there on Skaro, at the very beginning of my creation."

 _ **"I've learned to fight since then,"** _ she countered. _**"You let those four go, or this warp star gets opened!"**_

 ** _"Don't think I won't do it,"_** Jack challenged, tweaking the necklace.

Though she was shaking, Rose appreciated how their friends were defending the Earth with them. They were all brilliant, even if their methods were pretty extreme. She turned towards the Doctor and felt pain. His eyes were glassy and focused on the ground, his face flat and his jaw tight. She tried to tap his mind to comfort him, but he was locked up. He was burdening himself with guilt. She wished she could break through the cell and reach out to him, but she couldn't.

"And the truth is shown for all to see," Davros drew out, the pleasure in his voice angering Rose even more.

"The Doctor's soul is revealed," Caan cackled. "See him, see the heart of him!"

"The man who abhors violence, never carrying a gun. But _this_ is the truth of it, Doctor. You take ordinary people and you fashion them into weapons. Behold—your Children of Time, transformed into murderers. I made the Daleks, Doctor. You made this."

"Stop!" Rose yelled, punching the force field and ignoring the shock. "You don't even know half of what's happening around here, you're twisting things around. You wanna talk about _murderers_? Look at yourself! Look at your 'children'! How much death have yours caused for humanity over the years? You stole twenty-seven planets from Time and runnin' a ship that's made to _destroy_ everything that isn't Dalek! You just killed prisoners ten minutes ago, and you're calling a group of people standing up to you and your disgusting acts _murderers?_ Lemme tell you somethin'. These are _human beings_ defending their home. You're using it as a weapon, and they're standing up for themselves. The whole planet is runnin' in fear while we're here to stand up against the injustice and give them hope. The Doctor taught all of us that we're not weak and that we can fight against the dangers of the universe. He didn't make us soldiers, it's the choices we all make to take a stand."

The Doctor glanced over at his wife, noting how blazing her glare was on the madman. He'd seen her furious before, but he thought she would spontaneously combust with the waves she gave off.

"So quick to pass judgement, Miss Tyler," Davros said, studying her. "But have you not looked at _yourself_? You've committed genocide with the power of a thousand gods, the Vortex itself. Your Doctor's hands are stained in blood and he took your hands and soaked them in it. He baptized you and turned you into the Wolf."

"That wasn't by _his_ doing," Rose said with a snort. "It was hardly even by _my_ own choice, let alone his. You think he wanted me to absorb all the power of the Time Vortex and wipe out an entire race? 'Cause I don't. We've moved past that. You can't sit there and say your hands are clean! How much blood is on yours, you sick bastard?"

"The point remains, Miss Tyler. You defend your precious mate. The Doctor—a man who keeps running, never looking back because he dare not, out of shame. Where would those lost be without his interference? Would they have died?"

She shook her head. "Things would be worse if it weren't for him. He does what he can to keep the universe intact, to keep it safe and protected from twisted lunatics like yourself."

"But just think… how many have died in his name?"

"How many have _lived_? Even though so many have sacrificed themselves and have fallen, that was not the Doctor's fault. Because, while those deaths are sad and unfortunate, we look at the bigger picture in all this—so many more lived. Countless times the whole universe is at stake, but who's always there to defend it? Him. He uses all his might and power to make sure everything remains as it was meant to be, to keep it from becoming a pillar ripped away from a structure and let it crash. He's the glue that keeps this universe intact, and we're always there beside him to help him out. Because the weight of everything is on his shoulders, but we balance him out, remind him that so many lives were saved and spared from disasters. Because in the end, that's what matters—so many people lived."

Rose tried to steady her breathing and calm down after her diatribes, never breaking eye contact with the madman. She could feel the Doctor's stare beside her, that disbelief as a result of her defense. She knew that man both inside and out, saw his darkness and light, illuminated him and made him remember that he was a good man despite what his adversaries and demons told him.

 _"Rose…"_ he thought to her.

 _"Don't listen to him, love,"_ she replied softly. _"He's wrong. He's twisting things around so he won't take the blame for all the destruction he's caused. It's not your fault."_ She sent him mental comfort when he lowered his walls, then felt his own coming to her end.

Davros hummed. "You swing on a hope, saying how so many lived. Once my task is fulfilled and my victory stands, none will survive. Not even you."

 _ **"It's the Crucible or the Earth,"** _ Martha threatened, holding the key aloft.

"Enough!" Davros ordered. "Activate the Transmat!" A blinding white light shone over the screens before everyone vanished and became a pile on the floor of the Vault. "All of you, on your knees! Surrender!"

"Do as he says, everyone," the Doctor warned.

Rose inwardly shivered when she saw the four of them being brought to their knees, their hands behind their heads. She looked at the Doctor, seeing him tense up even more. The situation was getting worse, and it didn't look good for any of them. She soothed his mind again, reassuring him that everything would be okay.

"The final prophecy is in place," Davros proclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement. "The Doctor and his Children all gathered as witnesses. Supreme Dalek… the time has come!" A wild grin plastered his face as he pointed upwards. "Detonate the Reality Bomb!"


	71. In the Presence of Wolves

**A/N: Much love to you awesome viewers for sticking around!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 68: In the Presence of Wolves**_

"You can't do this, Davros!" the Doctor tried to reason. "Listen to me, just stop!"

The madman rolled around to face him. "Oh, but we're just getting started, Doctor. While you're feeling the pain from the loss of your dear ship, that's not all you're connected to." He turned towards Rose then looked at Jenny, smiling widely.

The Doctor's chest clenched as he pressed himself against the shield. "Leave them alone!" he roared.

"Lift these two cells!" Davros ordered. Blue light shimmered around Rose and Jenny as their cells disappeared, leaving them out in the open.

The Doctor was trembling as he slammed his hands against his cell, his voice dangerously low. "If you so much as lay a finger on them—"

"You have no power, Doctor," Davros mocked. "Your wife and daughter are my possessions now."

"Rose!" Jackie cried from her spot. "Get away from my daughter!"

"You'll be dealt with later."

"Mum?" Jenny whispered to Rose, shaking a little. "What do we do?"

"Just stay close to me, okay?" Rose told her softly, reaching for the girl's hand. "Nothing's gonna happen, we'll be fine."

"But… I feel like something's coming. I can hear a song."

"You do?"

"What does it mean?"

Rose licked her lips, her stomach twisting in knots. The TARDIS hummed in her mind, reminding her of something. Something important. "You'll find out in a moment." The time was coming and she knew what would happen. Her daughter was brought back to them by a wave in her mind, and it was joining them together.

"Once the detonation is set, then the Doctor will see his ultimate demise—the death of his family," Davros cackled. "My final victory!"

"No!" the Doctor thundered. "Please, Davros, I'm begging you, leave them alone! Get the hell away from them now! Do whatever you want with me, I don't care, just leave them alone! Stop this RIGHT NOW!"

His words fell on deaf ears. He was breathing heavily, trying to force his way through the cell. A zap shot through his system, but he discarded it. Rose and Jenny were standing close to each other, carefully studying the Daleks around the room. His hearts were thumping so hard in his chest that he thought they'd drop through the floor. Unpleasant reels hit his memory. He saw the undone events from the Year That Never Was—when his wife was shot. His blood froze and he began to ache, then remembered when Jenny was shot. He didn't want a replay of either event to happen before him. All he wanted was for him to take their places.

Rose looked over at her husband, noting how tense his form and mind had become. His eyes locked into hers before glaring at the madman. She could feel his memory banks ripping open and did all she could to calm him down. His anxiety was off the charts, but she soothed him as best as she could. There was a way out, and as overwhelming as it was, she had no other choice.

"Enough talk!" Davros yelled. "Children! Gather around and take what you can! Let the Doctor suffer immeasurably!"

Daleks surrounded Rose and Jenny, who tightened their grip onto each other more. The Doctor continued to pound against his cell while Jackie continued to cry out for him to do something. "Might not wanna get too close, mate," Rose warned.

"You can't do anything, Miss Tyler," Davros droned happily. "You're defenseless! You're connected to your precious Doctor, so just like his TARDIS, he will feel you die!"

The Doctor stopped breathing when he noticed two Daleks lifting their guns up. "NO!" he screamed with all his might. "Don't do this, please!"

"Our paths are ending, Doctor, starting here. You've taken me away from my children, now I shall return the gesture with your expectant wife and your daughter. You will watch and suffer!"

Seething, his teeth were bared as he scraped his nails down the force field, snarling and feeling his blood boiling. "I'm warning you _one last time_ ," he ground out.

"What would you do?" Davros derided. "Unleash the fury that only a Time Lord can? Reveal yourself even more?"

"Jenny, don't!" Rose yelled at their daughter swiftly rolled past the herd of Daleks and when pulled out her gun, aiming it at Davros' head.

"Jenny!" the Doctor chastised. He warned his daughter about what killing could do to a person, but she knew better than that. But seeing her with one trained in the enemy made his insides freeze. "Think about what you're doing!"

"Let everyone go," the girl told the madman firmly, her stance rigid.

Davros laughed. "Isn't this a turn of events. The Doctor's daughter carrying a gun—a man who detests the very weapon, yet allows his own offspring hold one." He turned to Rose. "What was that speech again, Miss Tyler? About how your Doctor never turned any of his companions into weapons? And she came from you as well, which makes you no better than him."

"But this can stop the madness you're creating instead of it escalating any more," Jenny said, keeping the barrel by the man's head.

"No, it won't, Jenny!" the Doctor spoke up from his cell. "Remember what your mum and I told you about what killing can do to you. There's always a choice, and that's never one of them!"

"Listen to your father, sweetheart," Rose said gently. The Daleks still surrounded her, but she disregarded them and focused on her daughter and worried husband. "Don't pull that trigger, there's other ways of handling this."

"You wield the same characteristics as your parents," Davros remarked in derision. "That was always a vice of your precious father—compassion. He's too kind, and that is always his ultimate downfall. You won't ever pull the trigger because you're stained with everything of him. But you can fight against what he believes, is that what you want, child?"

Jenny froze, swallowing hard. She felt her parents' hard stares in the back of her head, their fears radiating off of them thickly. She knew the lessons, knew the beliefs. They were a part of her instincts. She had the same will as her parents, and she kept it close to her throughout her travels. She never took a life during any of the situations she ended up in, and that made her feel proud of herself. How proud she would make her parents when she told them. She didn't want to kill this being, as much as it angered her how he spoke of her father and mother. She saw visions of what kind of people they were in her dreams, and they were good people. She wouldn't shoot a man in cold blood, but she could provide a distraction.

"What I want…" she drew out. "Is to keep everything as it should be."

Raising her gun to the side, she fired at the side panel controls, causing an explosion that rocked the ship. She took the opportunity to leap over the herd of Daleks to stand behind the desk. Various switches lined across it, and she pressed the biggest red one, going with her instincts. Daleks began to cry out, their eyestalks shaking violently.

"Stop this!" Davros hollered. "Exterminate the girl!"

 **"WEAPONS NON-FUNCTIONAL!"** a Dalek yelled as each of their guns proved inactive and twitched.

"A macrotransmission of a K-filter wavelength that blocks Dalek weaponry in a self-replicating energy blindfold matrix!" Jenny proclaimed happily.

The Doctor and Rose exchanged an amazed look. "How'd you figure that out?" he asked, bewildered.

She grinned widely, much like her mother. "Part Time Lord, thanks Dad!"

She hit another switch, causing Daleks to spin around uncontrollably. Jack and Mickey exchanged a look before rising to their feet and helping the others up to push the aliens away.

"Get away from the controls!" Davros yelled, only to stop when Jake held him up with a gun aimed at him.

Rose slid past the Daleks surrounding her and made her way over to her daughter. The Doctor and Jackie were still stuck in their holding cells, so she tried to find the switch to deactivate them. "Alright, let's see…"

"Watch out, blondie!" Donna cried, laughing triumphantly when she pushed a Dalek that nearly collided with another.

Taking a chance, Rose flipped a switch and the cells around her husband and mother fell away. She grinned brightly at her daughter as the Doctor joined them at the panel.

"Brilliant!" he chirped. "Time to deactivate this bomb." He moved over to the side, observing the controls. "By using an internalized synchronous back-feed reversal loop, we can close all Z-Neutrino relay loops and stop the energy from flowing." He ran his sonic over the panel before clicking a few buttons. His joy faltered when he saw the reading on a monitor showing it was still intact. "No no no, there's a trip switch in place! Typical!"

"What do we do?" Rose asked urgently.

He ran a hand through his hair, speaking fast. "We have to reroute the circuitry, but that'll take too long from here!"

Another explosion shook through the Crucible, knocking the three of them to the ground. Everyone was dodging frantic Daleks and trying to get them away from any controls. Something caught Rose's attention—a circuit box just on the other end of the room. "Then let's shorten the time," she said. "Double plated circuit box."

"Oh, brilliant, Rose!" He kissed her forehead before she hurried over towards the device, sending her mental notes to be careful.

 **"STOP THIS ABOMINATION!"** the Supreme Dalek ordered. **"EMERGENCY BACK-UP LOOP!"**

Suddenly the Daleks stopped spinning around, their guns straightening. **"WEAPONS STABILIZED!"**

"What?" Jack cried, grabbing his gun and aiming it at one of the Daleks.

Mickey and Jake aided others by shooting at some of the Daleks, causing them to explode before they harmed anyone else. The Doctor looked around desperately and tried to reverse the switch, only to swear and slam his hand against the surface. There wasn't much time.

"You will suffer greatly for this!" Davros said furiously. "All of you! Starting with her!"

It happened so fast, but the crack of lightning shot out of Davros' metallic hand—targeting Rose. "No!" the Doctor screamed. "Rose, look out!" Rose was swift in her movements, but the bolt lightly grazed her side. His breath caught in his throat as he ran over to her in a heartsbeat. "No!" Fearing the worst, he bit down hard on his lip enough to draw blood. It wasn't a hard hit, but she doubled over at the pain. He pulled her to him, eyes moving over her. "Rose, love, are you okay?"

"'M fine," she told him, hiding the slight pain splitting through her. "Just… a scratch. I missed most of it. Kinda lousy shot, he is."

He inspected the mark, which didn't cut too bad through her clothes, but he was concerned about its placement, close to where their child was growing. He lightly placed his hand over it, noting how she didn't hiss in pain. Good sign. He wanted to study it further to make sure nothing was severely wrong, even though he would be able to feel it himself, but he kept his grip on her to ensure her safety.

He turned towards Davros with a glare and growled through his teeth. "Just stop this! You can't win!"

"I always won in the end," the madman droned. "This will be my greatest victory, Doctor!"

"Think again, mate," Rose managed out as she waved her sonic over the box and flipped the switch.

The Doctor peered at the monitor from where he stood and saw the energy binding the planets together falling away. Daleks began to scream again while the ship shook. All that was left was to send each of the planets back to their correct point in time and space, and he would do that right now to put an end to the madness.

"My creation!" Davros shrieked.

"Surrender, Davros!" he called out. "Just like you always have, you've lost. Just give up!"

What came from the madman was a twisted cackle. "Oh, I'll never give in to you, Doctor. I will still claim my victory! You have intervened far too many times." He raised his hand up and preparing to fire again. "This will be the last time!"

"Something's coming…" Donna said quietly from the side.

Before the Doctor could question, he gasped when he felt something in his mind. It was the TARDIS. Soon after, he heard the Old Girl's wheezing as wind whipped in the far corner of the room. He heard commotion coming from the rest of their group then felt Rose entering his mind with warmth, but it was heightened. His insides shook when glanced over at Rose as she closed her eyes. When his wife opened them, they were shining gold. Her voice was soft, the choral accent sounding like a hymn.

"No more."

The Doctor couldn't move. He was surprised he was conscious when he saw his wife begin to glow, her hair whipping in the breeze and her eyes ablaze with golden hues, urging him to get lost within her divine beauty. But it was making his blood cold.

"Rose, what are you doing?" he said shakily. "You don't have to do this!"

She turned to him, smiling softly. "All is well, my Doctor. Trust me like you always have."

He recalled the last time he was met with the Bad Wolf when she appeared before him and lifted his spirits up and stopped the Master, making him pay the ultimate price for destroying Earth and for putting Rose through torture. He felt empty just thinking about the power she wielded, the pain he caused, but warmth spread throughout his body. It was the same on Satellite 5 when she first became the entity. After the fear, of course.

He felt like he was eight years old again and staring into the Untempered Schism—the whole of the Time Vortex, and it was running through her veins. It was frightening, but he never would run away from his wife when it was triggered. It made him want to fall into her quintessential being, magnetizing him to her divinity. The woman he loved was a goddess, and while the concept still scared him knowing how dangerous this could still be for her, he watched with spellbinding eyes.

The TARDIS finally materialized in the room, Her presence causing Davros to be taken aback. "Impossible!" the madman said.

"Nothing is impossible," Bad Wolf told him. "You have wreaked havoc on many worlds, and for that, you will pay."

Her hands raised, causing the TARDIS doors to snap open with golden light pouring out from the Girl's Heart. At that, Jenny gasped from behind the panel and opened her eyes to reveal herself taking in some of the energy, causing the Doctor to hold his breath. His daughter was a part of Rose, so naturally she'd have traces of the Wolf. It frightened him yet amazed him at the same time. But it was dangerous for anyone else to take in such power.

"Whatever you do, don't look at the light!" he cried to the others. "Everyone look away!"

The group finally did, Donna mesmerized by the light for a split second before she dropped her eyes to the side. Jackie teared up when she saw her daughter glowing. "Doctor! What happened to my Rose?" she exclaimed.

"Jackie, step away!" he told her, grabbing her arm and leading her away.

"Take a good look at this, Doctor," Davros spoke over the commotion, harshly. "Look at what you've done to your wife and daughter! The one who holds onto your hearts—she is the greatest weapon of them all! How much has she sacrificed for you?"

As if he wasn't feeling guilty over the pain he caused so many over the years, the bastard had to throw that in his face. But before his mind could fall away into dangerous territory again, he felt Bad Wolf entering his mind with comfort, like Rose always would.

"Enough!" Bad Wolf roared. "The Poisonous One will stop all acts of tyranny and leave behind all notions of megalomaniacal conquering. You've damaged those around you and spread your words like a cancer, playing mind games and twisting things around to make yourself appear innocent and pure. You are neither—you are a disease."

"Oh, this is magical!" Davros laughed, looking back at the Doctor. "You've done this to her! How weak you must feel when around her!"

"Rose Tyler is a strong human being, as are the rest of the allies of planet Earth." Bad Wolf turned to Jenny. "As is the next generation, joining the pack together. And most certainly is the Doctor—a courageous yet cowardly man who runs across the stars and defends the universe with all his might and spirit. It's the perfect balance to his nature, but never has he been weak. He has shone himself as he is to Rose Tyler and will always be seen as the man who would lay down his life for those in need of saving, and a good man. Because he is the Healer." Her voice darkened much like her glare. "And you, Davros of Skaro, are the Creator of Destruction! The one who brings darkness. You will be punished for your crimes!"

"Never! There is nothing you can do to stop me from claiming this universe! I've defied the Laws of Time and Nature, have made my Daleks superior, and once the Reality Bomb completes its activation, all other lifeforms will fall beneath me and we will reign as the supreme and sole owners of this existence! There is nothing you can do to stop us! Nothing!"

Bad Wolf growled. "You have one more chance to leave everything behind. I will not be kind to a diseased parasite to the universe."

"I refuse to let some alleged _female goddess_ stop me!" Davros yelled. "I will claim my victory!"

Lights flickered, sounds of static ringing throughout the room. Jenny raised her arms and waved them, shutting down the device and causing the panel to blow up in flames. The Doctor moved the group away from the sight, breathing heavily as he watched things unfold, his hearts hammering.

"The Universe disagrees," the young girl proclaimed.

Bad Wolf casted her eyes around the room, then with a wave of her hand made every Dalek disappear, save for Caan who was cackling in his broken shell. Davros' single eye vibrated in anger, glaring while frothing at the mouth.

"You've taken my children and my machine!" He whipped around and pointed at the Doctor. "This is all your fault, Doctor! You've destroyed all of my creations! Much like your own planet and people! You and your mate! I name you forever as the Destroyer of the Worlds!"

"That is _your_ title, Davros!" Bad Wolf thundered.

Jenny raised her hands and placed a golden band around the madman, a force field of his own. "This is an abomination!" he bellowed.

"This is _justice_ ," Jenny told him.

The Doctor swallowed hard, his insides shaking when Bad Wolf walked towards him with a gentle smile. "You have to let go, Rose," he said quietly, reaching out to her. "I know it's a part of you and you've adapted, but you could still burn—"

"Hush, my love," she told him softly. "You're not the only one who can save the world. You have been told things to burden you, but there are also things you must keep in mind, things that you're always reminded of when Rose Tyler comforts your hearts." She raised a hand to his cheek. "You have bestowed wisdom on all of those you've encountered, have let people realize how important they really are, no matter what. Have done all you can to keep the strands together, and continue to do so. The universe is always waging wars against masses, but you are always there to keep everything together as it was meant to be. For that, you will be eternally forgiven. I name you as Time's Champion—the Defender of the Universe. A friend, a lover, a husband, a father." She smiled widely. "My Doctor."

His insides bloomed as she lowered his forehead onto hers, an onslaught of images passing through his vision. He saw every good memory that he ever had in his long life, from the beginning and up to the present. When he first started having adventures when he was younger, when he travelled with Susan and Ian and Barbara, Jamie, Jo, Sarah Jane, Adric, Ace—all of his companions, all of the good deeds he had done. Then he came to Rose. He saw him and Rose holding each other's hands, running all over the universe with wide smiles. He saw his Ninth self laughing with her, being lovestruck. Then saw his present self loving her even more, being happy and enjoying their lives, the way they fondly looked at each other, them kissing each other passionately, making love, conceiving their unborn child, savoring every moment of tenderness between them, every moment of tranquility with them in each other's arms.

It overwhelmed him, which was odd since he was used to it whenever Rose would send him comforting reels and waves, but it tugged on his hearts so much that he could choke up. He was always amazed at how much his wife loved him, and it intensified their bond even more. How someone like him could be blessed with someone like her. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips for a moment before pulling back.

"That will always stay with you, throughout your lifetimes," Bad Wolf said. "For as long as Rose Tyler has with you, and you'll always be loved and reassured of all the good you've done." She then turned to Davros, glaring. "The true Destroyer of the Worlds, you will now be punished for everything you've done."

The madman didn't say a word as Jenny lifted the shield away from him. But in a flash, he pulled his metallic hand back and shot electricity at Bad Wolf. It did no damage, however, as she only absorbed it.

"Yet another mistake you've put on yourself," she roared. She raised her hand and caused his shell to elevate, catching him off guard.

"No!" he screamed. "You cannot do anything to me!"

"Just watch me. Judgement has been passed onto you. You have breached the Timelock, so back into hell you go. Back into the Time War with the rest of your children!"

In a second, Davros was gone from sight. The thunder around them crashed, the flames rising from the panel as things crashed around them. The others huddled over to avoid being crushed by falling debris. "We gotta go!" Jack cried.

"Rose, it's time to let it go now!" the Doctor said urgently. Once again. Bad Wolf helped him out, and even had Jenny aid them in stopping the Bomb, but now she needed to let the entity leave her. "It's over!"

She smiled at him. "It's just beginning." She raised her hands and waved them, breathing out a sigh. The ship continued to quake. "The planets are returned. Now, my time is complete."

Then her eyes slipped shut and the golden light died down from the TARDIS, her body becoming limp. He caught her immediately, holding her tight. She was alive, just asleep. His hearts calmed down a bit. Seeing his wife channel the entity was always spellbinding, but it also gave him chills. Still, as long as she wasn't harmed then he was aces. Once again she provided the impossible. He was grateful that she hadn't taken any of the Daleks' lives again, as well as Davros'. While it wouldn't be her fault, he knew how much guilt she wore when these events occur. But she had sent them all back into the Timelock where they were, and they would stay. He breathed a sigh of relief and sent her calming mental waves.

Jenny shook her head for a moment and held her head. "What just happened?"

"We'll explain later, Jenny" he said, looking up at her. "You alright?"

"Bit dizzy, but yeah. What about mum?"

"Is Rose okay?" Jackie asked, worried. "What the hell was that?"

"It's complicated, Jackie, but she's fine," the Doctor assured, staring at his wife's face. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "She saved the universe again." Rose groaned as she awoke and he smiled gently. "Hello."

"I did it again, didn't I?" Rose said with a weak smile.

"You did. And you managed to send the Creator of all Daleks back into the Time War, that's…"

"Impossible?"

"Incredibly. Probably have to come up with another term at this point."

"Doctor!" Mickey screamed. "The ship is gonna explode!"

The Doctor's head snapped up. "Right, you lot! Let's get out of here, back into the TARDIS!"

The group wasted no time in hurrying inside, one by one. The Doctor kept a firm grip on Rose's body as he carried her to the ship. He could feel her mind was steady before she told him she could walk and he let her down on her feet. Jenny was right beside them and ran in.

"The prophecy is almost complete!" Caan laughed in the background. "The ashes of what remains! It is upon you!"

He growled. Hearing that fuelled his frustration more, while increasing his worry. He wanted to go back and try to save Caan, but the creature was too far away and caught behind rubble to be saved. Rose told him she could walk, so he set her down as they ran inside his ship, the doors slamming shut behind them. The group huddled around the console, waiting for what would happen next.

"Everyone okay?" he called out. "Nobody hurt?"

"All good," Jack reported. "How's Rose?"

"She's fine, just a little dizzy. Jenny, holding up?"

"Fine, Dad," the young girl said.

"Rose, sweetheart, what was that?" Jackie asked, still worried. "You-you just turned _gold_!"

"It's complicated, Mum," Rose replied, giving her a hug. "I'm okay, it's…complicated."

"Alright you lot," the Doctor proclaimed. "Time we were off!" He ran towards the lever and pulled it, then brought up readings from the monitor to make sure every planet was in place.

"What about the Earth?" Sarah Jane asked. "What happened? What's Bad Wolf?"

"Long story," the Doctor replied distractedly as he typed on the keyboard. "Rose absorbed the Heart of the TARDIS a few years ago and, as a result, became this powerful being called The Bad Wolf. It merged with her system and altered her biology to make her mostly human, as well as other changes that I could go on and on about, but that's the basis."

"Is that what's inside me?" Jenny asked curiously. "'Cause I saw that version of Mum in my dreams, like she was waiting for me."

"Leading up to this very moment…" Rose drew out. "And you feel alright?" Jenny nodded in response. "We'll talk about what happened later then."

"But Doctor, is everything back to normal?" Mickey asked.

"Oh yes!" he chirped happily, spinning around as he locked the lever again, causing the ship to jolt a bit as it took off. "Atmospheric shells maintained and stabilized, the energy dissipated, and all planets have been pulled out of the Medusa Cascade and back to their rightful positions in Time. Molto bene!"

The TARDIS stopped shaking as they continued to drift through the Vortex, completely unscathed. The occupants each cheered triumphantly before breaking into hugs for each of them, taking turns. The Bomb was deactivated and every planet was was returned to the correct locations, courtesy of Bad Wolf in that department. That wasn't lessening all of the help every one of their friends had been throughout the events of the day. The Doctor dropped a celebratory snog on Rose before hugging both her and their daughter tightly. Jackie had come over and joined them, Rose hugging her the tightest. Every one was relieved and ecstatic that everything returned to normal, Sarah Jane calling on her son while Jack called Torchwood, and Donna and Martha checked in on their folks.

"Mum, Dad…" Jenny spoke up, looking sheepish. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" the Doctor asked with a frown.

"For pointing a gun to the man. It didn't…it didn't feel right, and I know neither of you appreciate them, but I—"

"We know you wouldn't have shot him, sweetheart," Rose cut in gently, looping her arm through hers. "You remembered there's always a choice, and we're proud of you."

"Too right," the Doctor said fondly. "And there was no genocide, you and your mum did the unthinkable and sent them back into the Time War without harm, that-that's…" He shook his head. "Blimey."

"Time War…" Jenny drew out slowly. "You mentioned that before." His jaw tightened and he looked at the ground.

Rose rubbed his arm. "There's a lot you need to know, Jenny. We're gonna teach you and tell you so much."

The young girl nodded. Now that they were reunited, they could continue where they left off on Messaline and live as the family they were meant to be. The Doctor raised his head and observed the others in the room. They were still contacting loved ones, but Martha was coming towards them.

"You would never have used that key," he remarked.

"Of course not," Martha replied. "Holding the Daleks up with a ransom seemed the way to go. Travelling with you two, I've learned a lot." Both the Doctor and Rose smiled proudly. "But…back there, Davros said something about you having children. Did that mean…"

They were still grinning as the Doctor slid an arm around Rose's waist. "We're expecting a baby," she told their friend.

Martha's jaw dropped and she looked between them. "Wait, _seriously_?" she said in shock. She laughed and hugged them both again. "I thought you said it wasn't possible?"

"Well, tell that to our little one," the Doctor said with a happy hum.

"Congratulations! Starting a family, first Jenny and now one on the way. You two are really doing the domestic approach."

Rose snorted and patted her husband's chest. "Keep saying that word and he'll combust on the spot." He rolled his eyes before pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

Rose sent her thanks to the TARDIS when the Old Girl hummed around them. She was glad that everything managed to work out in the end, not that she had doubts. She trusted the ship immensely, and knew She would know what to do and when the time would be right. As a time machine, that's expected. She finally felt the Doctor's mind being the most calm all day, and her insides soared. That madman was throwing everything he could at the Doctor, to break him. For a moment, he allowed it and almost went into full brooding mode, but Rose was quick to remind him of all the good he's done. No matter what darkness lurked inside of him, she would heal him.

"I can't believe I'm gonna be a grandmother," Jackie spoke up with a laugh. "I'm only in my forties!"

The Doctor scratched his sideburn. "Weeeell…things happened. You seem a little more at ease about it now."

"What about you, Mum?" Rose asked. "You were pregnant, yeah?"

"Had a little boy," Jackie said.

Rose's face lit up. "I have a little brother?"

"Brilliant!" the Doctor said brightly. "What's he called?"

"Doctor," Jackie told them.

They exchanged a look, the Doctor appearing flattered. "Really?"

The older woman scoffed. "No, you plum, I'm joshing you. He's called Tony!"

"Oh, that's a good name as well. Tony Tyler, wonderful name!" He nudged Rose's mind. _"We can stop by and see him later before everyone goes home, okay?"_

She nodded. _"That'd be great, thanks."_

"What was that?" Jackie asked with a puzzled look. "That look is familiar with you two, but that seemed a bit different."

"Remember when the Doctor said we were joined at the minds?" Rose told her. "It's our bond. We can communicate with our minds and send each other things."

Jackie raised her brows before staring at the Doctor. He raised his hands innocently. "It's perfectly safe, Jackie, I promise. It's part of our marital bond, it's how my people remained connected."

"I don't even wanna know what…what things you two do with your minds," the older woman said, pulling a face. "That's your alien business."

"What about me?" Jenny asked from the side. "Can I do that too, speak with my mind?"

"'Course you can!" the Doctor exclaimed. "You're part Time Lord, after all. You found us by sensing us with your signal from your hidden bond—familial telepathic chain bond, immediately connects you to us and the TARDIS." The Old Girl hummed and they smiled. "It's why you and Rose became Bad Wolf. Well, you became something stemming from Bad Wolf I suppose. It's a part of you as well. And the telepathic connection between each of us on your end could use some strengthening, but we have plenty of time to work on that." He grinned. "But you are your mother's daughter, so you'd master it in a day."

Jenny giggled happily before hugging both of her parents again. The Doctor held both of his girls close to him, his hearts warming up. Never did he ever imagine a man like him to be blessed with a family again—his patient and loving wife, their daughter, their unborn child. Even Jackie, his mother-in-law. Truthfully, as much as the woman would make him cringe at times, he genuinely cared for her and respected her. She had been a part of his family since he began feeling things for Rose, and he would always admire her. She even crossed universes to help out and make sure her daughter was safe. That alone deserved gratitude. He wished he could offer her something worthy for everything. After all, she was his wife's mother, and someone he admired.

Now he had his family. He had lost so many loved ones back home, and those wounds were still there, but he had gained another family in the Tylers. Rose was one of the greatest gifts ever to come into his life, that held his hand through everything with her unequivocal love without reservation, something she deserved from him, something he'd always give her. Any and all fears that led him to this moment were unrestrained because he vowed to make sure he would make things right and keep them that way. With Rose, and now with Jenny and their baby on the way.

Rose felt her insides blooming in the group hug, the warmth washing through her. Strangely warmer than she expected. A wave of nausea came over her as she tried her best to keep herself contained. All of the excitement must have made the baby move a bit more. It felt…different than usual.

 _"You alright, love?"_ the Doctor thought to her.

 _"Fine,"_ she replied quickly. _"Nausea again, 's all."_

"So…" Donna spoke as she approached them, the rest of the group lingering around the console. "Mind explaining what we just went through back there?"

"Bit of déjà vu," Jack put in. "Bad Wolf must come into play when Daleks are around."

"Not necessarily, Jack," the Doctor replied, clearing his throat. He ran a hand through his hair as he pieced everything together. "This had to do with the War. Davros is responsible for creating the Daleks in the first place, and he found a way out of the time-lock. That alone was impossible, but that sounded very much like him. When I…" He sucked in a breath before continuing. "When I ended the War… I sealed it away in the time-lock, but Caan somehow managed to breach it and take Davros out, thus leading into everything we just witnessed."

"This wasn't something messing with the timelines, was it?" Rose asked curiously. "'Cause…it felt off."

"That's the thing, the timelines were manipulated because of Caan's interference. Davros discovered a loophole and managed to slip through. But he was weakening, the whole structure was collapsing because he was out of place in the timeline. And that's when Bad Wolf came in. Rose, with the help of Jenny as well, sent him and the Daleks back into the Time War to restore the balance and order of how it was meant to be."

"That's…incredible," Sarah Jane said with wide eyes.

The Doctor nodded, brushing his thumb over Rose's ribs. "It's the most powerful thing I've ever seen. Well, shouldn't say it that way, it's the most impossible. Well, one of. Well…it's just…Rose being Rose. And she managed to summon the TARDIS." He raised a brow at her. "Never knew that was possible either."

"Never underestimate the power of a determined woman," Rose said, smiling fondly. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "But…what about the prophecy? Remember when we saw the Ood? They knew this would happen. So did Evelina in Pompeii."

His jaw was tight as he recalled the past prognostications said by those groups. "Must have been the manipulated timelines. Everything was leading up to this specific moment—Caan knew about Davros and saw him for who he was and wanted him to be stopped, even tried to keep the order of things and make sure each of us ended up here to help. Think about it—think of all the coincidences we've come across. The other parallel worlds with Rose and Donna, meeting up with you lot on unexpected terms, that was all meant to happen."

"So it _was_ destiny," Donna remarked.

"Basically you're saying that, at the end of the day, a Dalek _aided_ us?" Jack asked incredulously.

"Apparently so. Never knew I'd see the day, but Caan realized what a Dalek truly stood for and wanted to get back to the man who wreaked havoc across the universe for centuries. He even knew of the Bad Wolf and how she managed to defeat the Daleks before. But this time they weren't destroyed—Rose sent them all back into the Time War, Davros included. Right through the loophole where Caan accidentally breached, restoring everything and maintaining the timelines." He paused. "Perhaps we could've saved him for the trouble he went through."

Rose rubbed his arm comfortingly. "It was too late for him," she said softly. "He was too far gone to be saved. What matters is that we saved the universe again, yeah? So many others lived."

The Doctor sighed and nodded. That was the truth of it. He tried not to dwell on what the rest of the prophecy was that Caan cackled about, so he pushed it aside and focused on the preserved universe.

"What about the other universe?" Mickey mentioned. "The cracks have still got to be there."

"They could be closing and some of us have to go back," Jake added.

"Tell you what," the Doctor spoke up. "We can save that until morning. Well, relatively morning on the TARDIS. The energy binding the cracks is still a bit flexible, closing at a slow steady rate. I reckon that gives us plenty of time until they seal shut permanently. You all can stay here and get some rest before going back to your homes."

"How many rooms are on this bloody ship?" Jackie asked. "What if we get lost?"

He rolled his eyes. "The only way you could end up lost is if you really wanted to. Or if you get on the Old Girl's bad side, so try not to end up in the library's pool."

Jenny's face lit up. "You have a pool in a _library_?"

" _We_ do," the Doctor corrected with a smile. "You can set up your own bedroom and get settled."

"And we'll take care of your 'borrowed' ship," Rose added, arching an eyebrow at her husband after. "Like father, like daughter."

The young girl giggled before hugging both of them again. Once more an odd sense of warmness came over Rose. In the last two months she's experienced the pregnancy symptoms, she never felt the nausea take hold quite like this. Her hands felt clammy for some odd reason, and she felt dizzy. Usually she would feel chilled, but the sensation running down her spine was unusual. A slow pain began to form in her gut—in her womb. Her heart began to race. She couldn't ignore this, and she couldn't keep it from her husband.

Something felt wrong, and not just with her. Something was wrong with the baby.

Her heart felt like a lead weight as it dropped in her chest. This couldn't be happening, not when everything was back to normal and the danger had been averted. So she thought. She felt herself wanting to sob, to fall apart. She had never experienced these feelings before or knew whether or not this was normal for a pregnancy, but she felt crushed. This wasn't a normal human pregnancy, and the Doctor was cautious early on about how her body would be able to manage their cross-species child. Since they first discovered she was pregnant, he closely monitored her symptoms and their well-being to make sure her body temperature fit the needs of the child and that they were healthy. But now the dark thoughts that had once lingered inside her husband were coming over her now. She tried to breathe steady, but she was afraid of what this could lead to.

This would break him in ways that would kill her. He had been supportive and had a glint of hope that he would become a father again. Now she was failing him. Maybe he had been right maybe she should have stayed in the TARDIS 24/7 to avoid anything serious to happen. Her heart was breaking the more she thought about the possible ways she could've prevented this nightmare from happening. But she couldn't, and it pained her deeply.

The Doctor's eyes shut for a sharp moment when he felt something through their bond. His head swam a bit, but it was something different. He felt Rose trembling beneath his hand and could feel a sense of distress growing in her mind. He noted how much paler she had become, and tried to ease his way into her mind. Then it struck him, and his hearts froze. He felt like he was about to be torn into two.

"What's the matter with you two?" Jackie asked. "You don't look right."

"Doctor…" Rose gasped out when another sharp pain hit her middle. "I'm…I'm so sorry!"

"What's happening?" Jenny asked, concerned.

Rose's eyes began to well up before tears slowly slid down her cheeks. "The baby," she fought out. "Something's wrong with the baby!"


	72. Bringer of Life

**A/N: Mind the long waits. Much love to you lovely viewers!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 69: Bringer of Life**_

 _"Something's wrong with the baby!"_

"What?!" Jackie gasped, cupping her mouth in terror.

The Doctor immediately felt a cold blade tearing at his hearts, the horror sinking in. This couldn't be happening, not now. Not _ever._ "Rose, listen to me, you're going to be fine," he said quickly with his arm wrapped around her middle, trying to assure both him and her that everything _was_ going to be okay.

Trying his hardest wasn't helping much for him when he roughly pulled his sonic out and scanned her body. Then he read the results and felt his soul being ripped away from him, his breath rushing out of his system and freezing his blood. Rose's temperature usually remained a little lower than usual to fulfill the baby's needs, which wasn't too dangerous for her levels. But now her temperature was raising and the baby's vital signs were weakening. He kept his arms firmly around her and pulled her close to him, trying to keep not only her from trembling, but to somehow hide his terror. He was failing at that.

"I'm so sorry, Doctor," Rose sobbed. "This is my fault, I'm… I'm so sorry!"

"No no no, don't say that!" he assured, brushing her hair back. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Rose. This isn't your fault, d'you hear me?"

"Can't you do anything?" Jack asked urgently.

The Doctor just realized how everyone in the console room had surrounded them, worried and concerned. "Of course I can!"

"No, you can't!" Rose said, shaking her head. "There's nothing we can do!"

"Yes there is! _Please_ , Rose, you can trust me!"

"He's the Doctor for a reason," Donna said gently. "He's your husband, he can help!"

"I can help too," Martha cut in, stepping forward. "I've had training in pregnancies."

"Martha, no disrespect to your field because you're brilliant, but this isn't a typical human pregnancy," the Doctor told her in a rush, as gentle as he could muster. His mind was racing as he tried to send his wife calming waves through their bond. Rose doubled over when another sharp pain hit her, and he felt it split through his head and he hissed. "Shhh shhh shhh, you're going to be fine, love," he soothed, trying to stop his voice from cracking. "Listen to me, you're gonna be alright."

"But the baby!" Rose cried, shaking her head quickly. "T-there's…we can't…"

"Rose, listen to me very carefully," he said, raising a hand to her cheek. She was drenched in sweat, so he moved her hair away from her face to lock their eyes. "Focus. I need to take you to the medbay right now, you're burning up and need to cool down. C'mon!"

She convulsed and made a sound of pain, and he wasted no time in lifting her easily into his arms, carrying her down the corridor. He told everyone else to stay put in the console room or go to the galley, but they followed despite his words. His mind was racing and his hearts were hammering in his chest before rising into his throat. Rose's body was waging a battle, and he was determined to save their child. He needed to be strong for her, to be there for her just as she always did for him. He focused on their love for each other in an attempt to ease their nerves before anguish engulfed them. The scan confirmed the worst, but he wasn't letting their miracle slip away from them. He couldn't. He didn't want the black thoughts to haunt him and make him feel heavy weights of grief, but they fell over him like a cold shower.

From the beginning he was cautious about this pregnancy, fearing what the possible ramifications would be and what trials Rose's body would have to go through with a hybrid fetus. He had fought an internal battle with his conflicted emotions about their unplanned conception and what the effects would be on his wife and the child, but he overcame every layer of apprehension and fear to fully accept the reality and be overjoyed with the gift the universe blessed he and Rose with. In the back of his mind he still had the notion that the child would be taken away from him like he believed Jenny had, but he allowed himself to be at peace for the last several weeks since finding out the news. No struggling, just cherishing every moment of the experience that was to come.

Now the universe was trying to tear another part of his soul away from him. Rassilon, don't do this to them. Haven't they gone through enough agony over the years? Hasn't the universe taken enough from him? No. He wouldn't let another light be ripped away from him. He was going to do all he could to save it.

Everyone was chattering behind him frantically while he hurried as fast as he could. Thankfully that the TARDIS moved the medbay closer for convenience. His head was swimming, most of it being transferred into his mind from Rose. She tried to steady her breathing as he lay her down on the bed. Her skin was flushed and she was drenched in sweat.

"Doctor…" Rose whimpered sadly. "I'm…"

"Don't you feel sorry for anything," he told her hoarsely, wiping the tears and sweat off her face before kissing her forehead. His voice was strained, but he tried to conceal his worry. "Everything's gonna be okay."

"What's gonna happen?" Jackie asked worriedly. "Doctor!"

"Stay back, all of you!" he commanded. He turned back to Rose and noticed the paper sheet beneath her was becoming stained with a trickle of blood. His breath caught in his throat as he thrust his jacket off and hurried over to grab a device. The sight made him numb. "Rose, stay calm, okay love? Let me—"

"No, move away!" Rose suddenly yelled with a burst of strength, moving out of his arms.

"Rose, please!" he cried desperately, his hearts going in his throat. "I dunno what this could do to you as well! Let me help you!"

"The prophecy is about to be fulfilled," she replied in Bad Wolf's voice, making his brows furrow.

Just as he was about to lunge forward to aid her, the TARDIS hummed in his mind to stand back at the same time Rose did. She gasped and clamped her eyes shut, clenching her teeth before falling onto her back. A small golden hue began to glow, lighting up around her womb before engulfing her entire body and spreading outward. Everyone behind the Doctor was murmuring in concern while he tried to calm hos speeding hearts down. The light became too bright until it expanded and fell over the room, causing everyone to shield their eyes. The sound of a wolf's howl escaped from Rose before she silenced, the light fading.

The Doctor felt that his wife was alright through their bond, but it didn't stop the hammering of his hearts. When he lowered his arm from his face, he saw that she was laying on the bed, unconscious. His nerves were shaking as he moved his eyes along her form.

"What the hell just happened?" Jack whispered.

"Doctor…" Jackie breathed out shakily. "Is she…oh God, please don't tell me she's…"

"No no, she's alive," the Doctor confirmed hoarsely, finding his voice. "She's just sleeping."

"But what about that light?" Donna asked. "What about your baby?"

He swallowed hard, hoping that the black thoughts invading his mind were lies and not hard truths to what the reality could be for their child. Stepping forward, he held a trembling hand out to gently brush back Rose's hair, his fingers lingering on her temple… until he gasped at what he felt.

"What's wrong with her?" Jackie asked. "Is everything okay? Please tell me she's alright!"

The Doctor blinked a few times before reaching for his sonic and scanning it over Rose's body. When he read the results, his mouth dropped open in both relief and shock. "Oh…" was all he could manage.

"What, what is it?"

"Everyone stay on-board and choose a guest room to sleep in. I'll explain what happened later. Right now, Rose needs her rest." He carefully took his wife into his arms and made his way out and towards their bedchamber.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

A familiar soothing song filled Rose's mind as well as the usual cool presence of the Doctor once she began to stir. Her mouth felt dry like she had been crawling through a desert and her body felt stiff. Her eyes twitched and she tried to move, but was feeling exhausted. She was feeling weightless for a few moments before she became aware of her surroundings. Beneath her was her and the Doctor's bed, she could tell. Her mind was swimming a bit and a slight warmness came over her forehead that caused her to blink, her vision blurred.

For a moment she tried to recall what was happening but felt her body moving on its own accord when she booted upright—a move she immediately regretted when the dizziness increased. She groaned and pressed a palm to her forehead when clouds formed around her mind. The TARDIS hummed soothingly before she felt her husband coming through their bond.

"Easy there, Rose," the Doctor said gently as he entered their room and shut the door behind him. He was sitting by her side in a second, holding a mug in his hands. "Don't wanna get a head rush now. Here, take small sips."

He handed her the mug and she brought it to her lips, sipping the tea slowly rather than downing the contents. One of his hands raised up to stroke her hair back, soft eyes searching hers as he watched her drink the beverage. When she finished, he took the mug from her and placed it on the nightstand, cradling both of her hands in his.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

"Lightheaded an' like I swallowed sand," Rose replied, still blinking a few times to fully see her husband's face coming into focus.

"Nothing too serious, that's a good sign."

But then she remembered the crushing scene prior to her falling asleep and her eyes widened in horror. "Oh my God, the baby!" she gasped, her heart becoming heavy again and her eyes already forming tears. "What happened? I-is it alright? Please tell me it's okay, I—"

"Shhh," the Doctor soothed, brushing his thumbs over her hands. "Calm down, love. The baby's fine, and so are you. You're both okay."

"Y-you're sure?" she choked out. "But I…it didn't… what happened?"

"Can you remember?"

Rose briefly shut her eyes and tried to replay the images of what occurred before she lost consciousness. She could feel her stomach trembling as the soul crushing memory came over her, felt the Doctor's pain through their bond. She shook her head, everything becoming fuzzy.

"Do you want me to show you?" he asked softly.

She hesitated at first, but then nodded. His hands released hers as he placed his fingers gently on her temples, easing into her mind to show her the memory. While he knew he could transfer the images by a simple thought through the bond, he wanted to show her gently without overwhelming her after awakening from the sensation she just went through. His breathing hitched when he replayed the scene in his own mind while sending it to his wife, having to see her convulsing in pain and hear her gasps, feeling the aches that shot through their systems then see the trickle of blood that escaped from her as they began to lose their child. It wasn't something he wanted to remember, but he couldn't block it out.

It was the latest edition of painful memories to join the thick pile stacked inside of his memory banks, much to his dismay. The very sight that their child was mere seconds away from death was something he couldn't easily hide away, just like the trials and tribulations Rose had gone through her captivity and during the Year That Never Was. Healing from them was one thing, and they had been past those horrid events, but that didn't mean they were completely gone. They still remained and always would, and now this occurrence was the new batch of nightmares. However, that's what always came to their lives. No matter what the universe threw at them they would fight through—together.

In the midst of the struggle Rose had gone through was something he never imagined could happen, even with a pregnancy as impossible as this was. It was the end result that made him feel relieved and completely flabbergasted.

Rose had been trembling when the memory came back to her, feeling both the pain of the baby and the Doctor while she went through the sudden attack. Yet another thing she desperately wished could be forgotten, but it hit her so hard that she felt colder. But then she gasped when she felt the warmness spreading through her body before she lost consciousness, the howl of a wolf rippling through her as golden light encased her being, the tingle in the back of her mind growing. She blinked a few times, trying to process what she saw.

"What was that?" Rose asked shakily. "What happened?"

The Doctor let out a shaky breath as he held her hands in his again. "The baby…" His brows raised and the sound of what could be a mix of a chuckle and a sob escaped from him. "The baby regenerated."

Her misty eyes widened in shock. "But…how can that even _happen_? It's part human, yeah? I thought that meant it wasn't possible."

"Apparently our child continues to go against the odds," he replied with a quiet laugh. His eyes were shining as he rubbed the tops of her hands with his thumbs. "Granted, I never knew what to fully expect with this pregnancy considering it's the first of its kind with human/Time Lord genetics. But in usual circumstances, I imagined that our child would have an extended lifespan matching ours at the very least, no regenerations."

"But the baby's okay? I mean, it… it _regenerated_ , does that make it fully Time Lord or…"

The Doctor took a deep breath. "Not fully. It's still part human, but the Time Lord DNA is more dominant now. Think of Jenny, for example. Same changes. Both physiologies were trying to coalesce since they contrast with each other, and had to become whole for our child. As I mentioned when we first found out we conceived I was… well, you know how I said that I was unsure of what this would lead to and if there would repercussions to both of you with the changes."

Rose's eyes welled up again, a chill shooting down her spine. "So… because I wasn't meant to carry the baby since I'm still mostly human, it…" She choked back on a sob, her voice deathly quiet. "It… _died_."

Pain flickered in the Doctor's eyes as he squeezed her hands. "It was forthcoming, but this is the thing to take away from this, Rose. The baby survived because of its Time Lord genetics, and it catalyzed the ability to regeneration. In usual circumstances the cycles were awarded, but even Jenny is capable of going through the process as well. I don't really know _how_ that's possible, but I'm glad it is. The baby regenerated inside of you. Never thought I'd see such a thing. Yet again our child seems to enjoy defying the odds." He let out a breathless chuckle. "They get that from their mother."

A small smile came over her lips while her stomach trembled. "Strong will, yeah?" she said, earning a happy sound from her husband. "But… Bad Wolf. Do you think that… _caused_ this to happen?"

He exhaled deeply, his eyes lingering on her belly. "By the looks of things, I don't think so. Technically speaking, Bad Wolf aided you and the baby."

"H-how do you mean?" Rose asked shakily.

"When the TARDIS came back to the Crucible and the doors opened, the light from the Vortex came pouring out. You were already aware of that. But by doing so, you managed to tap into the link between you and our child. As you know, Time Lords looked into the Untempered Schism when young to look into the Vortex and see Time. The energy you took in when Bad Wolf was triggered went straight through you and into the baby. Bonding between mother and child during pregnancy is vital—you both share everything from nutrients to oxygen and anything else necessary. The scans I've taken over the last few weeks already determined that our child had advanced human traits like yourself, but the Time Lord side had to be further accommodated."

Slowly trying to process his words, Rose nodded. "So Bad Wolf triggered the baby's Time Lord side so that it would survive?"

"Exactly," the Doctor said with a tiny smile. "Truthfully, Bad Wolf wouldn't be needed to activate the regeneration process since the contrasting physiologies were warring against each other inside of you. But in a way, it helped speed up the process and assure the baby's safety and yours. What affects you affects them, and with you adapting to the particles inside of you, it also helped accommodate the baby's needs and keep it stable." He brought a hand up to her chin, brushing it with his thumb while his lips quivered. "It _brought life_ , Rose. Brought life to _our child_."

If her eyes weren't already watery, then that would've set her in. Her insides warmed up at what this meant for them. Then something had occurred to her that shook her up a bit. "What about me? Did I change or something? You said that whatever affects the baby can affect me and vice versa. Do I have some kinda… altered Time Lord traits now instead of advanced human?"

The Doctor smiled gently. "You still have the same advanced human biology as you've always had in the last few years, but you _have_ undergone a couple of minor alterations as a reaction to the baby regenerating inside of you."

"Such as?"

"For one thing, your body temperature will become lower than the average human's, just enough to meet the baby's needs. Your cellular structure was affected as well, just pushing the fast forward button a little more. Your healing abilities strengthened a little more by twenty-five percent—which by all means has limitations, so remember to be aware of your surroundings—"

"We're not going through this again," Rose cut in with an eye roll.

He cleared his throat. "Right. Anyway, relatively speaking, you're a human 2.5 now with these newer changes to your system. Nothing volatile, thankfully, so everything's in tip-top shape for both of you." He inhaled another shaky breath, still gripping onto what had happened before bringing one of her hands up to his cheek. "Any changes that occurred are nothing life threatening, Rose. You're perfectly fine. And… " He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Your hormones are much stronger now."

"So you can smell that I'm pregnant now?" she asked.

"Ohhhh definitely," he hummed, nuzzling her wrist with his nose and breathing in her scent again. "It's… it's _very_ intoxicating, actually. Anyone with heightened senses could pick it up."

Rose snorted and shook her head. If he kept this up he would probably start purring like a cat, and knowing how sensitive he was it was a strong possibility. "Should I be worried?"

"Of course not," he assured quickly. "Hormonal changes like this are perfectly normal for human women when pregnant—well, mostly human in your case with a cross-species child, but the principle applies. All's well with this."

"No, I meant should I be worried about you constantly followin' me around and sniffing me in public."

"What? Rose Tyler, what do you take me for?"

"A bloodhound by the looks of it," she chuckled. "Jus' look at yourself. You won't even let my wrist go."

The Doctor looked a bit sheepish as he eased Rose's hand away from his face and set it down, still cradling it in his. He'd have to work on that once he adapted to the new sensation that emitted from his wife and invaded his senses. It was satisfying on many levels, and he would have to control himself. Not really an issue, he could handle it. He was just relieved to know that both his wife and unborn child were healthy and alive.

Rose rubbed his arm. "Be lucky mum doesn't see that," she joked. "She'd say you were up to some freaky alien thing again."

He smirked at that. "Don't need that."

"How is she? And Jenny? Where'd they go, are they okay too? I didn't mean to scare them—"

"Don't worry, love, everyone's doing fine now," he cut in softly. "They're all in their own guest rooms resting for now. They'll all be going back home tomorrow. I let them know how you're doing before they fell asleep, so you don't have to worry about them. Your mother was the hardest to calm down, as you'd imagine. I almost recommended some sedatives."

She swatted his chest. "Doctor, don't you dare."

"I didn't sedate her!" he protested before running a hand through his hair. "She's your mother, and she cares very much about you. She wanted to make sure you were okay, especially now that she's gonna be a grandmother."

"Yeah, she handled the announcement pretty well."

"And accused me of so many things like having a casual relationship with you and touching you with…tentacles," the Doctor said with a grimace. Rose laughed. "My own wife laughs at my suffering and embarrassment, shame on you."

"It's mum, you know how she can be," Rose replied. Her smile faltered a bit when she realized her another thing. "She's gonna go back to Pete's World," she said quietly. "She came all this way to help and has to go back to her home to Pete and Tony."

She paused, sadness sinking in. Since being separated from her mother, Rose had missed her dearly and wished she was having a safe life. But she couldn't deny her mother's happiness, and she had to leave to go home. Knowing she was okay mattered most. The Doctor smiled sadly, bringing his hand up to caress her cheek. Rose took a deep breath.

"Still though," she said after. "She's got her life, and she's happy." A tremor shot through her system, making her gasp and her eyes to widen. Her husband's brows raised while his arms carefully held her midsection. "Oh God, never felt one like that before. Is that normal?"

" _Perfectly_ normal," he assured with a nod. "Despite the slight escalation of changes your body has gone through, the tremors will still occur, just more often and a bit stronger. The little one's body's is starting to adapt to its stronger DNA. The contrasting biologies are still merging together, but everything is coming into a whole at a steady rate." He looked down with shining eyes and placed an open palm on her womb. "Safe to say… now we're certain that your body's compatible and stabilized to carry our child."

Rose's eyes were still welled up with tears—tears of joy. She tried to form a response to the miraculous news, but couldn't get her brain to conjure up any words. "And… that's good, yeah? It'll grow up perfectly fine after it's born?"

"I promise," the Doctor said gently, smiling softly. "Far as I can tell, it will grow to be healthy. And whatever else may come will, but the future's looking pretty bright from where we're standing."

"That's…" She laughed breathlessly. "That's really good."

"More than good, it's brilliant!" he said brightly, his eyes lighting up as he leaned forward to kiss her soundly.

Rose felt her insides bursting with warmth, the immensity being shared through their bond. The tears she had been fighting off were falling freely, ones of sheer happiness. For the longest time she had lived with a burning ache in her chest, the pain she would feel whenever she would see her husband wandering into the dark corners of his mind, the heedful memories that bled through whenever a small mentioning of his family back on his home planet triggered the pain to overtake him. She hated seeing him resort to past actions, wishing she could give him as much as she can with his culture, to bond with him and be with him by his side through everything the universe threw at them.

Every second of their lives together was something she would cherish for the rest of her extended lifetime, and being able to be blessed with a miracle—a gift from the universe itself—would be something they would never let slip through their fingers. It was uneasy knowing how close they came to losing their child, something so nightmarish that would break their hearts if it was stolen from them. The Doctor had lost his family long ago, and to suffer through that pain again would be unbearable beyond recognition. But the astonishment of what their child had done was relieving. It was proof to the test of time once again, to see how far the limits would go for them to have their lives be hit with something hard enough that would break others. But not them. The strength of their love and sacrifices made had brought promising rewards in the end.

All had threatened their bond, trying to see how the chains could be broken and keep them apart. In the end, though, were aftermaths that defied the odds. Outcomes that seemed top impossible to happen, but that's what made everything exciting and enduring. They loved the impossible and proving the universe wrong. Rose felt a shift through their bond as the Doctor pulled her closer, with his arms encircling around her tightly. She wanted to tap into his mind, but she didn't have to once she felt his warmth flooding through, their kiss sweet and loving and reposeful. They savored the moment until breathing became a necessity and caused them to break apart, still with their arms wrapped around each other in their arms.

The Doctor was still trying to grasp onto the reality of the situation, the news feeling like a breath of fresh air in a sense. For so long he never believed he would have any of the things he had in his life now. Never did he think he would be bonded to an amazing and patient human embodiment of an angel, a young daughter that shared the same ambitions as them to explore the stars, and an unborn child that would undoubtedly fit into the lifestyle they were accustomed to. He never imagined this would be his life, but he was grateful that someone like him was given so many gifts. Normally he wouldn't dwell on hopes and miracles knowing how it would cause greater agony and guilt for him. But that was then, and he wasn't holding back anymore.

Pulling back, he smiled warmly at his wife. She was just as awestruck as him, as he'd expected, and the sheer magnitude of joy still lingered on her face. "What's on your mind?" he asked gently.

"I… can't even begin to think yet," Rose said with a quiet laugh. "It's just so…"

"Surreal? Amazing? Impossible?"

"All of those, yeah. Impossible is losing its meaning with us though."

The Doctor chuckled softly and held her closer, nudging her cheek with his. They remained that way for a few moments before a small jolt shook through both of them. Rose's eyes widened a bit again, fearing something was wrong. She tensed up as she pulled back to look at him.

"Doctor, you're sure the baby's okay? You checked it, and nothing else happened? It's a _hundred percent_ safe?"

The Doctor placed his fingers beneath her chin, caressing her skim with his thumb. "Our child is perfectly fine, Rose. Like I said, those tremors are normal just as they've always been. You're fully compatible now, no need to worry. I'll keep running tests to track everything, but you both should be okay." A thought came to him and made his hearts flutter. "D'you wanna see for yourself?"

"From the scans? Yeah, you want me to move—"

She moved to stand beside their bed, but a gentle hand to her arm stopped her. "You don't have to go anywhere. Running scans aren't needed for that. We can take a peek…" He lightly brushed his fingers over her temple. "In here."

"Through our bond?"

The Doctor nodded, smiling softly. "Based off of the readings from the last scans I performed on you, our child's system has enhanced exponentially, allowing its mind to grow a little faster. Not completely, but it's a tad bit more developed for us to feel and see it."

Rose couldn't form words. "Can I see?" she finally whispered.

He reached for her hands, squeezing gently before raising them to her temples. Their eyes slipped shut as he drew her along with him, journeying through the deepest recesses of her mind where awareness was thin. She had never gone so far into an area so deep within herself, but her husband led her through their connection as they delved down as deep as they could. An immediate sense of warmth came over them, strengthening the further they continued forward. The feeling began to intensify when a small tendril of light came into view, the sound of a double pulse echoing around them.

 _"There it is, Rose,"_ the Doctor thought to her.

 _"I can feel it,"_ Rose replied in awe, the sound of life encompassing them.

 _"We can move closer. Would you like that?"_

 _"Yes."_

Drawing themselves even deeper into the area, the light shone a little brighter. It was a small spark, but so vibrant and alive. The double pulse kept beating through them as they eased their way through. And then they saw their child. Its intricate system still in its developmental stages—every single cell dividing rapidly over and over again, molecules coming together to create life, tissues laying down that would soon become organs, the fetus slowly taking shape. It was the most incredible sight. Seeing exactly how life was created, how it would grow and thrive inside the womb—life that they created. No words in any of the languages in the entire universe could explain the sheer amount of amazement at witnessing a miracle happening.

In the back of their minds they could feel a tug. When they first bonded, everything entwined. Their timelines merged and sealed them as eternal soulmates, and what they were watching now was a glimpse of something they didn't think could ever become reality. But the universe blessed them with this gift of life, and they couldn't be any more grateful to be given this opportunity to share this experience with each other.

Once the Doctor and Rose withdrew from the deep area within the bond, they slowly opened their eyes and still felt the pulse lingering with them. Forming a sentence seemed to be a challenge, but she was the first to speak. "T-that…" she began, choking up from her tears. "That was… so beautiful."

"That was our child, Rose," he said, his voice shaken as he kept his shining eyes locked on hers. "That was life, and it's _so_ alive."

Their arms wrapped around each other in another tight embrace before they shared another loving kiss, during which the tears began to fall freely. Not just Rose's, but the Doctor's as well. It was extremely rare for him to cry, most of the time being a result of heartsbreak. Except now he was relieved and happy. Happy that his wife was safe and that their child was so alive and would continue to thrive. Finally breaking apart, they fell into a fit of breathless laughter.

"You know mum would want a picture of our baby's sonogram," Rose mentioned. "She'd rip into you if she didn't get to see her grandchild in the womb."

"Blimey, can only imagine how she was when she found out she was having you," the Doctor replied. "I can take care of that in the infirmary."

"Don't forget about Jenny. She'd love to have a look at her little brother or sister."

"I haven't forgotten our daughter, how could I? We just have to teach her more about telepathy and help her strengthen her mental walls among other necessary matters." He blew a puff of air past his lips. "Been a while since we saw her… there's lots for us to catch up to."

Rose grinned. "We've got all the time in the world. Should be a fast learner like her mother, yeah?"

The Doctor made a happy sound and booped her nose. "Like mother, like daughter. And if we're lucky, our other child will be just like you. 'Cause if they're anything like _me_ …" He snorted and shook his head. "I'd have many apologies prepared for them."

"Dunno, you're not so bad," Rose said, studying him.

"Really?"

She shifted to frame his face with her hands, staring right into his eyes. "You know I mean it every time I say it. No matter what dark part of your mind you go to, no matter what painful memory haunts you and what demons tell you otherwise, you're a good man. Because you do all you can to make sure the universe is safe, that so many lives are saved in the end. You're strong enough to move past all the struggles that have held you down for all those years, fought through tooth and nail to keep everything intact, because that's what you do—give people hope when it seems like it's gone." She pulled back with one of his hands to place it on her stomach, smiling softly. "Our baby already inherited that."

The Doctor's chin trembled slightly. "You're… incredible. And so are both of our children." He kissed her sweetly again, slipping his hand beneath her top and flat against her skin where their child was growing. "No doubt our child will take your hibernating habits," he said after.

"Shut up," she replied, playfully smacking his arm while he snickered. "I'm not always sleepin'." Then she yawned and he raised his brows as if to say 'told you so'. "Don't get all smug, I'm not even that tired."

"No matter. We have lots of time 'til the morning. All the time in the universe."

With a warm smile the Doctor caught her lips with his own again, the pulse of their child still echoing in their ears before laying in silence together, holding each other close until they fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

 **Two more chapters 'til we bring this baby home!**


	73. The Journey Continues Part 1

**A/N: This chapter** **was originally loooooong, but I split it into two. The second part of this chapter WILL be the last. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 70: The Journey Continues Part 1**_

Rose's eyes fluttered open when a cool wave entered her mind along with the tender sensation of a hand caressing her skin. Her senses caught up when found that the Doctor had his hand slipped under the hem of her top and was tracing tight circles over her abdomen. She noted how she was wearing his light blue Oxford over her shirt. He must've slipped it on her while she was asleep, she figured. Soft Gallifreyan words of affection came through his mind and gently into hers, warmth following suit with every expression. She smiled, gently nudging him through their bond.

"Sorry if I woke you up," the Doctor spoke from behind her. "You've only been asleep for about an hour and twenty-seven minutes."

"No, 's fine," Rose assured. "I don't mind. You've been doing that for a while since we first found out, it doesn't bother me if that's what you were thinking."

"Oh, no no, I wasn't getting the impression that you were annoyed by it." He paused. "Y-you're sure you don't mind? Even though I can wake you up from hibernation?"

At that she turned around on her side to face him, lightly poking him in the forehead. He chuckled quietly, his hand continuing gentle strokes to her skin now that he had easier access. "'M bettin' that you'd do it in public too, even if I'm not showing yet."

He hummed. "Quite possibly."

"How long would it take for me to show again?"

"Still pretty early to know for sure, even after the latest alterations to its system. As I explained before having part-Gallifreyan genetics guarantees a longer gestational period than the average human pregnancy, but the fetus should remain normal size without exceeding its usual length despite the intricacies it goes through in the process. I still believe it'll be a while until you actually show signs."

A shiver shot through Rose's body just as she nodded. She rolled onto her back and tugged her sleeves down a little. "You better not say I stole your shirt again," she teased.

The Doctor smirked. "Oh, I wasn't going to 'cause I slipped it on you shortly after you were asleep. With your temperature lowering another notch after the changes I figured you'd want something more warm and comfortable and made of cotton."

"Usually I have you wrapped around me," she said with a cheeky grin. "You do make an excellent blanket."

He chuckled quietly and nuzzled her nose with his. "That's always another alternative." He gently nudged the hem of her shirt up higher and placed his palm flat against her belly, his fingers continuing their strokes. "I'm trying to see if I can connect with our child. It's still pretty faint."

"What are you talking about? I thought you already could," Rose said, puzzled.

"I can, but it isn't on the level like yours or how we are together. Its mind may still be in development, but the bond between you and them is much stronger than… well, how mine currently is with it."

"How do you mean?" she asked, her brows still furrowed. "We're both bonded, and you can feel the baby in your mind."

"Yes, but not to the extent that you share with it. Not _yet,_ at least. Since they're growing inside of you, the maternal bond is already becoming stronger. All of their nutrients come from your body, thus connecting to you faster. While we're both bonded, the paternal bond is still very thin. Sensing changes in the system and in the mother is already a given, but… it's just not as strong as the maternal connection."

"What about the pregnancy symptoms you feel through it? You know, your morning sickness. If you weren't connected to our child, you wouldn't be havin' those spells."

The Doctor tilted his head. "Well no. What I'm saying is that both of us _are_ already bonded to them in the form of a familial telepathic bond, just like what we have with Jenny. But the waves are still a bit… well, wavy and small. I know it's still very early in the gestational period, and we may have been able to feel the short tremors of its telepathic waves—a very good sign, too—it's just…" He sighed through his nose, his fingers resting over the skin of her hip.

Rose felt an odd shift coming through their bond but soothed him instantly. "You just wish it would respond more," she said quietly. He didn't reply, but she placed her hand over his.

"I just…" the Doctor began, shaking his head and not meeting her eyes. "I just hope our child understands how much we love them—fully, that is. They aren't big enough to feel anything besides small transfers and miniscule senses from us. Anything we feel and send each other can be detected by them—hurt, anger, worry, happiness, any emotional impact that you may feel can affect them. They might not even be aware that they had regenerated inside of you, although if they felt any pain at all, it subsided once you regained your rest."

"Doctor, you've run countless tests on me and the baby and said we're fine and healthy." Her eyes widened and she pushed herself up on her forearms more. "It _is_ okay, right?"

"Oh no no, it's perfectly fine," he assured quickly. "I ran another scan with the sonic to make sure anyway while you were sleeping, plus I would've felt a shift through you had anything happened in your womb. But it's just… the paternal bond won't become as strong as the maternal bond until the pregnancy is nearing its end. Our marital bond, however, _is_ strongest, thus allowing me to be able to tap into the baby's developing waves."

"So… you're upset that the baby isn't as connected to you as it is to me yet?" Rose whispered.

The Doctor lowered his eyes. "I just want our baby to know that we love them, and I'll do all I can to make sure you're in a safe environment to avoid any other problems. Like we faced earlier. I won't let that happen to you ever again. We can travel lightly, go to resort planets for the remainder of the year… even for a couple years so the little one doesn't get too overwhelmed by anything—"

"Doctor," Rose cut in.

"—which isn't bad, there's plenty of resorts in the universe, the Griggilopsin galaxy has one thousand and thirteen alone—"

"Doctor."

"—and then there's always amusement park pleasure planets, even taking a bus ride to—"

He was finally silenced when Rose placed a single finger to his lips. She could feel his guilt starting to creep in. She knew he would still dwell on the events on the Crucible despite the heartwarming and relieving news they had received in regards to their child afterward. She couldn't blame him for being concerned about the future and their endeavors across the universe. Trouble attracted to them like a magnet, so avoiding as much as possible was a main priority now. But they could withstand anything, and they could have all the good times they wanted without worries. She took her hand away from his mouth and pressed it to the side of his face.

"You have nothing to worry about," she said softly. "We're all still connected, Doctor, and our baby feels all the love in the universe. Everything. You know how much I love you, and I can feel how much you love me through every little thing you do—holding my hand, making banana pancakes, hugging me, kissing me, whenever we make love. Doctor… our baby already feels all of that. It can sense you, even if it's small. Whenever you touch my belly or tap into our bond we can feel our child's presence. We even saw them growing through the bond, 'member? Our child was born out of love, and it's thriving with life. Trust me, love, our baby already loves you. And they know they'll always be safe no matter what. We can avoid trouble for as long as possible. The universe can be kind to us, we've got proof of that."

Taking his hand, she placed it on her abdomen. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears of happiness. "You're going to be a wonderful father," she added. "You've done it before, and now you can do it again. We can have this together. Partners for life."

The Doctor's bottom lip trembled with a watery smile as he wrapped his fingers around his wife's wrist and turned his head to press a kiss to her inner skin. "Partners," he replied. He leaned down and took her lips with his in a loving kiss. "Rose… I'm just… I'm so sorry you were put through that earlier, I…" He shut his eyes and shook his head. "You were… you were in pain when Davros—"

"But pain doesn't always guarantee loss," she put in gently. "We gained so much more. What we thought was a tragedy turned around and became a blessing—an even greater one that reopened all possibilities and created some more. Things always work out in the end for us, yeah?"

He inhaled a deep breath as he reached for both of his wife's hands and cradled them in his lap, squeezing them. She was right. She always was. Through the chaos that ensued on that ship was every loose end that had been drawn up to this moment being ties up, questions answered, problems solved, everything saved. He felt himself breathing easier now. Any tension the returned to him after calming down left him once again, allowing him to fully accept himself and the present. He always thought he was cursed with many a things, but that wasn't always the case. He was blessed with even more—friends, family, a life he had never imagined himself living with the woman he truly loved. If he were told many years ago that this would be his life, he wouldn't believe it. But he was living it, and it was going to be amazing with every day.

"Oh yes," he finally breathed out with a smile. "For all the same, you'll make an excellent mother." She grinned and he kissed her gently. "What'd I ever do to deserve you, Rose?"

"Well, you gotta have someone keeping you in check," Rose replied. He made a happy noise before kissing her again.

Soon mental waves of love were transferred to each other, hands moved over bodies, declarations were made, words of eternal commitments spoken through various actions. He could never hold himself back when it came to his wife for anything. Additional enhancements to her hormones weren't necessary when it came to making him fall for her and meld themselves together as one in the most intimate of ways that only lovers can. It wasn't long, but it was cherished. Surrendering to his wife was never a dull moment for him. She was the greatest gift he could be given, and every tender moment they shared was being catalogued and savored, and she deserved all the pleasure he could offer her. Every moment that made them feel alive. And their child beginning to grow added to that. The universe had sent Jenny back to them and helped revive their unborn child. Everything felt so true, and so right. Like nothing else could penetrate their own bubble.

They had gone through so much to get to this point in their lives, something that seemed to be a fantasy and unlikely scenario unfit for any of the countless realities out there. But this was the one true reality he was holding dear to him. His family. The events from earlier proved yet again that the universe, while generous enough to bless him, would also try to curse him by putting his loved ones in danger. Having his hearts rise up into his throat was never a good feeling to have wash over him. Now though they were soaring, thumming along with hers. He still needed to take precautions after this point, but he swore that he wouldn't let anything else happen to those he cared about. He slipped up a little today by pulling his family and friends into a personal mess, risking the lives of his pregnant wife and daughter. But no more. She taught him to love again, unrestrained and without fear. Though the road ahead was still one to be nervous about, he wasn't making any more mistakes.

He was going to make this right. He would do anything to keep that vow.

Both feeling satiated from declaring their love for each other, the Doctor slumped and rested his forehead on Rose's shoulder while they caught their breaths and let the added electricity shoot through them and buzz through their minds. Soft touches came after, soothing circles being rubbed into skin, their bond cackling with pleasurable static, leaving them glowing.

 _"I love you, Rose,"_ he told her quietly through their bond. _"I truly, really love you."_

 _"I love you too, Doctor,"_ she replied back.

He lightly traced his fingertips across her face and allowed his lips to follow the path. She shivered beneath him when he began peppering kisses across her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, her jaw line, then settling on her lips. He then gently eased down her body and didn't stop showering her with attention until he reached her womb. One hand came to rest over her skin, tenderly caressing where their child lay within. Another small buzz came to both of them, and it made them smile.

"And I love you, little one," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her belly. "You, your mother, and your big sister Jenny. I love all three of you so much."

Rose had tears coming to her eyes. Their lives were already beautiful, and it would continue to be so. She ran her fingers through his hair, smiling warmly at him as he stretched himself back up to kiss her sweetly again. He pulled back to lay beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders while she cuddled up to him and pillowed her head on his chest. He pressed a kiss to her hair before inhaling deeply again. She wanted to roll her eyes.

"Doctor," she began. "Control yourself."

"Sorry sorry," he said, almost unabashedly. "It's just… your hormones are incredibly strong and…" he trailed off with a tight Gallifreyan phrase, his eyes slowly slipping shut. " _Rassilon_ , it's invigorating."

Rose giggled and propped her chin on his chest to stare at him. "You're hopeless in that case," she joked.

The Doctor chuckled, making her bounce. "Can't help it. Rose Tyler, the things you do to me."

"I can feel them, you know." She threw him a tongue-touched grin and slung a leg over his waist. "You're not being discreet."

He waggled his eyebrows. "No reason to keep anything hidden. Especially when in the privacy of our bedchamber."

She rolled her eyes playfully and snuggled back into his chest, sighing happily as his right heart thumped in her ear. "I still can't believe this. It's just… it's fantastic. We have a family."

"And it's getting bigger."

Rose chuckled quietly. "As if our life couldn't get any more amazing."

The Doctor grinned, bringing a hand up under Rose's chin to raise her eyes to him. "We're gonna be more than just that. We're gonna be brilliant. Just like both of our children."

They shared another kiss before laying in silence for several minutes. Holding her close to him, he brought his opposite hand over to languidly run his fingers down her back in a repetitive motion, humming in contentment and revelling in the intimate moment before they fell back to sleep. Whatever was in store for them in the future, they would be ready.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Mickey remained in the galley with Jake, recalling everything they had been through in the last few days. Hopping across all the dimensions just to locate the Doctor and the TARDIS to solve the mystery of the dying stars, all the hard work and missteps they overcame just to get to this point. But now that everything was back to normal, it made him think back to where they would go from here.

He had a great job back in Pete's World, he never complained about his duties. Defending the Earth was a damn good occupation in his books. But the reasons for staying in the world in the first place had long since left him, mainly the personal ones. His grandmother had passed away, and it affected him greatly. She was so full of life and made him enjoy their time together that had been taken away from him in the regular universe. But he made the most of it and was able to be there for her for a couple years until she was gone, and he wouldn't trade that. There wasn't anything left for him in that place now. Of course, he wasn't belittling his friendship with Jake. He was always a great partner to have in the line of work, but the man had his own family and his own boyfriend to focus on. Mickey had none of that in the parallel world anymore. Blood related, that was.

He always had the Tylers as his other family. They had always been dependable and loving and caring towards him, almost like he was a distant relative or even closer as a part of them. As much of a home they had been for him, he just felt… out of place, in a sense. He just felt it was time to go out in the world and look for more opportunities. Prior to connecting with their successful jump into this universe, he had a private conversation with Pete about it. The boss was understanding, even admitting to feeling the same about his own experiences. Jake was also accepting it. Mickey was going to miss him, but he had bigger and brighter things to look forward to at Torchwood in Pete's World, his own relationship, and his own career. And Mickey had the same mindset for moving on. That was the thing to keep in mind—there's always bigger things waiting for everyone in the world.

That's when Mickey first decided he would probably take his opportunity. Now he was sure of it.

"Everything alright in here?" Jackie asked, coming into the galley. "I thought you two went to bed."

"Can't sleep," Mickey replied. "Long day, lot on my mind, you know?"

"Don't I? I can't even sit still, now I'm getting as bad as that bloody alien—all antsy. Can you believe he hasn't let me see my daughter yet and it's been hours! I want to see her and make sure she's okay!"

"He gave us reports and said Rose was fine a bunch of times already. They're probably asleep, it's been a long day."

Jackie snorted, crossing her arms. "They're always together, they're practically joined at the hip. I'm used to it, just not the fact that man is now my son-in-law. And I'm going to be a gran, blimey!" Mickey and Jake laughed. "I should've seen this coming, actually. I just… never thought that alien would commit to somethin' so…"

"Human?" Jake supplied.

"Really human." She came over to where they were sitting and took a seat for herself, appearing sullen. "How am I supposed to leave her again? My little girl is growing up so much—a marriage, becoming a mother, being amazing. I want to be with her throughout everything… but Pete and Tony are back at the mansion. His work is there, and it's his passion. He couldn't just give up on everything he's created."

Mickey put his hand on hers. "You don't know that."

"I know him, Micks. I should just live with it. Unless… maybe there's a way for me to keep in touch with Rose despite being in another world? I don't know, it's just… I came with you on this mission so I can see my daughter again and make sure she was safe and taken care of. And she is, she's so happy. I just…"

She trailed off. Since living with her in their mansion, Mickey knew that Jackie always longed to come back and be with her daughter. They had been separated against their will, luckily able to get goodbyes in before living their lives on either side of the universes. But that didn't mean Jackie was okay with that. She was always going to be Rose's mother no matter where she was in any world, but not being able to hug her own daughter was sad. Mickey understood where Jackie was coming from. He's known this woman for so many years and she was a fighter, and Rose inherited that strength. So whenever they want something and are passionate about it, they would get it. While every parent had to deal with their children moving on with their lives, it didn't mean they couldn't still be there for them. That's what she was upset about.

Mickey reached over and gave her hug. "You're gonna be alright," he said gently.

"S'pose we'll see what happens once we go back home," Jackie sighed.

"Right… about that. I… talked to Pete before we left, and…"

She pulled back, looking confused. "What? The Doctor's taking us home."

Mickey bit his lip. "I put in my resignation. I'll be coming home."

He wanted to tell her more, but she seemed to understand him and hugged him again.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Only a few hours had passed when the Doctor and Rose were beginning to stir slightly. The continuous rhythm of knocking roused them followed by a familiar American's voice from the other side of their bedroom door. "Helloooo, anyone home?"

Rose rolled over and buried her face into her husband's chest, trying to block out the noise. "God, 's too early for this," she mumbled, still hazy from sleep.

"For Rassilon's sake," the Doctor grumbled. "What does he want?"

"You said you'd take everyone home in the morning."

"My ship, time at my fingertips. We have plenty of time to take everyone back home."

"Oh Doctorrrrr," Jack drew out from outside. "Roooosie. You've got company." He began to knock again, more obnoxious than earlier without letting up.

If the Doctor opened his eyes, he would've rolled them into his next regeneration. In the early days of when Jack travelled with them he would always be the high spirits and try to wake them up and lure them out of their rooms, but there was still plenty of time to bring the others back to where they belonged. A few more minutes of rest wouldn't hurt. He wanted to tease Rose with the fact that she was rubbing off on him with the small added amounts of sleep, but he let it go. Yesterday was an exhausting day, so everyone needed rest. Him included.

The knocking was getting louder by the seconds, and made both of them groan. _"He won't stop 'til we let him in,"_ Rose thought to the Doctor.

 _"Just ignore him and he'll eventually go away,"_ he replied back, languidly running his fingers across her back in an attempt to make her fall back to sleep. The disruption continued, and despite their hardest efforts to turn a deaf ear to it, they were already too awake and aware.

"Alright, if you guys don't come to the door in the next ten seconds, I'm coming in," Jack announced.

Rose's eyes shot open as she pushed herself up on her elbow. "Doctor, you know he won't quit," she whispered.

The Doctor brushed his fingers over her ribs. "Pay no mind to him, love, he'll get over it and leave us alone."

"You know how persistent he is. What if he actually comes in?"

He inwardly snorted. "All that charm won't work on the TARDIS. The Old Girl keeps everything secure and knows when one or others are ready to—"

His sentence stopped itself once the sound of the doorknob turning came to their attention and the captain appeared in the entrance way. Rose gasped and bolted up in a seated position, the Doctor doing the same and quickly pulling the duvet over their exposed chests.

"Jack!" they shouted in unison once their friend came into full view.

A large grin slowly spread across Jack's face. "So you lovebirds were too busy to get up and open the door I take it."

" _What the hell_ are you doing in here?" the Doctor said sharply. "Why are you in our room, this is a _private_ room! And how did you even _get_ in here, the door was locked!"

"Not when I got to it," Jack said with a shrug.

"Jack, you don't just _barge_ in like that!" Rose spoke up, the covers held tightly in her hands. "That's rude! Worse than this one's standards." She nodded at her husband, whose hair stood up, scandalized.

"I was knocking for at least fifteen minutes!" the captain protested, crossing his arms over his chest. "Think it was time to take action. How are you feeling, Rose? Your husband told us what happened to you last night."

"Yeah, I'm doing okay. Feeling pretty amazing, actually."

"And the little time bun in the oven?"

"The same." Rose smiled at the Doctor, placing a hand on one of his and giving it a squeeze. "Just… better now. Everything's better."

Jack laughed happily. "That's great news! I'm so happy for you guys." He tilted his head more, his eyes on their bedsheets. "Call me one with a good eye for observation, but you seem a little _too_ happy right now by the looks of it, Doc," he added slyly, examining them.

The Doctor's ears turned a violent shade of pink as he pulled the covers over himself impossibly more in an attempt to shroud himself. "What else do you need, Captain?" he asked, a bit snippy. "While it's a thoughtful gesture for you to check in on my wife and make sure she's doing well since you're our friend, I don't appreciate our-our… privacy to be transgressed. This is a violation and breaks rule number thirty-one."

"I _was_ knocking on your door, mind you. After a while a guy can get impatient and worry about his friends' well-being."

"That's perfectly understandable, but we would've come out when we were good and ready."

Jack tapped a finger on his watch. "It's actually thirteen hundred hours. You missed out on breakfast."

"Breakfast? Rubbish," the Doctor scoffed. "Time is relative on the TARDIS. It could very well be midnight, or even tomorrow, or tomorrow's tomorrow."

"Doesn't stop the group from being hungry though," the captain put in. "Lucky for you crazy kids I spent time on this ship—and Martha and Donna and Sarah Jane. You missed out on a tasty morning feed." He winked and the Doctor rolled his eyes. "So if you guys don't come out soon, you're bound to have more visitors flooding in here."

"Can't have that," the Doctor sighed, rubbing his eye. "Alright, give us a few minutes to get ready and we'll be out. Just…" He waved his hand to shoo the man out of their room.

"Thanks Jack," Rose told the captain.

"Alright then," the Doctor said. "We'll be out momentarily. Thank you for that favor, Jack. But now can you do me another and please get out of my room?"

"Since you asked nicely…" The captain threw them each another wink before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

"The nerve of that man," the Doctor muttered.

"Doctor, don't be like that," she told him firmly, poking his arm.

"Rose, he entered our room while we were… well, like _this_!" He squeaked, gesturing at themselves. "This was exactly the situation I was hoping to _avoid_ at any point."

"He means well, though. He wanted to make sure we were okay. You can't be mad at him for checking on us."

The Doctor sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. "I'm not mad at him. I know he's our good friend and he cares, I just… don't ever want him, or anyone else for that matter, barging in on us while we're not decent."

Rose bit her lip and placed a hand on his arm. "It's Jack. You should know how he's like by now."

He held his head in his hands with a groan. While she wasn't thrilled about one of her best friends coming into their room and nearly catching sight of her and her husband exposed, she concealed a laugh at how he was reacting. She nudged his leg with hers.

"Buck up, you old grump," she told him. "Everyone's waitin' on us. We gotta get ready." She pecked his shoulder before tossing the covers away, immediately shivering from the coldness of their room. She walked towards their en suite. "Saves us a lot more time if we're in here together, y'know."

It wasn't long until she felt his arms wrap around her from behind, his lips close to her ear. "You know we have all of Time at our fingertips. Nothing will be wasted if we take things… slow."

She reached for his hands and threaded their fingers together, waggling her eyebrows at him while a prurient grin spread across his face when she led them into the bathroom to get ready.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Jenny was sitting on the couch in the library, admiring the amount of books stacked across the shelves in the massive atmosphere. She still hadn't recovered from the overwhelming amount of awe knowing that this was her home and where her parents traveled. It was so enormous that she could get lost in it and not be worried about where she ended up. She'd love to be able to read through every volume and novel, but who knew how much time it would take. Then again this was a time machine, so all the time in the universe.

Of course, of all the stories gracing the many shelves in the room she had a feeling none of them could compare to the greatest story she's ever heard. The story of an extraordinary woman from Earth with hair of gold and a heart of a thousand suns, and a remarkable man that was centuries older than how he appeared and had time at his fingertips. They traveled together in a magical blue box that ventured throughout worlds far and wide—living a lifestyle like no other, loving each other and spreading wisdom and hope to the lands they roamed, saving the universe by doing the impossible. Everything as it should have been and should be.

Hearing the stories and seeing the visions was more than enough to let Jenny know how much of an extraordinary woman her mother was and just how much of a force she could be when maniacal and sadistic people try to take over the universe or whenever her father was being threatened and put in a severe life and death situation. On her own she was fierce, but when she held the power of the Bad Wolf she was a goddess. It was something Jenny had always wanted to understand more, even more so now that she had been endowed with the power of the Wolf as well. Every dream she's had and every soft whisper in her mind with it made her even more curious. She wanted to know exactly how it came to be and how to manage living with something beyond any earthly plane.

In a small haze she could feel the remnants of the energy flowing through her body. It had been hours since the evil tyrant Davros had been vanquished and the universe had been preserved, but Jenny was finally starting to feel the after effects. A power so intense could really tire one out. But she couldn't help but think of the lengths the entity would go in order to protect the universe—to protect her father. Her mother wielded the powers with such grace and valor unlike anything Jenny had ever seen. She always believed her mother was a strong woman, but never quite like that—assuming the powers of a living pneuma. And this time ship, it was the source of that power.

A tickle came to her mind, causing her to look at the ceiling. It was the ship, but she wondered what it was trying to tell her. Could it speak at all?

"If you want Her to, She will." Jenny whirled around at the sound of her father's voice to find both her parents standing in the doorway with smiles. "She's very friendly and can communicate with you whenever you want. In many ways, mind you."

"Unless you get on Her bad side, in which case She'll ignore you and punish you for getting lost," Rose replied, smiling at the Doctor. "Isn't that right, love?"

He scratched the back of his neck. "Too many times," he muttered.

Jenny giggled before skipping over towards them. "This place is amazing! I can't believe you live here, it's brilliant! How big is it really?"

"Well, the Old Girl is infinite. Plenty of space in here to hold millions of crystaljove herds. Not saying I'd have them aboard, they spread contagious diseases through their embers, one touch could turn your insides into a bucket of slop and possibly cause a foot to fall off. Can't have that, you'd need both feet for all the running we'll be doing."

She blinked. Her father was incredibly wordy.

"Anyway, we'll be making some stops to drop everyone off soon," he continued. "Although considering we missed out on breakfast hours ago, I reckon a nice dinner amongst everyone would be appropriate. You're free to stay in here if you want and catch up on whatever books you picked out for now, or you can come and help out. Whatever you choose."

Jenny bit her lip shyly. "Actually… I was hoping to talk to mum about something first. Privately."

Both of her parents raised their eyebrows. "Oh," the Doctor said with a nod. "Right, of course."

"'M bettin' you got a lot of questions about what happened, yeah?" Rose responded. "Okay then." She turned to the Doctor and placed a hand on his arm. "I'll handle this. You'd be awful at mother-daughter conversations. Go think of something that every one wants for dinner. And don't bring out that container of goop again."

"Too right," he chuckled. "Well, could always get your mother to make something similar to that anyway." Rose elbowed him hard and he snickered. "Jenny, listen to your mother's advice. It's one of her many admirable qualities."

He smiled at Jenny and nudged her nose with the back of his forefinger before giving Rose a quick kiss to the hair then left them alone in the room.

"C'mon sweetheart, let's sit down," Rose said after, gently taking Jenny's arm and leading them to sit on the couch. They sat with their legs under themselves, facing each other. "I know you've got a lot going through your mind. It can be a bit overwhelming going through… well, this. What with finding us again and with Bad Wolf."

"I can't even explain how I felt back there…" Jenny said, still in awe. "It just felt like… I could harness all the power of all the suns and… it was…"

"A rush?" Rose supplied. "It can be that way."

"What exactly is Bad Wolf though? Up 'til now I only know little about what it is—or who it is. It's… it's you, but is it me too? Like, how did it know when to appear? It can come through dreams 'cause it— _you_ —told me to wait for the right moment when the battle was upon us."

"It came to you from the future, letting you know that danger was coming and to help you find us."

"It's just… God, I don't know where to start."

Rose smiled softly and reached for her hands, squeezing them. "Lemme try and start from the beginning of how Bad Wolf started and we'll stem off from there, 'kay?" She took a deep breath and began. "Basically, it's this entity that manifested and merged with me when I accidentally opened the Heart of the TARDIS and absorbed the Time Vortex. Remember the golden light you saw? That's the energy. It's so powerful that in the wrong hands could pull apart the whole universe and bend things in ways unimaginable."

"So… are you the only one who's taken in that much power?"

"It seems so."

"What happened that caused you to even do that in the first place? Was it because of a battle like yesterday?"

Rose sighed and nodded. "Pretty much. It involved an army of Daleks that had escaped from the Time War—a massive war that could've cost the universe had it not been your father. He was the lone survivor of his kind to make it out of that war, the one who had to end it in order to save the universe." She paused for a moment. "That's… another long story to get into, and probably best if you heard it from him, but in the end he did the right thing despite the large cost."

Jenny nodded. Judging by the reactions her parents for whenever this war was mentioned, it really left an impact. But now she needed to know about this entity.

"Anyway," Rose continued. "Like I was saying, the first time Bad Wolf showed up happened on this… sort of death trap called the Gamestation. Your father was a different man back then, and your uncle Jack was there too. I ended up in the TARDIS and was sent back home, not by choice, by the Doctor. One thing you should know is that he can be really thick and think he should sacrifice himself. Even though he was looking out for me, I was furious at him and tried to go back to that station. In the process, I accidentally ripped open the Old Girl's Heart and absorbed all of that energy. Then I made it back and managed to turn the entire Dalek empire into dust with a wave of my hand."

Jenny's jaw dropped. She had always figured that her mother was a force to be reckoned with, a strong woman who could stand up to evil emperors and cruel beings, but that was incredible. "Wow," she breathed out.

"In doing so, it also scattered Bad Wolf across time and space as a sign, a message that the universe was serious danger and the Doctor needed to help. And also to let him know he or those touched by Bad Wolf were safe."

So that was how Jenny was warned about the Crucible battle and knew where to find her parents when the time was right. Bad Wolf guided her, summoned her, helped her. She was connected to her already. "And she can enter your dreams," she spoke.

"Yeah. It's connected to the TARDIS, so she's telepathic. We can work out telepathy later today." Rose smirked. "Surprise your dad even more."

Jenny giggled. "All this power sounds amazing though. She's a proper goddess. Well, _you_ are, mum!"

"I dunno about that. I couldn't control myself though when I first took in the energy," Rose said, shaking her head. "I took in too much at one time and it was burning me up. The act I had done was done out of my love for your father and desperation to get back to him, to help save the universe. Because Jenny, when it comes down to it, you don't stand back in the shadows when you can help. You make a stand, get in the faces of those who oppose you. That's what I did. The force was too strong though, and I had to have it taken away from me."

"How?"

"Your dad took it out of me, but at a price—he regenerated because of it. He saved my life by sacrificing his. That's how he turned into himself now. So as good as the act was, it was also bad. I… handled it wrong. I committed genocide. I had killed just about every Dalek that day without mercy."

"But you helped save the universe, just like yesterday," Jenny pointed out. "And you sent them back into the War without killing them this time."

A smile came across her mother's lips. "That's right. I've learned to control this power slowly over time, I guess. Honestly, I'm not sure. Because… it can influence you to do certain things."

"How do you mean?"

"Whenever any of us are in serious danger—especially the Doctor, me, or the TARDIS, not just the universe—Bad Wolf appears and does whatever is necessary to keep everything safe from harm. But it's all for justice, and that doesn't necessarily mean just 'good' or 'bad', but 'right' and 'wrong'. Sometimes when in the heat of the moment, she could make you do extreme things beyond your belief. Mind you, you still are a part of it. If you have a caring and loving heart, then you're in better places of your mind while under Bad Wolf's influence. But it can still take over and allow you to do things you might not be aware of when they happen."

Taking in this information, Jenny bit her lip. It sounded intimidating to live with this considering some of it was inside of her. "Does… does it _scare_ you?"

Rose took a deep breath and looked to the side for a moment. "It terrifies me sometimes," she admitted gently. "Something so powerful, while granting gifts, also came with some sacrifices. I've done… bad things with Bad Wolf. I take responsibility for the things I've done, the things I've seen in my mind when the memories of my actions came to my dreams and nightmares. Things I might do in the future if it happens again. But it's not all rage and justice—she's love and courage. God, so much love and courage. Love for the universe, for the TARDIS, for you, for me, and your father." Her eyes were shining. "I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for everything I've done back then and becoming Bad Wolf. It allowed me to keep my promise to be with the Doctor forever, to give him the love and comfort he had lost, to make him whole and stand beside him as an equal. As one. So yes, even though Bad Wolf can be pretty intimidating, I can live with that and know how safe we are."

Jenny smiled, understanding her mother's words. This entity was a part of them, and it could be used to sort things out for the universe and make darkness light again. It might be scary to think of how much power one could wield with it and bend Time at a swipe of a hand. Jenny inherited it from her mother, but the latter started this on her own. It was because she loved the Doctor. Underneath the power was an ordinary woman with a passion in her heart that burned like the sun, the courage to make a stand, the strength to trudge through trials and tribulations. It was so inspiring to Jenny knowing this was where she came from—her parents were the stuff of legend for a reason. And the basis of their strength came from love; for the universe, for helping people, and for each other.

Despite all the fears and hatred in the universe was love. So much love. And that itself was the strongest weapon to win the fight.

Still reverential, Jenny hugged her mother really tight. "Thanks mum. I love you."

"Love you too, Jenny," Rose said softly. "There's still a lot for you to learn, but we've got plenty of time for it. You might as well prepare a pen and paper to take notes, especially if your father is talking 'cause you'll fly through pages."

"How do keep up with him?" Jenny laughed. "He talks a lot!"

Rose snorted. "He loses track of his words while he's speaking sometimes, it's got its own motor." She nudged Jenny's arm. "C'mon, you can help us with dinner. Pray that your father isn't planning on serving slime."

Jenny chuckled. She could get used to living like this.

* * *

 **One more left, guys!**


	74. The Journey Continues Part 2

**A/N:** **FINALLY! It felt like this story wasn't ending, but here we are! It's been a looooong ride, guys, so if you stuck throughout this behemoth and emotional roller coaster then you are undoubtedly the greatest viewers anyone could hope for, and I salute you!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 71: The Journey Continues Part 2**_

Everyone was waiting in the galley by the time Rose and Jenny emerged from the library. All eyes shifted towards the blonde as rapid questions in regards to her well-being were brought up, and a swarm of hugs piled up on her. The Doctor was preparing a nice dinner for the group while Rose and Jenny helped out. All around the table were smiling faces and laughter, the best kind of feelings when the universe was safe. At one point the Doctor took out a small white paper with a black grainy image on it then handed it to Jackie, which led to her squealing with happiness. It was a sonogram showing the baby. The image was soon passed around to be viewed, leading to a chorus of 'awws'.

Once dinner was over everyone left to prepare themselves for their leave. Keeping true to his word, the Doctor began one of the several stops on his list for taking everyone home. Sarah Jane's drop off was first as the TARDIS gently landed in London not too far from where her house was. She went out the doors with the Doctor and Rose following behind, gazing around at their surroundings and the normality of them.

"Almost sounds like someone's getting married," Sarah Jane said as church bells rang in the distance.

"Not something we heard when we got married," Rose commented. "Mind you, plenty of other things were heard."

"Ohhh, I'd say we hear them everyday since," the Doctor replied, throwing his wife a wink before she poked his ribs.

Sarah Jane turned to them. "So you didn't have an Earth wedding? Not that what you have doesn't count."

"Well, it was done _on_ Earth," Rose pointed out. "But it's kind of a long story."

"It wasn't the traditional human courting, Sarah," the Doctor added. "It was done by the ways of my people back home. Well, without a large ceremony and gathering, but still in the Gallifreyan fashion."

"Wouldn't put it past my mum that she'd want an actual second wedding with us walking down an aisle and rice bein' thrown at us."

"Sounds like your mother. She'd definitely throw something heavier at my head." Rose elbowed him gently and Sarah Jane laughed at them.

"You know Doctor," the older woman started. "You always gave off the impression that you were such a lonely man over the years, but look at you now! You've got the biggest family on Earth! Not to mention a marvelous wife and children."

The Doctor smiled warmly at his friend and then at Rose, slinging an arm around her waist. "That I do."

"So does this mean you'll be referring yourselves as Mr. and Mrs. Smith from now on?"

"Nope, after all this time I thought it was time to drop the 'John Smith' moniker. 'John Tyler' has a much better ring to it in my books. Not that Smith is a bad name, though."

"Definitely not," Rose said with a wide grin.

Sarah Jane returned it before holding her arms out to her, both of them hugging tightly followed by the Doctor. She suddenly backed away. "Oh! My son! I can't keep him waiting much longer. Even though he's had Mr. Smith and K-9 to keep him company, he needs me."

"Right, I've been meaning to ask you about that," the Doctor remarked.

"Long story. He was created by this alien species called the Bane from all these DNA samples that made him incredibly clever, and I adopted him as my own. He has quite the knack for knowledge and the sciences."

The Doctor smiled brightly. "Sounds like a good chap! We look forward to meeting him one day."

"Him and Jenny can have a battle of wits," Rose chuckled.

Sarah Jane nodded. "That'd be great. It's been nice catching up, but I gotta go. He's only fourteen. And thank you!" She gave them each one more hug before running down the street, waving at them while they smiled and waved back.

Next was Jack and Martha, so the Doctor landed in a park for good measure. When they walked out, it didn't take long before the Time Lord grabbed Jack's wrist and disabled the vortex manipulator.

"Hey!" the captain protested.

"Told you before that this is off limits," the Doctor replied, pocketing the sonic afterwards.

"This isn't even close to my base, I need it to get to my team."

"It's not too far of a walk, it's a nice day for getting some cardio in. That, or you can take a train."

Jack arched an eyebrow. "Is this because I walked in on you while in bed this morning?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Broke the sacred rule, for one thing. But that teleport is wonky and one slip up could send you back into the Middle Ages."

"There's a higher chance of that happening to us when you drive the TARDIS, love," Rose teased.

He rolled his eyes playfully. "And Martha, get rid of that Osterhagen thing, eh? Save the world one more time."

"Consider it done," Martha said, smiling. She then gave both of them a hug. "I'm so happy for you guys."

Jack took over with the hugs and kissed both of them. "You know, I've gone through pregnancies before. Took a lot out of me with my own, but still came through. So if you ever need advice Rosie, gimme a ring."

She lightly pushed him. "Good to know."

"And the offer's still on the table if you lovebirds want tips to get spicy in bed from Dr. Love. My window's always open."

"I have plenty of experience in that field," the Doctor said. "No help needed." Rose blushed and Martha shook her head.

"Oh, _bragging?_ So your ego must not be the only thing that's big now, is it?"

The Doctor grinned wickedly and waggled his eyebrows at his wife, who elbowed his side. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, thank you both. You were brilliant as always."

Both Jack and Martha gave them salutes, to which the Doctor and Rose returned lazily. Once their friends walked away, Mickey suddenly exited the TARDIS.

"Where you off to?" Rose asked curiously.

"I'm staying here," he replied.

"What? I thought you had a life back in that parallel world?"

"I used to, but not anymore. I had a good time in that parallel world, but my gran passed away. Nice and peaceful. Spent her last years living in a mansion. There's nothing there for me now. I loved my job and spending time with Jackie and Pete, but I think this right for me."

"What'll you do?" the Doctor asked.

Mickey took a deep breath. "Anything! Brand new life. I can work out what happens next—maybe go to Torchwood, keep defending the Earth, give you two a reason to come back here."

"Like we'd miss out," Rose laughed before giving him a hug. "You call us anytime, yeah?"

"Count on it," Mickey said.

"Good on you, Mickey-Mick," the Doctor said proudly as they bumped fists. "Keep being brilliant."

"Just you watch. Oh, and I won't be needing this anymore." Mickey reached in his jacket and pulled out his Cannon. "Figured you can keep it. Store it somewhere, I dunno."

The Doctor took the item and observed it before pocketing it. "No worries, it'll be in good hands."

"See you guys." Mickey winked before turning around to catch up with Jack and Martha. "Hey, you two!"

In the distance they could hear the captain sighing in mock exasperation. "Oh, I thought got rid of you."

Rose smiled at their friends. She was glad Mickey was looking forward to new opportunities in his life. "Real smitten with Martha, he is," she remarked.

"Really?" the Doctor said. "Hadn't noticed that."

"They hit it off quick. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to ask her out eventually. She did call off her engagement and isn't seeing anyone else."

He hummed. "Anything's possible. Come on, matchmaker." Placing his arm around her waist, he led them back inside the TARDIS.

 _ **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Donna was packing her things in every bag she had brought, forgetting how prepared she was when she signed up for this life. She missed her opportunity to pack earlier after breakfast, but she wanted to wait for the married couple to join them and let them know that she had come to a decision. Granted, she and everyone knew that the two of them needed to recuperate after the whirlwind that happened last night. Donna never minded when they stayed in their quarters longer for personal and private reasons, and now was no different. It was a time for family and checking in on others.

She slept well after having long conversations with her mother and grandfather, making sure they weren't harmed and calming them down when they felt the entire planet being pulled back into place. It felt so good to hear from them in such a long time. Travelling with her two best friends for a year didn't mean she never thought about her family during their universal adventures, and while she had the greatest moments and experiences of her life with them in their amazing ship, she was feeling homesick. Only this time she didn't feel like giving them just another phone call or a proper visit—she wanted to go back home.

Not _permanently,_ but just for a little while. She owed them her company after being away for so long. She loved this lifestyle, but breaks were necessary. She would always be thankful for everything she's seen and could never forget the amazing times they've had together in this silly blue box and every planet they've stepped foot upon. This wouldn't be a permanent goodbye—she would be coming back.

Gathering her stuff, she brought everything out into the console room. Jenny and Jackie were seated together on the jump seat while Jake was standing off to the side. The group aided her with the luggage as she explained why she was doing it in the first place. Not much later the Doctor and Rose entered the ship, stopping in their tracks.

"Wh-what's going on?" the Doctor asked.

Donna walked up to them, taking a deep breath. "I've decided," she began. "I think it's time I went home."

He looked puzzled for a moment, flitting between her and Rose. "Are you sure? You don't have to if you want, there's plenty of room aboard—"

"It's not about the space or anything, there's waaaaay too much of it. And with you being a skinny streak of nothing, it makes this place even bigger." She smiled softly. "It's just… I have my gramps and mum. They're still pretty shaken up, mum especially. I just think I need time with them together, just like you need each other."

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look of understanding. "If that's what you want," the latter said kindly. "That's alright with us. Reckon your folks would love your company after that madness." The blonde came over and gave her a tight hug. "We'll miss you around here."

"This doesn't mean I'm going for good," Donna said with a smile. "Can't get rid of me even if you tried."

"Can't argue with that," the Doctor snorted. "Donna Noble, it's been great. More than great, it's been brilliant. _You've_ been brilliant. You've saved the world in so many ways."

"Guess I did. And helped save your skinny arse along with your wife a bunch of times, thank you very much."

Rose laughed at that while the Doctor snorted. He made his way over to the console and plugged in the coordinates for Donna's house. Once the ship landed in the front of the house, he opened the doors and led them out—save for Jackie and Jake who decided to stay inside. Donna had her keys out and unlocked the door before the others brought out her luggage. Sylvia and Wilfred came out and were relieved to see that she was okay and also helped.

She thought about what her other plans while staying on Earth would be. Temping wasn't in her schedule, but she could assist one of her friends at their workplaces, if anything. She would think about it later on though. Her focus was supporting her family first and balancing her two lives; at home and in the TARDIS. Once everything was off the porch and in the house, Wilfred shook all their hands gratefully before Slyvia ran inside and called for him to join her.

"Sorry about mum," Donna said, rolling her eyes. "You're still not on her good side, apparently."

"Not the first time I've dealt with mothers," the Doctor replied, scratching his cheek. "Yours is a tight contender to Jackie though on the scale of ferocity."

"Oi!" Rose chastised, elbowing his side. "She's not that far away, y'know. Mum'll smack you in a second."

Both Jenny and Donna giggled before the former came over for a hug. "We'll be in touch," the young girl said.

"Have fun seeing new worlds," Donna said happily. "And be sure to keep your parents in check, your father especially. Your mother can tell you how daft he can be."

"'He' is standing right here," the Doctor put in with a raised eyebrow while Rose patted his arm.

"Stating the obvious, spaceman."

Jenny was still smiling as she glanced over at her parents. "I think I can be a voice of reason."

Donna nodded before giving both the Doctor and Rose tight hugs again. "Thank you," she told them. "You've really opened my eyes, I can't thank you enough. So don't you think about being strangers," she admonished after.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Rose said, grinning. "You can call us at any time."

"There's still plenty of places we'd love to take you that we haven't yet," the Doctor said. "And well, you're right about staying here for now."

"Just for a short while, that's all I need," Donna assured. "Every so often I just… I have to see them."

"Be sure to tell your grandfather that he can always look at the stars to see if we're on our way over when we have the chance."

"Will do."

Rose rubbed Donna's arm, smiling gently. "And be patient with your mum. I know our lifestyle doesn't appeal to her—it didn't with my mom at first either. But give her time and try talking to her when you can."

Donna sighed. "I'll try, thanks. By the way, have you got sticky notes I can borrow?"

Rose fished around her jacket for the items, pulling out a pen and small pack of sticky notes. Donna took them and wrote a date on the top note before ripping it off and sticking it on the Doctor's coat.

"That's the day you can come back and pick me up," she informed. "One week from now. And I mean one week, alien boy—seven days. Not seven _months_ and definitely not _seven years_!"

"My driving is perfectly fine!" the Doctor protested.

Rose cleared her throat. "Twelve months."

"One time!"

"1879."

"Well, twice—"

"Cardiff, Rome, missing Elvis, the third moon trip, Atlantis, Clamacarro, Emily Dickinson…" Rose crossed her arms. "Should I continue?"

The Doctor huffed and tipped his chin up. "Until you showed up, my driving was perfection."

She pushed him and laughed. "You bloody liar! You failed your driving test and threw the manual out!"

"You'll never let it go, will you?"

"Never."

He smirked and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, also doing the same to his daughter. "We'll be there, Donna," he promised. "If not by me driving, definitely by Rose. Possibly Jenny, we'll see. Until then, Donna Noble. Keep being amazing."

Then the trio left with smiles as they entered the TARDIS, waving one more time before closing the door. When she first met those two amazing people on the eventful day of her 'wedding' and accused them of being accomplices of sabotaging what she believed would be the best day of her life, she never thought they would end up being her best friends. For so long she was constantly told that she was unimportant and that she was wasting her life by being a nobody, but after travelling with her friends and seeing some of the most beautiful—and terrible—things in the wider universe and helping others, she found something inside herself she never knew she had. Strong will. Until now, she used her quick tongue and sharp words as her defense, but she was more than that. There was so much more out there for her, so much worth living for. Her friends helped her see that, and she would be forever grateful for that.

Donna took a deep breath and entered her house, finding her mother sitting by the kitchen table sipping tea. "How long are you staying?" Sylvia asked, sounding exhausted.

"A week for now," Donna answered. "The Doctor and Rose will come back and pick me up."

"Then what?"

"I dunno, just do the same things we've been doing. But I'll be visiting every now and then, every weekend if I can and staying longer whenever."

Sylvia remained quiet, staring at her mug for long moments. "You've changed so much, Donna. My own daughter… it's like I don't know you anymore."

"But I'm better," Donna told her evenly. "I've never been out of Chiswick all my life, and it seemed like nothing else was out there. I've seen so many things, so many worlds. It's so much bigger than just right here and right now."

"And you decided to keep it from me. You never wanted to tell me about where you were and what you were doing that… couple. Why would you hide all of this from me?"

Donna sighed before sitting in front of her mother. "Because you wouldn't believe me, mum. I really wanted to, but… you would think I was a downright nutter. With gramps, it was different. He already saw aliens and believed they were real, even met the Doctor and Rose and spoke to them this past Christmas."

"You're right, I would've thought you were mad. But I was worried about you, Donna. You rarely called, and when you did you never told me where you were really. Not just blocks away, but _planets_! How much more are you gonna change?"

"So what if I _do_ ," Donna said sharply. "I'm a better person now, mum. The Doctor and Rose, they helped me. That's what they do; they take ordinary people along with them on adventures and make people better and feel _important._ Rose was a shopgirl before and now she saves the universe and is married to the Doctor. Martha was a doctor in training, and now she's a real doctor and working for UNIT. I used to be a temp, and now I feel like I can do whatever I want. Now I feel important."

"You always _were_ important," Sylvia told her. "You're my daughter."

"Then how come you never told me that yourself?"

Sylvia was quiet for a long moment until she responded. "I've always wanted the best for you, Donna. You always thought you never had the potential to be whatever you wanted, but… all along you did. I just want you to be happy."

Donna took a deep breath and sat up straight, resting a hand over her mother's. "I am happy. Right where I am and what I'm doing now. I've helped so many people across the universe, mum. For so many moments, people were grateful that I was there and helped them." She felt her eyes mist. "It's… amazing."

Her mother studied her carefully, and for the first time in so long Donna swore she saw pride sweeping across her mother's features—for _her_. For so long she thought her mother saw her as a disappointment, but in this moment she realized she wasn't seem that way in her mother's eyes. Sure, she might be insulting and rarely tactful, but she still cared. After Donna's father died Sylvia became depressed, and her attitude shifted. But underneath the strict nature was still a caring person who loved her family, and was proud of her daughter.

"There you are, sweetheart," Wilf said happily as he came into the room. "I was arranging some of your hats from one of your bags. Have enough for your own hat shop."

"Thanks gramps," Donna chuckled.

"Tell you what, it's already starting to get dark out. What say you join me on my hill and see all those stars back in their places?"

"I'll keep the kettle hot for you two," Sylvia put in.

Donna smiled at both of them. "I'd love that."

She followed her grandfather as he merrily skipped out the back door, babbling about aliens and how amazing the Doctor and Rose were, as well as how proud he was of her for helping her friends. It wasn't just the times where she was on some alien planet saving lives that proved she was worth something; it was also times like these with her family. She owed her best friends for taking part in that. Finally, Donna Noble can fully believe that she _was_ the most important woman in the universe.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

Rose could feel her eyes watering. There was one more stop to make, and it was Pete's World. She had to say goodbye to her mother again. It was hurting her more than she tried to hide. It had been years since she saw her mother and missed her, but she had a life in that other world that she couldn't leave. The TARDIS landed smoothly and she could feel her insides tightening. It was going to be tough to go through this again, but as long as her mother was happy then she would focus on that.

"We've got about fifteen minutes," the Doctor said, eyeing the monitor. "The walls are stable enough to hold themselves open before closing on their own."

"Better than two like last time," Jackie commented. "We better not be in bloody Norway again, that walk will take too long."

"We're not on Dårlig Ulv Stranden this time around, Jackie. I followed the wavelength of the residual energy left behind from the dimension cannons, thus leading us a little closer to home."

"I hardly think Torchwood would be home."

"Little closer than that."

Jackie and Jake went out first, the others following suit. They found themselves parked on the front lawn of the Tyler mansion, zeppelins looming overhead in the sky. An odd sense of déjà vu came over the Doctor and Rose as they walked to the doors, the eerie and unpleasant flashback of marching Cybermen and terrifying screams echoing in their memories from that horrific night of when they were trapped in this world. Rose shivered before looking over at her husband, noting his distant eyes. He suddenly blinked and brought himself out of the memory and reached for her hand, sending her soothing mental nudges.

"I thought I heard groaning engines," Pete Tyler remarked with a smile as he rounded a corner. "You're a hard man to find, Doctor. It's good to see you and Rose again." He surprised Rose by hugging her. "Haven't changed, I see."

"Hello, Dad," she said to him.

"Good to see you too, Pete," the Doctor said, shaking his hand.

"Sir," Jake saluted.

Pete shook his hand as well and then arched a brow at Jackie, who was standing with her hands on her hips. "I was never told there would be a _third_ person aboard the mission."

"I'm perfectly capable of doing whatever I want, thank you very much," Jackie replied.

"But Jacks, this was too dangerous—"

"Nothing is too dangerous for me when it comes to looking out for my family."

"I can't blame you for that, I'll admit." Pete looked over her shoulder where Jenny had been standing. "And who are you, miss?" he asked curiously.

"Jenny," the young girl answered with a smile. "Hello granddad!"

Pete's mouth opened wide in shock. "Um… hello. But you're…" He looked at both the Doctor and Rose in disbelief. "She's yours?"

"Long story," the Doctor replied. "Jenny is the result of a DNA sample from both Rose and I, and was born out of a machine."

"I'm still trying to figure it out too," Jackie commented. "Yeah, she's an alien like that one over here, but as far as I can tell she's more like a Tyler. And just so you know," she gestured at the Doctor, "he's our _son-in-law_ now. They got married… I don't know how long ago, but not like a human wedding. And they're expecting a _baby—_ one from actual birth, mind you! My little girl is having a baby!"

Rose bit back on a laugh at Pete's reaction of joyful surprise before he gave her another hug. "That's incredible, congratulations." He turned to the Doctor. "You must be really proud to become a father."

"Very much," the Doctor said fondly, wrapping an arm around Rose's waist. "Been there before."

"Could you believe this?" Jackie snorted. "I'm a grandmother in my forties!"

"Mummy!"

Around the corner came the cry of a small toddler, the excited patter of little feet hitting the floor as a little strawberry blond boy ran in the room. His arms were flailing in the air, a small space ranger toy in his hands. He ran in the direction of Jackie, who picked him up in her arms.

"Hello, sweetheart," she said warmly, kissing his cheek. "Doesn't take you long 'til you wake up from your naps, huh?"

The Doctor was smiling, flitting his eyes between the child and Rose, noting how much of a resemblance they shared. He noticed how bright her eyes were as well, and rubbed her back with his hand. "And who is this little fella?" he asked.

"Anthony Tyler," Jackie said, turning around to face them. "Tony, this is your big sister, Rose."

"Hey, Tony," Rose said with a warm smile as she stepped forward to gently take his tiny unoccupied hand.

"Wose?" Tony repeated, giving a toothy smile of his own. "Big sister Wose!" He then turned to Jenny as she came up and grinned at him. Jackie adjusted the boy at her hip as Rose introduced the others.

"There's some other people I'd like you to meet. This is your Aunt Jenny, and this is the Doctor."

Tony's smile vanished as he hid his face and held his action figure protectively. "No!" he cried. "Docors are bad!"

The Doctor frowned and scratched the back of his neck. "Ehm that's… a very warm welcome."

"No no no," Rose hushed the little boy. "He's a good Doctor. He's one of the good guys."

"Sweetheart," Jackie said to the boy. "Not like a doctor that gives you shots. This is _the Doctor._ Remember those stories your Uncle Mickey told you about? How he and Rose travel across space in their blue box and scare the monsters away?"

"We help save the world," Rose put in with an enticing tone to get the boy's spirits up and appeal to his liking. "Not only do we have adventures, but the universe is always in need of saving. The Doctor stops all the bad guys and helps people."

Tony stopped making a fuss and looked over at the pinstriped Time Lord, his nose scrunched up a bit. "But he not a space wanger," he remarked critically. "He don't got wight costume."

The Doctor blew a puff of air past his lips. "Blimey, everyone's a critic."

"Not everyone is gonna give you a standing ovation," Jackie chuckled.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Doctor," Pete said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "He's been obsessed with superhero cartoons, and this time it's 'space rangers'."

"Well, considering how I've made some impeccable fashion choices over the years, never once has tight and colorfully constricting spandex made its way into my wardrobe," the Doctor remarked.

Rose snorted. "With your fashion senses I wouldn't be surprised."

He rolled his eyes with a smirk before reaching into his jacket. "That being said, I have a little something I think you'd enjoy."

"Don't you dare give him somethin' that blows up!" Jackie warned. "You cause enough trouble on your own."

"Calm down, I'm merely looking for—ah! Found it!" He pulled out the sonic screwdriver from his jacket and adjusted its settings. If he had to win over this little boy's liking, a little whimsical performance was in order. He held out his hand. "Please?" he asked politely.

"Mine," Tony said petulantly, holding it closer to his chest.

"But he's a space ranger. He's supposed to fly, right? He's got the wings for it. I can make that happen."

The added persistence in his voice appealed to the boy as his eyes lit up along with his smile. He handed over his toy, and the Doctor began to run the sonic over the back. Beneath the wings was an opening, so he worked on it.

"Don't make it come to life!" Jackie said. "I don't want some alien toy flyin' around and makin' things explode!"

"That's daft, Jackie," the Doctor replied with a frown. "A little jiggery pokery is harmless. Besides, it'll be under my control and not being brought to life."

"Could give Pinocchio a run for his money if you tried, I bet," Rose joked from the side.

He chuckled as he finished. "There we go! Keep an eye on him, Tony Tyler. Blink and you'll miss it."

Operating the sonic, the Doctor opened his hand with the action figure laying flat against his palm. The arms shot upward before it began to levitate into the air above their heads. Tony began laughing excitedly as his toy zoomed around the massive room. Jenny was even giggling at the scene until the toy landed back into the Doctor's hand. Feeling proud of himself, he handed it back to the boy.

"Do it again!" Tony cheered, waving the toy. "Do it again!"

"You've won his approval now," Pete laughed.

"As if you needed another ego boost," Rose teased.

The Doctor threw her a wink as he twirled the sonic between his fingers before pocketing it again. "I'm just very good."

Jackie handed the delighted child over to Pete for a moment, taking a deep breath. The older Tyler cleared his throat. "That gateway isn't staying open much longer, is it?"

"No, we've got at least ten minutes or so until it closes in on itself."

"Forever?" Jackie asked, the hurt in her voice too palpable. "Would it ever open again?"

The Doctor bit the inside of his cheek, trying his best to explain the delicacy of the situation without making his mother-in-law and his wife hurt more. "It… can. In a sense, but not anywhere near as large as the current opening is now."

"In what sense are we talking about?" Jake wondered. "'Cause we've still got a Cannon." He took out his own, which was indicating its full charge. "We could just pop back and forth again the same way, couldn't we?"

"Well… you probably could, but I wouldn't recommend it be an occasional choice," the Doctor warned cautiously.

"Then how often are we talking here?" Jackie asked hesitantly.

"By the scans I've made last night and prior to landing here a few minutes ago, my calculations are a rough estimate. The walls of reality can't be opened in such a manner often, or else the universes would start to cave in and lead to worse consequences. From what I've estimated, the walls can be opened once every three months with the use of one Cannon."

"So a potential doorway, just not permanent," Pete concluded.

"Exactly. It's only to prevent any further damage. Keeping up with the periodical doorway won't hurt anything too much. The walls need recover time when opened every once in a while."

Rose caught her mother's eye, noticing how saddened she was becoming by the minute. It was their one chance of hope to keep in touch, even if it would take a while. "At least we'd be able to communicate, yeah?" she said with a positive tone. "Maybe we can even send each other letters or something."

"That _is_ an actual possibility," the Doctor confirmed. "Of course, I'm not one hundred percent sure since it's still too early to tell. But if I were to gain enough power from the Cannon and patch it through the TARDIS's communication matrix, we might be able to send you a signal across the dimensions. The opening wouldn't be large enough to travel through, but sending letters and photos, videos and phone calls—any form of data could easily slip through."

"That's handy," Pete said. "And it could be done more regularly I'd imagine."

"By those rates, hopefully."

Jackie let out a deep breath and looked over at Rose, appearing as though she had come to terms with their situation, albeit solemnly. This was going to be the hardest thing she had to do. Again. Losing her mother to another universe was unfortunate and painful enough the first time. However now there was more of a chance they could keep in touch while on their respective sides, and for that she was thankful.

"You'll be leavin' shortly," Jackie said, still resigned. "You said there isn't too much time."

"'S not a permanent goodbye," Rose replied optimistically. "We'll be able to talk to each other and send things at the earliest chance. The Doctor can improve upon that, he knows what he's doing."

"What about the travelling you two always do? Rose, sweetheart, you're pregnant. Knowing how much trouble comes to you both, I just want you to be safe at all times."

"I assure you I'll do my very best to keep the dangers away from your daughter, Jackie," the Doctor put in, slinging his arm around Rose's shoulders. "I swore by it. And, as far as the safety aboard the TARDIS itself, we'll have that taken care of and have it all baby-proofed. Mind you, I've never thought I'd say that."

Rose chuckled softly before moving closer to her mother, placing her hands on her arms. "Everything's gonna be okay, mum. We can handle this."

Tears were shining in Jackie's eyes. "You've… you've changed so much since the last time I saw you."

"All good changes, though, mum. I'm still me."

"I meant you've grown up into a remarkable woman." Jackie raised her hands to smooth Rose's hair. "About these changes… you said you could live forever or so, right? Does that mean…" Her voice broke for a moment, but became steady and quiet again. "You're going to outlive all of us?" She gestured at Pete and Tony, who was busy playing with his toy and unaware of the conversation.

Rose inhaled a deep breath and nodded. "But I'm _never_ gonna forget you, mum. Any of you. It won't be for a while any way."

"It'll happen one day though, sweetheart. Everything has its time, but you and the Doctor have all of that in your box. It is what it is, and I can't control that. I'm not thrilled about it, but I love you no matter what. I'm just so proud of you and all you've done, and seeing you happy with your life is all I've ever wanted for you. Mind you, I never thought I'd lose you to a daft alien in a blue box that can travel along with the stars, and I'll be honest that sounded barmy for me to say back then. But you're the happiest I've ever seen you be when you're with him and doing what you do. That's all I could ever want—for you to be happy. This is your life, and even though it can be hard on me to not be able to see you often, I'm just thankful that I can see you when I can and know that you'll be safe and where you belong."

The tears were spilling at that point from both of the Tyler women's eyes before they hugged each other tightly. "I love you, mum," Rose said.

"I love you so much," Jackie replied, pulling back to wipe her daughter's face dry and smiling. She kissed Rose's cheek then turned her attention to Jenny and gave her a hug as well. "I know we've only just met, but you're definitely a Tyler. I hope you have good times and find happiness."

"I will," the young girl replied happily. "Thank you, grandmother."

Jackie pulled back to walk up to the Doctor. "You know…" she began, placing her hands on her hips. "When you came into Rose's life, I was suspicious of you and your intentions with my daughter. Especially when it came to you and her bein' off for so long in that box of yours god knows how far away, and all the trouble you got yourselves into. And wondering just how close you were becoming."

"Weeeeeeell," he drawled, scratching his sideburn.

She smiled softly. "But I've seen how you two looked at each other and could tell back then that you were crazy for one another—how much happier you were making my daughter. God knows I never imagined my son-in-law would be an alien, but that's all good for me. Because I've seen how she is with you and imagining how she would be without you hurts my heart. Knowing that we'll still be able to see you both every now and then is good, even if it isn't as often as I'd like. Course, that was never the case back then. All I want is for my daughter to be happy, so you _better_ make sure that stays."

"I made a wholehearted promise to that a while ago, Jackie," he replied sincerely. "What Rose and I have is an unequivocal commitment of love."

"That's what I like to hear coming from you." She stepped up and gave him a tight hug, even kissing his cheek again. He allowed it this time. "But if you run off an' have a human style wedding without telling me or sending me pictures and videos, then don't think I won't jump back to get them myself. Same goes for when the baby is born. Gimme those photos as soon as possible!"

The Doctor snorted. "Wouldn't dream of having the grandparents miss out."

Pete shook his hand while keeping Tony in his arms. "We'll be in touch," he said with a smile.

"Take care of mum," Rose said as she hugged the man next.

"I always will."

"And Jakey boy," the Doctor said, shaking the other man's hand. "Keep defending the universe."

"Aye," he replied, offering a salute.

Rose then reached for little Tony's unoccupied hand. "I know you're really young now, Tony, but when you grow up you're gonna be so amazing. Maybe even be like your space ranger and help people."

Tony smiled widely, definitely confirming that he was indeed a Tyler. "And stop bad guys!" he cheered.

Rose grinned at the boy and kissed the top of his head. While she just met her little brother, she already loved him and would miss him a lot. But he was a Tyler boy, so he would be okay and have a great life down the road, maybe even save the world in his own special ways. Her family was strong together, and most importantly they made each other happy. That's all that mattered.

It was time for their departure, as bittersweet as it was. But everyone was going to where they belonged—home. The trio exited the mansion and made their way towards the TARDIS, the others coming onto the front lawn to watch the ship take off.

"Don't go looking for trouble, you lot!" Jackie told them.

"That's only the bits in between, mum," Rose replied with a smirk.

"There's plenty of other stuff for us to get into than that," the Doctor said, throwing his wife and daughter a wink. With that, they all waved goodbye one more time before the trio entered the ship. Before they took off, the Doctor popped his head out and smiled. "Keep watching, Tony. You'll love this bit. Space rangers aren't the only ones who can fly through the universe with style."

They each surrounded the console and watched through the monitor as the TARDIS dematerialized, the toddler's face lighting up until he began to bounce excitedly in his father's arms. Someday, perhaps, the little boy would be able to see the stars for himself. If he was anything like his sister, it was a possibility. Whatever would become of him was many years to come, but overall it would be fantastic.

 ** _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

"Will they be okay?" Jenny asked once they were out of the parallel world and travelled further away from the closing gap.

Rose nodded affirmingly. "Definitely. Your grandmother's been through a lot, so she should be more than okay. As long as she's got Pete and Tony, and we've got communication then everything is gonna be just fine." She looked over at her husband. "Don't you reckon, Doctor?"

"Oh yes!" he said happily. "Given the estimations from the scans, we may be luckier than we first thought about being able to communicate through the walls at the rough rate. But all in good time, naturally. That's it, all the time in the universe!"

"If not, you know Mum would find her way through in some way. Probably without the Cannon. 'Member what she told you the last time?"

"How could I forget? Out of all the beings we've faced, your mother can put a selective group of them to shame with her ferocity."

Rose swatted his arm playfully. "Oi! She's my mother, and your mother-in-law now! You better watch it. She may be another universe away, but she'll still come this way to deck you."

He shuddered. "Blimey, those slaps haunt me every now and then."

Jenny giggled before skipping around the console. "So where are we off to?" she asked eagerly, her youthful spirit illuminating the room as much as the glowing time rotor.

"Wherever you want, sweetheart," the Doctor said with a warm smile. "The universe is yours to see whatever you please."

"Any more new worlds? I'd love to see more places now that we're all together finally. And run across the stars!"

The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look, both smiling widely. "All sorts of new worlds!" he chirped as he bounced around the console with manic enthusiasm, pressing buttons. "Anywhere in the whole wide universe—anywhere, anywhen. Backwards, forwards, almost any kind of way possible. Well nothing sideways, mind you. Could be a bit dangerous getting into that territory, but that's what keeps us going—the thrills of every place we land on! So many places yet walked upon with our feet and seen with our eyes. Of course, we'll be travelling lighter for a while from now on. The trouble can wait at the doors, as far as I'm concerned. Says Little Richard, 'keep on knockin' but you can't come in'. Ha!" Both Rose and Jenny laughed at his ramblings. "And speaking of doors, why don't you take a look outside, Jenny. You'll love what you see."

"Where are we?"

"Just drifting through the nearest galaxy. But it's definitely one for the eyes to witness."

Jenny looked over at Rose for a second before walking down the ramp and slowly opening the doors. The TARDIS was floating in a vast area somewhere in a far galaxy, the sight making her eyes widen. Vibrant swirls of violet and blue and gold painted against the dark canvas that was the space, starlight gleaming amongst the hues like beacons of hope for all the lost souls of the world. Jenny placed her hands over her mouth in awe.

"It's…" she breathed. "I've never seen anything like this. Even… in my own travels. It's so beautiful."

"There's so much beauty in the universe, Jenny," Rose said softly. She moved to stand beside her, reaching for her hand. "What you saw yesterday was some of the bad, but then everyone came together. And there's so much good. Endless possibilities for everyone willing to strive for what they believe in. I know it may sound daft to say that just by looking at the stars, but it isn't when it's all you want to do. When you keep moving forward, everything is possible for you. No matter what lies ahead, you keep on running."

Though he was still leaning on the console, the Doctor smiled proudly at his wife's words and the truth it spoke. Its volumes echoed back at himself and his own mindset, leading to him reflecting on everything that had happened to get to where they were right now.

Once upon a time, so so long ago, he remembered being the loneliest person in the universe and not having a hand to hold through all the madness and grief and guilt that had crushed him, scarred beaten him down into the ground until it felt like he would give up on himself. That was him back then—broken to the point of shattering. But then came along a particular pink and yellow human that inadvertently changed his life in ways he never thought imaginable. The light to his dark, the one who made him better and fixed him. He remembered a time when his hands were empty and he had nothing to grasp onto, no one by his side to be with him. Those days were over. Just like Sarah Jane had told him: he had the biggest family in the universe.

"The most important thing, Jenny," he spoke up gently as he came to stand behind them at the doors, looking out at the scenery. "You gotta have a hand to hold throughout your journeys into the infinite worlds out there."

"Well you've got two, Dad," the ginger girl told him with a smile.

Rose reached for one of his hands and squeezed it. "Make that _three_ once the little one comes along," she told him.

He grinned proudly and shared a loving look with his wife before giving her a sweet kiss to the lips. Afterwards, he felt his daughter reach for his other hand as the three of them continued to stare out into the stars. They remained that way for a short while until the Doctor closed the doors and rounded the console, his gusto on full display.

"So!" he said. "Where to next? Backwards? Forwards?"

Rose hummed and placed a finger to her chin. "How 'bout just onwards?" She looked at Jenny. "What d'you say, sweetheart?"

"Fine by me!" the girl beamed.

"Onwards it is!" Rose exclaimed.

"Always." The Doctor waggled his eyebrows at them. "Allons-y!"

With that joyful proclamation he pulled the lever, sending them off to venture across the stars, ready to start their new adventures as a family and keep on running. Although for now, the running would be halted. But that didn't mean they still couldn't enjoy themselves. As long as they had each other, everything would be alright. Just as it should be.

 **End… for now**

* * *

 **Aaaaand that's it! I know a common question has been on basically everyone's minds regarding future stories. I still don't plan on doing any further _series_ rewrites, HOWEVER I _do_ plan on writing smaller ficlets set in this universe and, possibly, another future multichapter fic (not THIS long, no worries) with special episode rewrites. So be on the lookout for the little sequels coming eventually. ;) **

**Again, you guys are all stars, and deserve awards for sticking around! Until next time, lovelies *hugs***

 ** _newboy:_ Coming up with responses to your amazing reviews is always hard 'cause you make me speechless ^.^ It really means a lot to hear you say that, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks again buddy. ****I hope you have a nice holiday too! ;)**


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